Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has celebrated a successful four days at the 2026 Royal Highland Show, where its programme of activity brought together those working across the Scottish red meat supply chain such as producers, processors, butchers, chefs, retailers, young farmers as well as consumers to champion Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Prime Scottish Pork.
Held from Thursday 18 to Sunday 21 June at Ingliston, this year’s show saw the QMS stand become a busy hub for networking, learning, inspiration and community connection. Reflecting QMS’s latest marketing campaign, When You Know, You Know, the stand helped visitors connect with the care, traceability and quality behind Scotland’s iconic blue labels.
The show also provided a platform to share the latest Meating Our Potential data, highlighting the significant economic opportunity for Scotland’s red meat sector and the continued importance of strengthening domestic production, supporting rural communities and meeting consumer demand for high-quality, locally produced red meat.
High-profile engagement
QMS was pleased to welcome First Minister John Swinney to its Thursday Breakfast Briefing alongside Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs Gillian Martin. In his remarks, the First Minister recognised QMS’s work in championing Scotland’s red meat sector, including the launch of Prime Scottish Pork, and reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to maintaining livestock production as part of a strong, sustainable agricultural economy.
Retailer partnerships
Across the showground, QMS activity with retail partners helped bring Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Prime Scottish Pork to life for visitors. At the Lidl stand, Farm to Fork demonstrations focused on steak cuts, while weekend cook-offs featuring Eadie Manson and Scott Lyall from Fife College alongside professional rugby players from Scotland’s elite clubs entertainingly showcased the Scotch brands. The High Steaks quiz with Make It Scotch also gave visitors the chance to test their red meat knowledge in a lively, interactive format.
Celebrating culinary and butchery talent
The Food for Thought Cookery Theatre in Scotland’s Larder, supported by The Scotch Butchers Club, Scotch Beef Club and Native Hebridean Salmon, showcased some of Scotland’s most exciting emerging culinary and butchery talent. Demonstrations across the four days featured William Rocks, George Hayward, Kyle Lorimer-Kay, Ryan Murphy, Joseph Burgess, James Mitchell, Ryan Tierney and David Millar, with each appearance celebrating local sourcing, craftsmanship and food excellence.
Community and education engagement
Families and school groups also engaged with QMS through the RHET Discovery Centre, where interactive games, QMS branded goodies and scheduled school sessions helped younger audiences learn about the journey and benefits of red meat.
Visitors to the QMS stand also supported RSABI and the SAYFC Big Build through donations for limited-edition Highland Show t-shirts, helping raise awareness and a significant amount of money for two important rural causes. The total amount raised will be confirmed in the coming days.
The four-day programme underlined QMS’s commitment to promoting Scotland’s red meat brands, supporting industry collaboration and helping consumers better understand the people, standards and provenance behind Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Prime Scottish Pork.