Farming businesses named in Small Business Saturday ‘Small Biz 100’

Two small, independent farming businesses have been named among the 100 small businesses in the UK to be celebrated by Small Business Saturday, the UK’s dedicated day for small businesses on December 5th. All will be among those featured one per day for the 100 days leading up to Small Business Saturday itself.

They are:

Orkney Buffalo, a family farm in Deerness, Orkney producing slow-grown, natural meats, which specialises, as the name implies, in Orkney buffalo as well as Jacobs lamb and Mangalitza pork.The farm supplies shops and restaurants as well as producing a variety of homemade farmhouse products using its meat. It retails its products through a range of shops in Orkney and also supplies via its own Street Food trailer, from which it serves everything from hand-pressed burgers to buffalo curry and BBQ-pulled pork.

Supernature Oils in Gorebridge, Midlothian produces, harvests and bottles cold-pressed rapeseed oil, an even healthier alternative to olive oil, with half the saturated fat. With a high burn point, cold-pressed rapeseed oil can be used in any type of cooking.

Small Business Saturday is already the UK's most successful small business campaign. Last year 16.5 million adults went out to support a small business on Small Business Saturday with 64% of the UK aware of the campaign. The UK’s small businesses between them provide 60% of private sector jobs and nearly 50% of private sector turnover Last year the campaign was featured by all major media, trended at number one on Twitter on the day and received around 3.5 million views on its Facebook page. This year Small Business Saturday carries the theme "5 million small businesses, 1 big day".

The campaign exists as a nationwide promotional and marketing tool for small businesses, something for business owners to join up with and use for the benefit of their own small business. It is totally free to participate and all and any small businesses can get involved, from one-man-bands, through to a high growth office, and from tradesmen to social media gurus. In addition to the campaign itself, the team also delivers help and advice alongside opportunities to connect with other small businesses. In short, Small Business Saturday exists to support, inspire and promote small businesses.

“The first Small Business Saturday last year was an exceptional example of collaboration and co-operation with small businesses teaming up in communities around the UK,” explains National Campaign Director Michelle Ovens.

“Although the campaign focuses on one day, the goal is to have a lasting impact on small businesses by changing mind-sets, so that people make it their mission to support small businesses all year round. Most people in this country own a small business, work for a small business or know somebody who does, so supporting a small business on Small Business Saturday is absolutely personal.”

American Express originally founded the hugely successful ‘Small Business Saturday’ initiative in the U.S. in 2010 and remains the Founding Supporter of the campaign in the UK, as part of its on-going commitment to encourage consumers to shop small.