Meet the Makers: Royal Highland Show 2026

In Partnership with the Royal Highland Show

One of our favourite parts of the Royal Highland Show isn't found in the main arena, although we do love that too. But we love to seek out the treasure filled stands of artisan producers, designers and makers whose passion shines through every product they create. From handcrafted jewellery and small-batch spirits to sustainable skincare, speciality coffee and artisan chocolate, these Scottish businesses are putting craftsmanship centre stage. Here are six makers we'll be seeking out this year.

Mackie’s of Scotland

This year marks a major milestone for Mackie's of Scotland as the Aberdeenshire family business celebrates 40 years of ice cream making. Still based on the fifth-generation family farm at Westertown, near Rothienorman, Mackie's has grown from a dairy farm diversification project into Scotland's best-selling ice cream brand, producing its famously creamy ice cream using fresh milk and cream from the farm. To mark the anniversary at this year's Royal Highland Show, visitors can enter a competition to win 40 years' worth of free ice cream and sample a series of special limited-edition flavours created in collaboration with six Aberdeenshire producers, celebrating this year's RHASS Presidential Initiative spotlight on the region. It's a fitting tribute to the county Mackie's has proudly called home for generations.

Hood Loves: The celebration of local collaboration. From farm to freezer, Mackie's continues to champion Aberdeenshire while creating some of Scotland's most-loved ice cream.
Stand: SL A25

Seaweed Farming Scotland

If you've ever wondered why seaweed is being hailed as one of the world's most sustainable superfoods, make time for Lawrie Stove's appearance in the Food for Thought Theatre. The founder of Seaweed Farming Scotland has been at the forefront of Scotland's growing seaweed industry, cultivating native kelp species in the clean waters of Scotland's west coast and transforming them into innovative food products. Through his consumer brand, Selkie Seaweed, Lawrie is on a mission to make seaweed an everyday ingredient, from award-winning seaweed butter and gourmet seasonings to seaweed-infused cheese and trail mixes. Visitors to the stand can discover the surprising versatility of Scotland's coastal harvest and be among the first to sample a new seaweed salami launching on the final day of the Show.

Hood Loves: The seaweed butter. Rich, savoury and packed with natural umami flavour, it's a delicious introduction to one of Scotland's most exciting sustainable ingredients.

Stand:

Nicky Forrest Jewellery

Inspired by Scotland's landscapes and natural treasures, jewellery designer Nicky Forrest creates elegant handcrafted pieces that celebrate a strong sense of place. Working from her Scottish studio, she combines traditional jewellery-making techniques with contemporary design, incorporating Scottish amethyst, agates, jasper, Skye marble and Easdale slate into her collections. Inspired by skills passed down from her jeweller grandfather, Nicky's pieces are timeless, wearable and beautifully crafted.

Hood Loves: Nicky's use of Scottish gemstones, slate and marble, transforming materials found in Scotland's landscapes into jewellery that feels both contemporary and timeless.
Stand: ??

Pomology

When Perthshire couple Iona and Craig Brownhill swapped careers in law and astrophysics for food and drink, they probably didn't expect to build one of Scotland's most exciting artisan brands. Through Pomology, the pair create small-batch liqueurs, wild whisky and chocolates inspired by Scotland's natural larder, using local fruit, botanicals and seasonal ingredients to capture the flavours of the landscape around them. Their products are rooted in a simple belief: where something comes from should influence how it tastes.

Hood Loves: The couple's passion for provenance and flavour, creating products that capture the character of Scotland's landscapes in every bottle and box.
Stand: SL D99

Lussa Gin

Few spirits have a stronger connection to their surroundings than Lussa Gin. Created by friends and neighbours Alicia MacInnes, Claire Fletcher and Georgina Kitching on the Isle of Jura, the gin is distilled using 15 botanicals grown and foraged on the island itself. What began as a way to create local employment has become one of Scotland's best-loved craft gin brands, with every bottle reflecting Jura's rugged beauty, wild coastline and unique biodiversity.

Hood Loves: The genuine sense of place behind every bottle. This is Jura in a glass.
Stand: SL D100

Dook

A former primary school teacher with a love of making things, Helen Atherton turned a kitchen-table experiment into one of Scotland's most distinctive bath and body brands. From her Portobello studio, she creates handmade salt soaps, bath salts and skincare products using natural ingredients, essential oils and plastic-free packaging. Colourful, beautifully scented and thoughtfully designed, Dook products have become favourites with those looking to bring a little everyday luxury into their routine.

Hood Loves: The beautifully crafted salt soaps that transform an ordinary shower into a spa-like experience.
Stand: H&G 16

Cortino

Combining Scotland's whisky heritage with a love of Italian coffee culture, Edinburgh couple Georgia and Grant Fraser have created something genuinely unique with Cortino. Their speciality Brazilian coffee beans are aged in carefully selected Scottish whisky casks before being roasted in Edinburgh, producing distinctive flavour profiles that bring together two much-loved traditions. It's an innovative idea, but one grounded in quality, craftsmanship and a real understanding of flavour.

Hood Loves: The whisky barrel-aged coffee. A brilliant Scottish twist on your morning brew.
Stand: SL A11

The Co Co Company

For Ian Mead and Robert Lindsay, chocolate making is all about creativity. The founders of The Co Co Company have built a loyal following for their handcrafted chocolates, combining high-quality ingredients with inventive flavour pairings and beautifully crafted finishes. Based in Dumfries & Galloway, the pair create everything from artisan chocolate collections to bespoke commissions for weddings and special occasions. Their passion for quality and willingness to experiment means there's always something new to discover.

Hood Loves: The Co Co Company's imaginative approach to chocolate making, creating handmade treats that are every bit as memorable as they are delicious.
Stand: SL D96