APPLE JUICE made in Peebles and eggs from a local farm are in the running for awards at a prestige food and drinks event to be held in Edinburgh next month.

Cuddybridge Apple Juice has been shortlisted for its Cuddybridge Apple Juice and Scottish Sea Buckthorn in the drinks and non-alcoholic section of the Scotland Food & Drink Awards. And Lamancha-based Glenrath Farms is one of the finalists in the dairy category for its Kitty Campbell Free Range Eggs.

Cuddybridge Apple Juice, based in Kailzie Gardens, was among more than 100 businesses that entered the 21 award categories for a competition that showcases Scottish food and drink.

The Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards promises to be the food-lovers’ event of the year and will take place on May 22. Graham Stoddart, owner of Cuddybridge Apple Juice, said: “We have had three consecutive short listings in The SF&D Excellence Awards and while we won the Food Service award in 2012, we would very much like to win again in 2014!

“Our company supplies a growing number of niche outlets, across Scotland and we are now in London. Our new Apple and Scottish Sea Buckthorn mix has been hugely successful with sales this year already well ahead over last year.

“A win at the SF&D awards would be the ‘icing on the cake’!” Glenrath Farms, a family business established in 1959, produces more than one million eggs a day and was the Farm Business of the year in 2012 in the Food & Farming Industry Awards.

Judges tasted 115 food and drink entries and examined submissions from 102 businesses across Scotland as they made their assessments. The shortlist represents a broad spectrum of Scotland’s food and drink from small companies such as Cuddybridge Apple Juice to companies exporting all over the world. Another on the shortlist is the Earlston-based Island Girl for its ooft hot pepper sauce.

Scottish television presenter Kaye Adams will host the event at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. Dubbed the Scottish food and drink ‘Oscars’, the ceremony is expected to attract 700 guests.

The awards are organised by Scotland Food & Drink in partnership with The Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS). The event’s headline sponsor is Asda and the awards are supported by Think Local.

Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink, James Withers, said: “These awards celebrate the best of Scottish food and drink products and businesses, recognising the quality of produce and excellence in a range of fields from innovation to sustainability and the development of health initiatives.”