Scottish food and drink expands overseas as challenges lurk

It is against this backdrop that the Scotland Food and Drink export programme has been striving to help producers build sales overseas. By pairing exporters with specialists in key markets and  trade experts based in Scotland, the programme has supported more than £1.7 billion of export growth since 2018.

Figures released today also show the programme, which has been hailed for playing a “pivotal role” in establishing Scottish produce in markets around the world, has contributed to a 46% rise in the value of food and drink exports, from £4.9 billion when it was established in 2014 to £7.2bn in 2023.

Read more:

Amanda Brown, programme director at industry body Scotland Food & Drink, declared the strength of the scheme is “testament to the strength of public-private collaboration and the commitment to elevating Scotland’s food and drink sector”.

Ms Brown added: “Thanks to the expertise and on-the-ground presence of our programmes specialists, we’ve not only created a bridge for Scottish businesses to enter new markets but have also positioned Scotland as a leader in premium food and drink. We’ve had a brilliant 10 years and look forward to many more ahead as we continue to showcase the best of Scottish produce.”

While it is important at certain junctures to reflect on the impact high-profile programmes such as these are making, it is also worthwhile to highlight what lies ahead.

The Scotch whisky industry, one of Scotland’s most lucrative exports, is currently enduring a difficult time in overseas markets amid economic headwinds in key markets, inflationary pressures, and geopolitical tensions.

Exports of British food to the EU also continue to fall in the wake of Brexit because of the increased complexity of the UK’s new trading relationship with the bloc, and now there is a very real prospect of President-elect Donald Trump reintroducing import tariffs on single malt Scotch whisky in the US. These tariffs trade had a hugely damaging effect on exports of single malt when they were in force during Trump’s first term in office.

Scotland Food & Drink deserves credit for the impact its export programme has made in its first decade. It will be interesting to see how it progresses in the face of the challenges it will inevitably face in the decade to come.