P&J Live and Scottish Agritourism Pioneer Innovative Approach for Food and Drink Sourcing for Global Conference
Scotland’s farmers and fishermen will be showcased at the Global Agritourism Conference next month, thanks to an innovative approach to the procurement and sourcing of food and drink by live events venue, P&J Live and sector body, Scottish Agritourism.
The inaugural Global Agritourism Conference will welcome international visitors from over 50 countries. Menus across three days will include produce from 20 farms across Scotland who are part of the Scottish Agritourism community comprising fresh salads, herbs, vegetables, soft fruit, cheese, eggs, Scotch Beef, ice cream and home baking. Over 90% of the menu will be sourced directly from named farms with fresh fish from the Aberdeenshire fishing community. Stories from the people and landscapes behind each part of the menu will be shared with conference delegates, to bring the menu to life.
A key focus is on health and ensuring that over the three conference days, delegates will feel they have enjoyed healthy and nutritious food however, delegates will also have the opportunity to sample Scottish drinks at the evening receptions – a civic reception and a gala dinner – with Scotch malt whisky, Aberdeenshire gin and Scottish beers, ciders and lemonade on offer.
Over 300 of the expected 600 delegates will visit 40 agritourism farms ahead of the main conference in Aberdeen with the menus on those days providing a unique farm to fork experience on host farms.
Caroline Millar, Sector Lead of Scottish Agritourism and Chair of the Global Agritourism Conference, said; “As a farmer, it has been a pleasure working with the chefs and team at P&J Live, and Abbey Conferences, to bring the vision for this event, to life. Delicious lunch and dinner menus will feature many of the farmers that conference delegates will visit or meet, ensuring that this is a very unique dining experience.
For example, they will visit Forest Farm Dairy, see the dairy cows and see ice cream being made and they will visit Castleton Farm, and see strawberries, raspberries and blueberries growing. They’ll meet the farming families, hear stories of the land, the processes of rearing and growing, the challenges and triumphs behind the final products and then later, both will be served for desert at the Gala Dinner. This is just one example of how this will make a really memorable experience for visitors to Scotland. We hope there will be a legacy from this inaugural Global Conference and that there will be more named and direct sourcing of produce by both the P&J Live and other exhibition venues in the future.
We are extremely grateful to the Scottish Government for supporting the conference and allowing us to offer this showcase of Scottish food and drink from the agritourism community.”
Graham Mutch, Food and Beverage Manager at P&J Live, said; “We are immensely proud to be hosting the inaugural Global Agritourism Conference here in Aberdeen, and what better way to showcase our venue and Scottish Agritourism’s dedication to exceptional food and drink, than to put it on the event menus? Scotland is home to one of the very finest larders in the world and for our chefs to be able to celebrate these ingredients and their members then to serve them to hundreds of delegates as carefully crafted dishes is something very special.”
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Gillian Martin said: “Scottish agritourism has real long-term potential. It offers visitors a genuinely high-quality, authentic experience rooted in farming, food and drink, while also helping to secure the future of Scotland’s family farms. At the same time, it supports rural communities and strengthens Scotland’s place on the global stage as a leading agritourism destination.
“It’s about much more than just food and drink – experiences like these help people connect with where their food actually comes from, highlighting the importance of supporting local Scottish producers and cutting down on food miles.”