Top Scottish Butchers Scoop Scotch Lamb Innovation Award

Two Scottish butchers who pride themselves on the quality of their meat and their diverse product ranges have won the Scotch Lamb PGI Innovation Award.

The “Spanish Rack of Scotch Lamb” from John Lawson Butchers based in Uphall, West Lothian and the “Scotch Lamb, Feta and Mint Burger” from The Elderslie Butchers in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, lifted the top honours at the National Sheep Association (NSA) Scotland AGM dinner held recently in Edinburgh.

John Lawson Butchers, which was founded by John and Linda Lawson in 1979, is a thriving family-run operation including a delicatessen and strong on-line sales. They have a further two shops based in Winchburgh and Broxburn.

Gavin Colquhoun established The Elderslie Butchers in 2013 and has a team of six full-time staff.

Mr Colquhoun said: “We were up against some really tough competition so I’m absolutely thrilled to have won this award!

“Customers are now visiting our shop looking for something a little different so we try hard to come up with fresh ideas to excite our customers’ taste buds.

“This award is recognition that we have got an increasingly important part of our business right.”

Mr Lawson commented: “Our team put so much into delivering great quality, innovative products to customers and it is fantastic to see the business recognised for this.

“We are over the moon to have won this award.”

The awards, which were launched as part of Quality Meat Scotland’s 2015 Wham Bam Thank You Lamb campaign and are supported by NSA Scotland, aim to showcase quality, innovative Scotch Lamb products and burgers which have been created by Scotch Butchers Club members to meet changing consumer demand.

Butchers from across Scotland entered their top Scotch Lamb burgers and products which were judged, by a panel consisting of members of the Scottish red meat industry and the public, on taste and how simple they were to cook quickly by busy young professionals with children – a key target market for QMS’s Scotch Lamb marketing activities.

Graeme Sharp, QMS Marketing Executive, congratulated both butchers and their teams on emerging as debut award winners and emphasized the importance of the new awards.

“The fantastic range of top quality Scotch Lamb burgers and products entered for this award sends out a very positive message about the combination of knowledge, traditional skills and innovation offered by our butchers.”

George Milne, Development Officer for the NSA Scottish Region said: “It is great to see top butchers supporting Scottish sheep farmers who work hard to produce a product that offers world-leading levels of traceability, assurance and welfare standards.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to the two winners.”