New body created to further Scottish oat milk sector

The industry in Scotland is in its infancy and must compete with large international brands
The industry in Scotland is in its infancy and must compete with large international brands

A new body has been established for Scottish farmers who are interested in growing oats for the increasingly popular plant-based milk sector.

The Association of Independent Oat Milk Producers in Scotland has been set up as there are currently no large-scale manufacturers of oat milk in the country.

The industry in Scotland is in its infancy and must compete with large international brands, such as Alpro and Oatley.

Exploring the opportunities for oat growers and firms within the milk alternatives market was the focus of a recent Rural Innovation Support Service (RISS) group.

The project, which was supported by SAC Consulting, addressed the need for collaboration and development within the Scottish oat milk sector.

Alistair Trail, senior consultant with SAC Consulting, said the group was started because they had received 'a lot of enquires' from farmers and growers.

“There are currently no large-scale manufacturers of oat milk in Scotland," Mr Trail explained.

"A small number of micro businesses are producing perishable fresh oat milk and the logistical challenges of cold-chain delivery mean that these businesses are only supplying their individual, local markets.

“By collaborating, as part of the Association of Independent Oat Milk Producers member businesses will be able to get involved in several areas which can help the sector grow in Scotland.”

The project, which ran from August to December last year, had an aim of providing an opportunity for collaboration, knowledge exchange and to discuss the biggest challenges and opportunities they face.

"By collaborating, the individual niche manufacturers will be able to share resources and help the fledging industry compete against the large multinational competitors,” added Mr Trail.

Callum McCadden and Alex Baldwin from Untitled Oats, a start-up which supplies to retailers, led discussions during a meeting on establishing an Association of Independent Oat Milk Producers.

Mr Baldwin said: “We are keen to develop an association of Scottish oat milk producers; there are many opportunities for this group to grow in the future, without detracting from our individual operations or losing IP.

"This could include legal expertise, joint research and marketing, or joint use of a UHT facility as previously discussed in the RISS meetings.”