About us

Scotland’s experts on farmer co-ops and food industry collaboration, we work with food and farming businesses to make them more profitable, competitive, and sustainable - #workingtogether to shape the future, today.

What we do

All our work helps facilitate farmers and food and drink businesses to work together effectively. Over the years we've expanded and developed subsidiary businesses - getting the right people together and making innovative advancements - to help benefit food, farming and rural Scotland.

Events & Training

Developing staff capability is one of the most effective ways to improve a co-op’s performance. Check out our events and training programme - most of which are open to non co-op members too.

Coming soon!

Membership

As a development organisation, owned by our members, we provide a range of specialist services not available elsewhere, to assist them in developing their people and their businesses. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.

What's New

See below for all the latest news, views and updates from us here at SAOS. Find all our latest videos on YouTube at: SAOS - working together in food and farming

Quarterly Newsletters

Annual reports

The C2Network

The Cultivating Collaboration Network has been developed by SAOS to build on the power of co-ops to drive positive change in the primary agricultural sector, through the building of broader, cross-sector, collaborative partnerships.

The C2Network acts as the catalyst to bring together a broad range of organisations with a shared interest in the growth and development of our rural landscape.

What is our vision?

Our vision is simple:

"To drive positive change through collaboration."

The C2Network brings together a broad range of stakeholders to stimulate thinking, explore potential solutions and develop practical actions to benefit the rural sector.

Why participate in the C2Network?

To be part of an established network of around 60 co‑ops (and their ~25,000 farmer members) together with those who have a shared interest in developing the rural landscape.

To bring cross sector and innovative thinking to help address the emerging challenges for our sector.

C2Network News

IBioIC's Bioeconomy week is a great example of how cross-sector, innovative thinking can help to address challenges.

IBioIC Bioeconomy week

C2Network's work

Earth Observation and Data

As part of our current Earth Observation and Data theme, we hosted round table discussions at the Royal Highland Show to explore possible utilisation of Scotland's globally-recognised downstream space sector.

Several co‑op members and tech-based enterprises discussed a series of agri challenges where earth observation could possibly help. The conversations kickstarted several collaborative partnerships and we look forward to working with our partners to progress the activity between Scottish earth observation SMEs and SAOS members.

Green Hydrogen

C2Network is working towards a green hydrogen roadmap for Scottish agriculture and the rural communities within which our co‑ops and their farming members are based.

Collaborative working of our co‑ops with stakeholders, engineering and technology partners, and the research base is driving our collective agenda.

Find out more

Revalorisation of Waste and Agri Co-products

Thanks to advances in processing technologies, a wide range of agri 'co-products', formerly thought of as waste, are now able to be reintegrated into the circular economy.

The C2Network is facilitating discussions between SAOS co‑op members and research and innovation partners to identify and develop commercial opportunities.

Join the C2Network/Get in touch

Join C2N/contact us

Key contacts

Helen Glass

Head of Supply Chain Innovation

07795 050323 | helen.glass@saos.coop

Patricia Rojas Bonzi

Project Manager

07467 082625 | Patricia.Rojas@saos.coop