AYRSHIRE food producers have picked up seven gongs at this year’s prestigious Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards.

The annual awards ceremony celebrates the very best food and drink businesses up and down the country, and this year held its glitzy bash at The Corinthian in Glasgow.

Hawkhead Whisky Smoked in Cumnock and Mauchline’s Mossgiel Organic Farm were among the gold award winners at the ceremony, along with Blackthorn Salt.

The Hawkhead team secured two gold awards, for their firecracker cashews and glazed cashews, while Mossgield caught the eye thanks to their ‘cow with calf’ organic milk.

Blackthorn, based in Ayr, also picked up a platinum award for the best small food producer – the highest award available in their category.

Elsewhere in Ayrshire, Kilmarnock’s Nudie Snacks won a Silver award in the Small Producer category, as did Brownings the Bakers, which won a Large Producer Silver award.

Bruce Langlands, the former head of food and drink at both Harrods and Selfridges, was chair of the Platinum judging panel.

A Blackthorn Salt spokesperson said: “We were overwhelmed with category Gold and top award Platinum for Scottish Small Producer (ambient) at the Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards.

“We are simply overjoyed, astonished and delighted.

“What amazing and exciting times to be in amongst such a wonderful group, not least the Braw Liquor Club with whom we shared nerves and laughter, Mossgiel Organic Farm, The Buffalo Farm and many more.

“Thank you to Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards 2022 and the wonderful Cara for hosting such a lovely event and [compere] Dougie Vipond for his wonderful enthusiasm.

“Huge congratulations to all winners and finalists.”

In a social media post a Mossgiel spokesperson added: “We’re absolutely stoked to have won gold in the Scottish Retail Food and Drink Awards Awards.

“We entered our unique Pasture for Life accredited ‘Cow With Calf’ milk, made by the incredible Mossgiel Girls. The judges – and there were a lot of them – enjoyed our story, waste free policy and our ambition to be net zero by 2025.”