Scotmid Co-op has begun its search Scottish food and drink producers, to offer retail listings across its convenience store network.
The society has teamed up with Scotland Food & Drink for the fifth consecutive year to deliver the 2026 Scottish Favourites competition. The goal is create a route to store shelves for producers while helping Scotmid discover more locally sourced products for its stores.
Applications are now open to producers across a wide range of food and drink categories, with this year’s competition offering three Gold Awards and additional support to help the winning producers launch their products with Scotmid.
Each of the three Gold Award winners will secure a listing with Scotmid and £2,000 to support their launch with the retailer, with one of the three awards decided directly by Scotmid members.
Previous winners have seen a significant impact from taking part. Three Robins founder Karen Robinson said winning a listing for the company’s oat milk range had allowed the business to “double our distribution overnight, making our products available to families all across Scotland”.
Danny Scobie, head of commercial at Scotmid, said: “Scottish Favourites has become a great way for us to discover exciting products and producers from across Scotland, while giving businesses a real opportunity to get their products in front of more customers.
“We’ve seen the difference a Scotmid listing can make for previous winners. We want to hear from producers of all shapes and sizes – whether you’re an emerging business ready to take the next step or an established producer with something new for our customers.
“Scotland has an incredible food and drink sector, and we’re looking forward to discovering the products that could become our customers’ next Scottish favourites. Local sourcing is an important part of our offer, and the competition gives us another way to find distinctive Scottish products while helping producers reach new customers.”
The launch coincides the annual Scottish Food & Drink September celebration.
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Alex Kidd, UK market manager – retail at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Scotmid for the fifth consecutive year, providing Scottish food and drink businesses with a valuable platform to access the convenience retail market and raise awareness of their products.
“Scottish Food and Drink September is all about celebrating our vibrant and diverse food and drink industry, so it’s fantastic to have the Scottish Favourites competition launched as part of our month-long campaign. From innovative start-ups to well-established brands seeking to expand their retail presence, competitions such as Scottish Favourites play a vital role in supporting growth by helping producers build meaningful retail relationships, increase visibility, and take the next step in their business journey.”
Applications are now open to Scottish food and drink producers and close at 11.30am on Friday 16 October.
Shortlisted suppliers will make their final pitches at Scotmid head office on Friday 20 November, before the competition culminates in a winners showcase in early December.
Image: Lauren Rafferty, commercial development coordinator, and Steve Addison, local sourcing manager, from Scotmid
