QMS all around the RHS in four days

QMS all around the RHS in four days

By Sarah Millar, CEO at QMS

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made the Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) stand at The Royal Highland Show a tremendous success. It’s always one of busiest times of the year for our colleagues and industry, and we decided to add to the challenge by being all around the show.

The QMS stand became a bustling hub for members, levy payers and partners in the red meat supply chain. It was a prime spot for networking and sharing the latest industry efforts and opportunities, sparking positive conversations about red meat.

Our industry breakfast briefings on Thursday and Friday drew hundreds of stakeholders. We were honored to have First Minister John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon and strategic net zero advisor and innovator Professor John Gilliland present. Our First Minister thanked QMS and everyone at the breakfast for the fantastic work we do for Scotland’s red meat sector. The clear message from the government was that they will listen with care to the challenges and issues the agriculture sector and rural communities in Scotland face, and will address those issues as part of a team Scotland approach.

Strachan Butchers, a proud Scotch Butcher Club member, provided well-received catering at our stand including bacon and Lorne sausage rolls at the breakfast briefings. This was a real highlight amongst our guests and hard-working colleagues – thank you to the team for keeping us very well fed!

Away from the business, we had fun activities at our stand. The Porktober Kids’ Competition was a hit, with children enthusiastically designing posters for the 2024 campaign – we will be announcing the winner soon. Guests also enjoyed some outdoor games, refreshments, and we sold hundreds of exclusive ‘Make it Scotch’ T-shirts, supporting Cancer Research UK.

Our partnerships with several organisations across the showground added immense value. At the Aldi stand, attendees sampled delicious Scotch Beef burgers and Specially Selected Pork with a Southwest Chipotle sauce. The Lidl stand had recipe cards and interactive games, highlighting the benefits of Scotch beef, Scotch Lamb, and Specially Selected Pork.

The Food for Thought Cookery Theatre, sponsored by The Scotch Butchers Club and Native Hebridean Salmon, showcased the talent in the industry. Our thanks go to all of the butchers and chefs who participated for your engaging demos and culinary expertise: Anna Forbes (HM Sheridan), David Hunt (Scottish Chefs), Steven Strachan (Strachan’s Craft Butchers), Fraser Cameron (The Globe Inn), Shona Marshall and Luke Burnett (Marshall’s Farm Shop), Phoebe Lawson (Amuse by Kevin Dalgleish), Karl Hearton (Kinnaird Butcher Shop and Deli), Jun Au (Pomelo).

The QMS Health and Education Team played a significant role, participating at various stands. At the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) stand, they featured 'The Journey of Lamb' and lamb crafts for children, along with an interactive trail for families in conjunction with Royal Highland Agriculture Society of Scotland (RHASS).

Thank you to the RHASS for a great show and for all the organising efforts that made it possible. The Highland Show is a highlight in our calendar. It’s a fantastic opportunity for the QMS team and our dedicated partners to showcase the excellence of the red meat sector and the collaboration behind the Scotch and Specially Selected brands. We’re pleased to share the Scotch story and help the public understand why they should choose Scotch brands, and look forward to being out and about at more shows this summer.