Dairy deal sparks expansion for ‘Burns farm’ – Daily Business

Bryce Cunningham: proving there is another way

A dairy in Ayrshire has joined forces with three farms across northern Scotland to meet growing demand for organic natural milk. 

Mossgiel Organic Dairy is now taking supply from three other dairy farms as a platform for expansion across the UK. 

Joining Mossgiel are Auchlea Farm in Kingswells, Aberdeen; Wester Manbeen, near Elgin, and Connage Highland Dairy in Ardersier near Nairn.

The partnership grows Mossgiel’s capacity by more than 10%.

Third generation farmer Bryce Cunningham began his sustainable farming business in 2015 where Robert Burns lived and ploughed the fields.

Mr Cunningham said: “For too long, our industry has just ticked along with the same system, same rules, same outcome; the slow death of small farms.

“We’ve spent years proving there’s another way, and now we’re stepping fully into that space, not just shouting from the sidelines, but taking it on directly.”

Jill Clark of Connage Highland Dairy said: “This new Mossgiel and Connage relationship is a fantastic collaboration between Burns country and us as Highlanders. 

Callum and Jill Clark: proud

“Bryce and the team will take our excess milk after our cheese production and, having been let down by our previous milk wholesalers, we are so excited to be working with Mossgiel.

“Bryce’s enthusiasm and business acumen has given us a new spring in our step, and we very much look forward to seeing what the future holds.”

Auchlea Farm’s Allan Clarke added: “We’ve been producing organic milk for more than 25 years, and this partnership allows us to keep doing what we believe in.

“I’ve long admired what Bryce and the Mossgiel team have built. They’ve flown the flag for independent dairies like ours and proved there’s a better way forward.

“We’re proud to be part of that journey and to work with a Scottish business that shares our values.

“As milk buyers get bigger, producers lose connection and collaboration in the race for efficiency and lower costs. That model simply isn’t sustainable, especially for organic farming.

“Joining the Mossgiel Collective gives us the chance to build something fit for the long term.”

Mossgiel’s trailblazing ‘low and slow’ brewing method put its name on the map back in 2016. The gentle, low-temperature pasteurisation process that preserves the milk’s natural structure, flavour and cream. 

The equipment to do this, initially, didn’t exist, so the team built their own bespoke milk brewery.

With sustainability at the forefront of the expansion, Mossgiel was also the first dairy in the UK to go single-use plastic free in 2019, delivering in glass bottles and reusable containers. 

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