New businesses in the north Highlands should ‘just go for it’
Thurso-based Fresh Favourites offers nutritious meals delivered to people’s doors. Owner Debbie Mackay shares the story of the award-winning business
For most businesses, the Covid lockdown felt like the carpet being ripped out from underfoot. Yet when the world grinds to a halt, it also offers time to think.
That was the case for husband-and-wife team Derek Balloch and Debbie Mackay. Living in Inverness at the time, Derek noticed that his mum wasn’t keen on the frozen meals provided by home carers.
As with many a great business, this real-life experience sparked an idea: to provide fresh, home cooked meals available for takeaway.
“Derek first thought of it a few years ago, but when Covid hit we took the time to work out how we could do it,” recalls Debbie. “We started out just by trialling it with friends and family, testing out different menu options to ensure the quality could be maintained on reheating. The idea really developed from there.”
Determined to offer a service that would benefit the community – particularly the elderly – moving home to Caithness turned out to be a commercial advantage. It provided an opportunity to trial the fledgling business on a small community, where the couple already had local market knowledge and a good list of contacts who could help.
Environmental Health checked over their kitchen at home, ensuring it was fully compliant, and Fresh Favourites was born in 2022.
Since then, the business has gone from strength to strength. While it’s still run from home, Derek and Debbie have fitted a new commercial kitchen and have more exciting plans in the pipeline – though they’re keeping the details under wraps for now.
Debbie says business is “growing steadily” with a strong and loyal customer base. Collection and delivery options are available, and Fresh Favourites meals are also stocked in D&M Fraser in Thurso. The menu is extensive, with more than 120 dishes covering a range of cuisines and dietary needs.
At the heart of it all is high quality, nutritious food, and in line with their original vision, Fresh Favourites offers a senior special option, providing three meals for £13.50.
It’s very much been a case of steady as she goes – but winning a respected local business award last year has helped ramp up demand.
“I didn’t apply for the Caithness Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards in our first year of trading because I felt we were still too young, and we didn’t have the confidence yet,” says Debbie. “The following year we decided to go for it, but you never enter these things thinking you will win. To hear our name read out on the night was a shock, but a very good shock!”
Fresh Favourites won the Young Business Award 2024, with judges crediting the business as having “transformed the takeaway experience by maintaining an unwavering commitment to quality and freshness”. Judges were also impressed by the strong community focus and its support for senior citizens.
Fresh Favourites believes the award has boosted their business profile. “We have definitely reached people we wouldn’t otherwise have reached,” says Debbie. “It’s helped us to get our name out there.
“I think it’s important we have events like this in Caithness, and the chamber itself is really valuable in terms of the networking opportunities and business support it makes available. If any other young businesses are thinking of entering the awards, I’d tell them to just go for it.”
Here’s to 50 more years of business success
Business Focus by Trudy Morris
Caithness Chamber of Commerce has provided this kind of springboard for the business community for more than half a century.
Our motto is “stronger together” and since we were first founded in 1974 we have really lived that vision in every aspect of our work. We provide a platform to network, to share information and to discuss the health of the business sector not just locally but nationally.
Capturing that membership voice allows us to lobby very effectively, and I am certain that Caithness and Sutherland punch well above their weight because of that ability to band together and speak as a community.
However, as much as those activities are central to our role as a chamber, the element of celebration is so important too. Our annual dinner is a deserved favourite in the business calendar, allowing everyone a chance to catch up, let their hair down and recognise a job well done.
Last year, at what was our 50th anniversary dinner, it was wonderful to see so much new, young talent taking centre stage. We had Fresh Favourites taking best young business, Wick River Campsite winning the community award and Meghan Love of Studio Wellness named Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The standard was incredibly high – as it always is.
The 2025 Annual Awards are now just around the corner, and we’re seeking entries from Caithness and Sutherland businesses which have been trading less than five years, and entrepreneurs aged 18-30 living in the region. Entries are open until 5pm on July 31 and application forms can be found at caithnesschamber.com.
We can’t wait to meet the future trailblazers of the region – so get your entries in now!
• Trudy Morris is chief executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce.
