In 2023 Visit Inverness Loch Ness (VILN) launched the Highland Shortbread Showdown, a competition for businesses across the Highlands to enter their version of the region’s favourite biscuit for the chance to be crowned the ultimate winner.
VILN, the Tourism Business Improvement District for Inverness and Loch Ness, brought together fellow Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) across the Highlands (Visit Moray Speyside; Visit Cairngorms; VisitNairn; Visit Dornoch; Venture North; Outdoor Capital of the UK and Skye Connect) to involve business members within the region to take part in the Highland Shortbread Showdown.
The competition was part of a wider food and drink strategy to promote the Highlands as a foodie destination.
Whale-like-fish launched the competition to Highland media and tailored the story to relevant media in each of the DMOs to encourage businesses to enter. 63 businesses entered overall, and each region held its own mini bake-off to select a representative to take to the final which was held at Inverness Cathedral.
Whale-like-fish promoted the final, which included setting up radio interviews with the judges to encourage as many members of the public as possible to come along.
Around 800 people came along to the Highland Shortbread Showdown where the shortlisted shortbread biscuits were judged by four well-known bakers from the Highlands – Kirsten Gilmour (KJ) from KJ’s Bothy Bakery (formerly Mountain Café); Jeni Iannetta from Bad Girl Bakery; Craig Wilson aka The Kilted Chef; and Steven Traill from Rain Bakery.
Paul Mackintosh from MacKenzie’s Bakery in Portree on Skye was crowned winner of the first Highland Shortbread Showdown. Paul’s winning shortbread was flavoured with salted caramel and sea salt sourced from the Isle of Skye Sea Salt Company. It wowed all the judges with head judge Craig Wilson describing the taste of it as follows: “There’s something lovely when you taste something and it does something to you. All the judges nodded and we had a wee giggle and agreed it really is brilliant. When you add sugar in the right quantity with a little bit of sea salt – it’s an absolutely amazing combination and put a smile on our faces.”
Whale-like-fish got maximum exposure on the winning baker with coverage highlights including MFR, Northsound, Press & Journal, Inverness Courier, West Highland Free Press, Lochaber Times, Ross-shire Journal, John O’Groat Journal, The Highland Times and Strathspey and Badenoch Herald.
We are delighted to be supporting VILN with the second edition of the Highland Shortbread Showdown in 2024 which features The Hebridean Baker as a new judge.
Are you a food or drink business in need of PR support? Get in touch on hello@whalelikefish.co.uk to see how we could help!