“A lot of people think I make my accent and dialect up, they don’t believe it’s real.” Even though I have family in Shetland, Island Larder owner Nicola Johnston tells me she is “knappin” for me, which means to speak more ‘proper’ English. “When I was at university, I did knap, but I never changed the way I spoke.
For one, I couldn’t, but also I didn’t think it was fair that I should.” And it’s a good thing 35-year-old Nicola has always felt passionate about her dialect, because millions of people across the world now want to hear it. From Shetland to the world Born in Whalsay, an island off the east coast of Shetland, Nicola started working at what was then The Shetland Fudge Company when she was only 14.
“It wasn’t the treats I enjoyed most; it was being part of the experience of coming to Shetland for visitors,” she said. “I loved being able to give them something that had been made in Shetland with all Shetland ingredients. I am so proud of Shetland and always have been, so I want people to leave feeling like it’s a cool place to be.
” I tried to edit the captions but it went all wonky on the Shetland dialect! Sorry! 😅 Nicola studied business management in Glasgow, but went home seasonally to work in the shop, working her way up through the ranks. In 2014, after pitching a rebrand to the then owner inspired by a farm shop she had visited outside Edinburgh, it was hers. “At the time, the business was making a loss, but within six m.
