Food and Drink Industry 20 – 26 Apr: Ft Mossgiel Organic Dairy and Mackie’s of Scotland
- Mossgiel Organic Dairy has expanded its direct milk supply network by partnering with three farms across northern Scotland.
- Mackie’s of Scotland has acquired a 50,000 sq ft distribution centre in Kintore, Aberdeenshire.
Scottish food businesses push for growth with purpose
Two respected Scottish food brands, Mossgiel Organic Dairy and Mackie’s of Scotland, have announced significant growth moves that speak not only to commercial ambition, but also to the future direction of the food industry itself.
In different parts of the supply chain, both businesses are doubling down on something that increasingly matters to producers, retailers and consumers alike: greater control, stronger regional roots and a more sustainable way of operating.
For Mossgiel Organic Dairy, that next step comes through farm partnerships. For Mackie’s of Scotland, it comes through infrastructure. Yet the message from both businesses is strikingly similar. Growth, in their view, should not come at the expense of values.
Mossgiel Organic Dairy expands its milk pool across northern Scotland
An Ayrshire dairy with a growing national reputation, Mossgiel Organic Dairy has partnered with three farms across northern Scotland in what marks a landmark expansion for the business.
The new suppliers, Auchlea Farm in Kingswell, Aberdeen, Wester Manbeen just south of Elgin in Moray, and Connage Highland Dairy in Ardersier on the Moray Firth near Nairn, are now part of the company’s portfolio as sustainable direct milk suppliers.
The expansion is expected to grow Mossgiel’s operational capacity by 10%, helping the business respond to rising demand for organic natural milk while strengthening its position within an industry that has often been shaped by scale rather than sustainability.
Founded in 2015 by Bryce Cunningham, Mossgiel Organic Dairy was built out of frustration with what was seen as an unforgiving dairy system dominated by mega-dairies.
From the start, the business positioned itself as a challenger brand with a practical mission: to prove that there is another way for dairy to work, one that gives smaller farms a viable future and preserves a closer relationship between land, producer and product.
According to Mossgiel, taking full and independent control of its milk pool will give the business a stronger platform for further expansion across the United Kingdom.
That is a notable shift. Rather than relying on a diluted or distant supply model, the company is building a network rooted in direct collaboration with farms that share its organic and sustainable principles.
Bryce Cunningham’s comments underline the scale of that ambition. He reflected that for too long the dairy sector has continued with the same system, the same rules and the same outcome: the slow death of small farms.
He described this latest move not as a symbolic protest from the sidelines, but as a direct intervention into the structure of the industry itself. Referencing Robert Burns’ words, “Dare to be honest and fear no labour”, Cunningham framed the expansion as hard-won, pressured and at times close to impossible, but ultimately made possible by a growing community unwilling to accept the status quo.
A partnership model built on shared values
What makes Mossgiel’s announcement particularly significant is the tone and structure of the partnerships it is forming. These are not anonymous supply agreements focused purely on volume. They are presented as relationships built on common values and long-term belief in organic farming.
That sentiment was echoed by a spokesperson from Auchlea Farm, which has been producing organic milk for more than 25 years.
They said the partnership allows the farm to continue doing what it believes in and praised Bryce Cunningham and the Mossgiel team for flying the flag for independent dairies and proving there is a better way forward.
The spokesperson also highlighted a challenge that many in agriculture will recognise. As milk buyers grow larger, producers often lose connection and collaboration in the pursuit of efficiency and lower costs.
In their view, that model is simply not sustainable, particularly for organic farming. Joining what they described as the Mossgiel Collective offers the chance to build something more durable and better suited to the long term.
Craft, quality and sustainability remain central to the Mossgiel identity
Mossgiel’s expansion also carries weight because of the distinct market identity the business has already established.
Its so-called low and slow bespoke brewing method has become a key part of its claim to fame, using gentle, low-temperature pasteurisation to better preserve the milk’s natural structure, flavour and cream.
