Scottish food and drink projects awarded grants up to £1.4m

A wide range of rural food and drink businesses in Scotland have been awarded more than £10m in government grants to improve supply chain efficiency, increase production and conduct feasibility studies.

Thirty-three operations ranging in size will receive grants worth £16,000 to £1.4m under the Food Processing, Marketing and Cooperation (FPMC) grant scheme.

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Projects are varied, such as the expansion of a dairy farm to meet demand for its soft cheese, a new venison processing operation and the installation of solar panels to help a butchery business to reduce carbon footprint and minimise electricity costs.

Businesses who have received grants include:

• An organic farm in Aberdeenshire, Balmakewan Farm Shop, will use its £260,000 grant to enable it to process its produce on site, creating further local employment.
• Graham’s, The Family Dairy, has been awarded £1.4m to buy additional equipment for its Glenfield and Airthrey Kerse dairies, so it can meet increased consumer demand for milk and soft cheese.
• Soft fruit grower Trade Solutions will receive £620,070 towards construction of a new fruit storage, packing and defrosting facility, with laboratory space and staff welfare facilities.
• Rapeseed oil processor Mackintosh of Glendaveny’s £908,425 grant will be invested in plant and equipment to increase the production capacity of rapeseed oil for consumer sale, and also invest in a new processing facility.
• Highland Meats, a division of Dunbia (UK), will invest its award of almost £884,000 in processing capacity and efficiency.
• At Farmlay Eggs, a new packing, storage and dispatch building will enhance overall efficiency and free up space in the main packing building to increase throughput and production, helped by a £740,000 grant.
• Small grain processor Paul Webber’s award of £1.126m will help expand the company’s barley conditioning and laboratory testing capability, with enhanced energy efficiency.