The Scottish government has awarded 40 food and drink wholesalers a total of £5.37 million from the Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund.

The funding was introduced to support wholesalers in the industry which have encountered financial hardship as a result of pandemic restrictions.

To secure the funding, applicants had to fit a strict criteria, which included a fall in sales by 20% or more during the period of 1 December 2021 to 31 January 2022, compared with the same period two years ago.

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“This government remains firm in its commitment to support food and drink wholesalers who have been hit disproportionately by the Covid-19 pandemic,” rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon said.

“The Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund has had a very positive response and I am pleased that 40 Scottish businesses will now benefit from it.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in making this fund a success and we will continue to work closely with the sector and provide support where appropriate.”

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