That quality-led approach sits alongside an equally visible environmental commitment. In 2019, the business became the first dairy in the UK to go single-use plastic-free, delivering milk in glass bottles and reusable containers. In a market where sustainability claims are often broad and difficult to measure, those practical changes have helped Mossgiel stand apart.
The latest expansion therefore feels like more than a simple capacity increase. It is a scaling up of a proven model that combines product quality, environmental thinking and producer partnership.
Mackie’s of Scotland invests in logistics and local resilience
While Mossgiel is strengthening supply, Mackie’s of Scotland is reshaping distribution. The ice cream producer has purchased a 50,000 sq ft distribution centre in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, as part of a drive to reduce the number of food miles its products travel during production and distribution.
Based in Rothienorman in rural Aberdeenshire, Mackie’s said the new site will mark the next evolution in its 40-year history.
It is a significant investment, not only because of the size of the facility, but because of what it changes operationally. The Kintore centre will allow the business to store and dispatch products closer to home, cutting journey distances by hundreds of miles and improving both efficiency and sustainability.
The investment is also tied closely to the north-east Scottish economy. Mackie’s has made clear that the move is intended to reinforce local capability, strengthen links to rural communities and keep skills and expertise within the region.
According to the company, the new distribution centre addresses long-standing logistical challenges.
Previously, products heading to Scottish customers had to travel much longer routes through third-party distribution networks. Bringing more of that function under direct control gives the business more flexibility and a better chance of aligning commercial performance with environmental goals.
Mackie’s managing director described the acquisition as an exciting move that strengthens the company’s foundations and gives it greater control over how products reach customers efficiently and sustainably from Aberdeenshire itself.
The emphasis was clear: this is not growth for growth’s sake, but growth that stays true to the brand’s green values.
Strong financial momentum gives Mackie’s room to move
The timing of the investment is also telling. Mackie’s recently reported its highest-ever turnover of £24.8 million, an 11% year-on-year increase, alongside a 3% rise in profits for the financial year ending in May 2025.
The company has attributed that growth to expanded UK distribution and increased brand awareness, with Mackie’s products now stocked by major supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda. That commercial momentum appears to have created the confidence for a major operational step forward.
The executive chairman described the purchase as a pivotal moment in the business’s history. After 40 years of building the company as a family business, they said this was an important and exciting next step, one that physically demonstrates belief in the future of the business, commitment to the local area and preparation for the next generation.
What this means for food manufacturing and food production
Taken together, these two announcements offer a clear signal for food manufacturing and food production.
The industry is under increasing pressure to do more than simply produce at scale. Businesses are expected to show where materials come from, how products move, how suppliers are treated and how environmental impact is managed.
Mossgiel Organic Dairy’s expansion shows that food production can be strengthened by closer supplier relationships, regional sourcing and direct control over raw materials.
Mackie’s of Scotland, meanwhile, demonstrates how food manufacturing businesses can improve resilience and sustainability by investing in distribution infrastructure that shortens supply chains and keeps more value within local economies.
For the wider industry, this matters because it points towards a more integrated model of growth. Manufacturers and producers who can align quality, logistics, sustainability and regional investment are likely to be in a stronger position as customer expectations continue to evolve.
In short, this is not just Scottish food business news. It is a glimpse of how modern food operations may increasingly need to function.
Conclusion
Mossgiel Organic Dairy and Mackie’s of Scotland may be operating in different corners of the market, but both are making a similar statement about the future of the Scottish food industry.
One is expanding its milk supply through trusted farm partnerships. The other is tightening its logistics through a major distribution investment. Both are choosing control, sustainability and regional strength over distant, impersonal growth.
There is character in these moves, but there is also serious intent. Mossgiel is backing independent organic farming with action, not rhetoric. Mackie’s is turning strong financial performance into long-term infrastructure that supports both efficiency and place.
Together, they present a confident picture of Scottish food businesses that are not waiting for the industry to change around them, but are actively shaping what comes next.
News Credits:
Scottish organic dairy kickstarts expansion drive
Scottish ice cream manufacturer invests in new site
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