THE owners of a family-owned Scottish ice cream business have said they are "delighted" and "overwhelmed" to have scooped up two major awards.
Orkney Ice Cream, based in Kirkwall, won both the Product of the Year and the Dairy Product of the Year (Small Business) accolades at the prestigious Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2025, making it the biggest winner of the event.
Owned and run by the same family since 1949, the artisan creamery offers a range of products which are made using locally sourced ingredients.
Graham Bichan, the third-generation owner of Orkney Ice Cream, works alongside his parents, Dennis and Kathleen Bichan, and his sister, Katie Croy, as well as employing a total of 13 staff.
Bichan told The National the awards were "unexpected", but that the team were "delighted" to be recognised for their products.
"It was very unexpected, we were completely overwhelmed on the night. They happened quite close together during the evening and I hadn't long sat down after the first one," Bichan told The National.
"Everybody's really delighted with it, it feels really good to get that recognition and a wee pat on the back that you're doing a good job, and your product is good."
All of Orkney Ice Cream's products are made with local ingredients - from the milk produced by cows grass-fed on Orkney, to Highland Park whisky and pink gin from the local Kirkjuvagr distillery.
One of the business's most popular products is the indulgent Toffee Fudge flavour, with the fudge itself made in Orkney.
"We really try to use as much local products as we can, I'm always looking for other ideas," Bichan added.
The business recently launched two sorbets – blackcurrant, and redcurrant and elderflower – which are both much "sharper" than the ice creams.
"It's nice to have something completely different, it's a far sharper product than ice creams can be," Bichan said.
He encouraged people to "come along along and try it for themselves to see if they think it's worthy of the award".
Iain Baxter, chief executive at Scotland Food & Drink, said: “The Excellence Awards shine a spotlight on the outstanding producers whose passion, innovation, and hard work continue to drive Scotland’s food and drink industry forward.
"The quality of this year’s entries has been exceptional, showcasing the creativity and craftsmanship that set new standards for our sector.
“Congratulations to all the winners and finalists – their success is a true reflection of the strength and reputation of Scotland’s world-class food and drink community.”
