Keith Brown MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Clackmannanshire & Dunblane constituency, has highlighted the launch of the fifth round of the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Regional Food Fund with £100,000 available from the Scottish Government to support regional food activity across Scotland.

Scottish food businesses, producers and groups are encouraged to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to promote and champion produce from their local area and Keith is encouraging eligible businesses and groups from his constituency to apply for a grant and to work collaboratively with others to continue to engage communities and achieve regional food and drink success.

Speaking this afternoon, Keith said:

“Scotland is absolutely blessed with an astounding natural larder and food and drink sector that has a breadth of skills and depth of imagination that is absolutely world class.   We have a natural bounty that we can all be proud of and which we should make even more of than we do.  

“One organisation which has already benefited from this scheme is Forth Valley Food Tales which is a non-profit membership organisation dedicated to showcasing and celebrating Forth Valley’s vibrant local food and drink scene and includes the Allanwater Brewhouse from Bridge of Allan in my constituency.

“I know that there are many other producers and providers of great food and produce in my Clackmannanshire & Dunblane constituency that could get together and benefit from support from this fund.

“These grants are a way for the Scottish Government to support increased promotion of local produce and the chance for businesses to engage and educate local communities about what is available, and to showcase some of our most exciting food and drink ventures.”