In what ways do Orkney food and drink companies use provenance in marketing their products?

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of the research undertaken was to explore the different ways that the food and drink businesses in Orkney use provenance as a way of marketing their produce to a wider market. Design, Methodology and Approach: The research followed a qualitative approach, where seven open-ended question interviews were undertaken with the owners/managers of the food and drink businesses, four of which were face-to-face interviews, and three over the telephone. The data collection used questions based from the literature review and around the aims and objectives of the study, this involved enquiring participants about their; produce, points of differentiation, local loyalty, impact of tourism, marketing and their packaging. Findings: The results from the data concluded that there was several recurring themes which the data revealed through analyses. They consisted of utilizing a point of differentiation, symbolism/imagery used on packaging, use of websites, involvement with the Orkney Food and Drink group, provenance, the impact of tourism, loyalty of the local residents, and extent to which Government assistance was used, marketing strategies, premium level of produce, and outside sale. A final framework was then adapted from the initial framework derived from the literature review, to show the relationship between provenance and how it is used to market Orkney produce throughout Scotland. Research Limitations: The distance between the participants and the research created some difficulty in terms of organising and undertaking face-to-face interviews with the managers/owners within a short period of time. Some of the businesses pulled out due to other arrangements or withdrawing from the study last minute, which led to telephone interviews being used instead. The short amount of time that was available for the researcher to collect data, and the time constraints of other modules may have also limited the data collection. Originality and Value: An investigation of this subject was undertaken in order to discover the link between Orkney food and drink businesses and successfully selling their produce locally and into a wider market of the Scottish Market. Key words: Provenance, Food and Drink, Marketing, Orkney.