Sutherland produce in Amsterdam hamper
Two Sutherland-based companies, Cocoa Mountain and Sutherland Savoury Oatcakes are to represent a piece of Scotland as Inverness Airport launches its inaugural flight on Monday, September 5, to Schiphol, Amsterdam.
Airport Manager, Graeme Bell will present a luxury Scottish hamper containing food produce from all over the Highlands to Ivo van der Vlis, Aviation Marketing Manager, as a goodwill gesture as the two cities are linked.
Graeme Bell explains the idea behind the hamper: “Obviously the launch of the Inverness to Schiphol route is fundamental to the growing success of both Scottish and Dutch tourism. As a form of friendly exchange following the inaugural flight, we thought it would be great to present Schiphol with a hamper of some of the finest produce available in Scotland. We approached suppliers from all over the country who have kindly donated produce for this special presentation, offering a little piece of Scotland to our Dutch counterparts.”
Graeme continues, “We also potentially have food producers from surrounding areas who may look to use the Schiphol service to export their goods abroad so we wanted to highlight the great products our home grown companies are producing and exporting.”
Paul Maden, co-owner of Cocoa Mountain, Durness, says: “We were approached a few weeks ago to find out if we would like to contribute gourmet chocolate truffles towards the luxury hamper and felt that it was a great idea. The fact that we were approached is significant in that we have been identified as a leading brand, renowned for quality produce.
“By providing a little sample of some of the delights that we have to offer here in Scotland, we hope that it will present tourists another enticing element in addition to our spectacular scenery, historic ancestry and friendly culture.
“For us, flights to Holland from Inverness are particularly welcome – we love Holland and visit regularly, and the Dutch people love Cocoa Mountain, and love the North West Highlands. We estimate that around 25 per cent of our online sales overseas customers are from Holland – people who have usually first had the opportunity to visit us in Durness.”
Bob Christie, Owner of Sutherland Savoury Oatcakes, Lochinver, said: “We were also approached a few weeks ago to find out if we would like to contribute towards the luxury hamper. We have chosen to contribute our traditional as well as our award winning cheese and leek flavour oatcakes to the hamper - we are very pleased to be a part of this gesture aboard the inaugural flight from Inverness to Schiphol.”
The Inverness to Schiphol service will provide seven flights per week during the summer months and six per week during the winter months. Services will depart Inverness Monday to Friday and Sunday from September 5 – 23 March 2012 at 13.05hrs, arriving at Amsterdam at 16.05hrs. Return flights from Amsterdam will depart at 16.30hrs, arriving in Inverness at 17.30hrs. The schedule for Summer ’12 will be released next month.
