As part of our commitment to giving back to the local communities of Aberdeenshire, we worked with a local school's S3 Home Economics and Business Studies to help with their Food Product Development project. Pupils developed their own flavours of burgers before competing with each other.

Pitching and selling their burger ideas to a panel of expert judges, including Chef Eddie, is a great development opportunity, setting pupils up to face similar challenges in the future – an essential element of our continuing work with DYW (Developing Young Workforce) .

The chosen winner of the Dragon’s Den style competition was an Asian-inspired pork burger, which is currently being adapted for production on a larger scale will be and available for sale to Donald Russell customers. Chef Eddie says: “All the burgers and presentations were of an excellent standard. This one stood out for me as the Asian flavours were well balanced and complimented the flavour of the pork. It made for a tasty burger that I really enjoyed.” 

Following this, the pupils were invited to Donald Russell’s Inverurie butchery to see first-hand how their burgers and other premium products are developed and created. One pupil said: “I really enjoyed working with Donald Russell on the school project as well as the trip to Inverurie. I thought it was something new and a unique opportunity to work with a real company. The butchery was very cool and not at all what I expected.” 

Their home economics teacher commented: “The pupils thoroughly enjoyed designing their products in school and were thrilled to taste their creation at the site in Inverurie. Pupils were able to gain insight and experience various careers in the food industry. A very exciting and inspiring project for Bucksburn pupils!” 

Chris Dunridge, Head of HR at Donald Russell, added: “As part of the wider community of parents, schools, and employers, we are keen to support young people to prepare for the world of work. Food and drink is one of the largest industry sectors in Scotland and we love to showcase the amazing range of jobs that are available both in Donald Russell and in the wider sector.” 

The results are delicious. Try it with some pickled cucumber or a crisp Asian-style slaw.