Growth boost for food and drink firms in Scotland

• Funding to expand and modernise the industry
  
  

Food and drink businesses will be able to boost production, create jobs and grow their companies thanks to almost £6 million of support from the Scottish Government.

The Food and Drink Processing Scheme Scotland will award almost £6 million of capital funding to 28 businesses. Recipients include a Highland egg producer, a Borders potato processor, a Western Isles whisky malting facility and a Fife cheese company. Successful projects include new automated packing lines, cold storage facilities and equipment to increase capacity and improve efficiency.

Economy Secretary Stephen Flynn visited Simon Howie Foods in Dunning which has been awarded over £295,000 to invest in automated slicing, tray filling and labelling technology.

Mr Flynn said:

Our food and drink sector is a vital part of Scotland's economy, and this funding will help businesses right across the country invest in the future.

These grants will support innovation, boost productivity and help create sustainable jobs in communities from North Uist and Moray to Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders."

Simon Howie of Simon Howie Foods, said:

We're delighted to receive this funding, which will allow us to invest in new machinery and increase our production capacity. Continued investment is essential to help us meet growing demand, improve efficiency and remain competitive in a challenging food manufacturing environment. As a family-owned Scottish food business, this investment will help us continue to grow and produce great food here in Perthshire for customers across Scotland and beyond.

Scotland Food and Drink Chief Executive Iain Baxter said:

From small family-run enterprises to larger producers of household staples, it's fantastic to see so many businesses receiving vital investment, which will only strengthen their growth ambitions.

With a record turnover value of £19 billion, our food and drink sector is one of Scotland's biggest success stories, and we're delighted to help the Scottish Government deliver this investment into the industry."

Background

Full list of Food and Drink Processing Scheme Scotland recipients:

Duncan Farms Ltd, Aberdeenshire - Expansion of egg production through digital traceability, automation and reusable logistics systems. £231,831.20

Highland Game Ltd, Dundee City - Installation of CO blast freezer to increase capacity, quality and environmental performance. £150,947.99

Clever Kombucha Ltd (You + I), Glasgow City - Installation of automated bottling line and fermentation tanks to significantly increase kombucha production. £89,636.00

Mackintosh of Glendaveny Ltd, Aberdeenshire - Development of rapeseed oil refinery, laboratory and circular processing hub. £400,000.00

What's Fresh Ltd, South Lanarkshire - Expansion of milk processing capacity and improve dairy production efficiency. £88,918.03

Wolds Produce Ltd, Scottish Borders - Establishment of new potato processing operation with optical grading and packing technology. £400,000.00

Hemp It Up Ltd, Angus - Bringing of hemp seed cleaning, dehulling and oil pressing fully in-house. £24,376.40

North Uist Distillery, Na h-Eileanan Siar - Creation of local malting facility to support a field-to-bottle whisky supply chain. £362,387.60

Organic Potato Growers (Scotland) Ltd,  Highland - Investment in automated potato sizing and sorting equipment to increase capacity. £250,604.87

Sootywells Farms, Aberdeenshire - Installation of an AI-enabled optical grading system to improve potato processing. £376,000.00

Stirling Potatoes Ltd, Angus - Expansion of flavoured mash production using extended shelf-life processing technology. £400,000.00

Lindertis Farms Ltd, Angus - Development of a solar-powered egg packing and processing facility. £92,635.60

Benzies Partnership , Aberdeenshire - Installation of an advanced vegetable washing and processing line to increase throughput. £397,732.40

Yester Estate Ltd, East Lothian - Establishment of an on-site game processing facility for venison and game birds. £19,897.20

A & J McDowall Ltd, East Lothian - Addition of a second flour milling line to double production capacity. £171,428.60

St Andrews Farmhouse Cheese Company, Fife - Expansion of cheese production capacity and access to new retail and export markets. £98,398.00

Rowan Glen, Dumfries & Galloway - Diversification into cottage cheese and bulk cream production. £400,000.00

Brackla Eggs, Highland - Building of egg packing facility and automation of loading and conveyor operations. £43,470.00

Simon Howie Butchers Ltd, Perth & Kinross - Investment in automated slicing, tray filling and labelling technology. £295,455.60

John Bryden Potatoes, Perth & Kinross - Installation of an advanced AI based optical potato grader. £169,900.00

Messrs C Smeaton & Sons, Angus - Introduction of robotic palletisation and optical potato sorting technology. £315,660.00

BASH'D (Company Bakery), East Lothian - Establishment of a commercial flour milling operation using Scottish grain. £65,848.86

Alexander Bayne & Son, Perth & Kinross - Installation of an optical sorting system and additional potato cold storage. £370,536.80

Finzean Estate Partnership, Aberdeenshire - Increase to venison processing capacity through new processing facility. £31,448.85

Loch Ness Honey Company, Highland - Automation of honey extraction, filtering and jarring processes. £8,329.60

Messrs WD Stephen & Co, Moray - Investment in advanced automated egg grading and packing equipment. £234,872.50

Dornoch Distillery Company, Highland - Construction of a whisky maturation warehouse and cask handling infrastructure. £366,045.92

Highland Eggs (Scotland) Ltd, Moray Expansion of organic egg production with automated grading and packing systems. £126,927.83