As it prepares to reveal its Christmas 2026 stock, a Kinross-shire business is leading the charge in the continuing rebound of “in-person” shopping.
Renewed customer desire for tangible “touching, tasting and making” experiences, coupled with a confidence that its products are of a high quality, with many exclusive, artisan ranges, has seen Loch Leven’s Larder, a Farm Shop, Deli, Café & Gift Hall, continue to excel in the retail sector.
Such is its dedication to ensuring that this year’s gift ranges are displayed to their best advantage to its loyal customer base, it is preparing to work through the night, for a whole week, to fully merchandise its Gift Hall, ahead of a festive preview night on 8 October. 1848, a standalone design & homeware shop, will be subject to the same approach.
“It works for us to fully merchandise all our beautiful Christmas displays during the night, revealing a fully stocked and immersive “Winter Wonderland” at the end of the week,” said Owner & Inspirational Managing Director of Loch Leven’s Larder & 1848, Emma Niven. “I do a lot of the setting out and design myself, with various team members helping me at various points throughout the week, for which I am very grateful.”
“We prefer not to have our team members putting out stock whilst customers are present, or having bare shelves awaiting display. We are aware that this might not work for other retailers, but it certainly works for us. It’s a time of the year I very much enjoy, as does my team. I have always had a creative eye for display, and just as we eat with our eyes, we shop with them too.”
“Our preview night showcases the top festive themes we have selected for Christmas 2026, providing a wealth of inspiration for Christmas at home, from beautifully dressed tables and luxurious decorations, to thoughtful gifts for all the family. Food & drink wise, we have our iconic Italian Palace of Panettone, a spectacular celebration of Italy’s most beloved Christmas treat, combined with Italian delicacies and indulgent festive flavours, alongside the very best of Scotland,” said Emma.
“It’s a night for touching, tasting and experiencing, as well as an opportunity to connect with other shoppers in a social setting. We want to excite customers about Christmas, to make them fall in love with the festive season all over again.”
“We top the day off with a special festive supper menu on offer in The Larder Cafe, over two sittings,” continued Emma, who paid tribute to her hard-working and knowledgeable team of retail experts. Putting their all into the festive season, they ensure that the Larder and 1848 have one of the best selections of products across Perthshire.
“We have Emma McCallum, who is the Head of our expansive Food & Drink Hall. Each festive season she aims to bring fresh and inspiring products to the Hall which can be enjoyed over the festive period, or gifted to others. She also oversees our incredible range of hampers which are available at all price points,” said Emma.
“Teresa Geissler is the manager of 1848, and can expertly advise on adding very special pieces of furniture, lighting and accessories to a room. With regularly changing displays in 1848, Theresa loves customers to browse and have a chat about the products. She offers personal shopping appointments too.”
“As is the way in retail, where you are always working ahead, our Christmas stock 2026 was sourced last December and January,” said Emma. “It’s been arriving for the past month or so, stored in our warehouses. It’s a thrill to finally unpack it and get it out on our shelves to create this year’s Christmas vision.”
She finished by saying: “It’s a lot of very hard work and planning throughout the nights that build up to our Christmas unveiling, but it’s always worth it when we receive positive feedback from customers seeing our displays for the very first time. Let’s just say that we have a good idea how the Christmas elves must feel when they are hard at work in Father Christmas’ workshop!”
Further details on all festive events at Loch Leven’s Larder & 1848, including wreath making & the Festive Preview Night and its special supper at: www.lochlevenslarder.com/news-and-events/
A family run business established in 2009, Loch Leven’s Larder is part of Channel Farm, a busy working vegetable farm which supplies local wholesalers & businesses. Much of its produce is sold in its own Deli & Farm Shop, along with being used in the delicious seasonal recipes available in its two cafes, the Greenhouse Café, and the light filled Larder Café & Outdoor Canopy, where all day dining is available.
Dining options include the light filled Larder Café & Outdoor Canopy, where all day dining, covering breakfast, lunch and sweet treats, is available. Or opt for the Greenhouse Café, which serves light bites, sandwiches, soups, cakes, scones and hot drinks.
Launched in October 2023, Design & Homeware Store, 1848, is the latest standalone addition to the business, blending the timeless charm of Scandinavian design with the rich heritage of Scotland.
1848 pays tributes to the year that the original Channel Farm Farmhouse was first built, where three generations of the family have lived.
