Christmas 2025 - How did it go for sales?
2026-01-15 09:30 - 16:00 UTC | Blair Drummond Smiddy Farm Shop, Stirling, FK9 4UY
Three key note speakers will share how Christmas 2025 went and how they are already planning for 2026.
Christmas is one of the key opportunities for farm retailers and agritourism enterprises. Many of us are not well enough organised to benefit from this key event.
This meeting will focus on how Christmas went in 2025, when is the right time to plan for Christmas 2026 and what planning should entail.
The day will start with a business talk and tour of the Smiddy Farm Shop, Blair Drummond, by Stirling, with owner Will Muir.
Afterwards travel the short distance to Gargunnock Community Centre to hear from Monitor Farm Programme Expert in Farm Retail, Fiona Pollock, Ardoss Farm Shop and her daughter Nikki Storrar, and Will Docker, Balgove Larder, Fife.
They will provide an evaluation of how Christmas 2025 has gone including some sales analysis and discussions on footfall, sale per basket and marketing. And they will discuss how they have already started planning for Christmas 2026.
Come along and ask these larger established businesses your questions. All are welcome.

How to design products consumers come back for | Lunch and Learn
2026-01-20 12:00 - 12:30
Learn how to create food and drink products that keep customers coming back for more, not just because of your branding, but because they genuinely crave your products.
In this session, Manon Galizzi will show you practical, founder-friendly ways to find your product’s “secret sauce” and test what actually makes people want to buy again and again.
Topics covered in this session:

The most powerful retention tool in food and drink
How to identify and refine your brand’s “signature experience”
Balancing familiarity and novelty to encourage repeat purchases
Small-scale sensory testing methods any founder can use

Scottish Food & Drink Ambassadors – Open Hour Info Session
2026-03-03 12:30 - 13:30
An informal online session for current Ambassadors and anyone curious about getting involved.
Who this session is for

You’re a current Scottish Food & Drink Ambassador and would like a refresher or a chance to reconnect
You’ve recently registered as a Scottish Food & Drink ambassador and are unsure what to do next
If you’re curious about volunteering as a Scottish Food & Drink Ambassador and would like to learn more before deciding

What the session will cover

An introduction to the STEM Ambassador programme and the role of Scottish Food & Drink Ambassadors in inspiring young people
An overview of how the programme works in Scotland and how we support you to get involved
A practical walkthrough of the STEM Learning platform, including how to get started, find opportunities and record your activity

What you will take away

A clear understanding of how the Scottish Food & Drink Ambassadors programme works
Confidence to get started or feel reconnected as an Ambassador
Practical know-how on using the new STEM Learning platform
Clarity on where to find opportunities and how to record your activity
Answers to your questions from the team supporting the programme
