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.
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.
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.
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.
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
For many years, SAOS's expertise has helped businesses open new routes to market, working together with organisations like Scotland Food & Drink and Scottish Development International at local, regional, national and international levels.
Working with a wide range of partners, we've identified ways to add more value to products, reduce waste and improve profitability and efficiency through collaboration with supply chain partners.
Our current work in this area includes:
Working in partnership with the Scottish Wholesale Association and Scotland Food & Drink, we lead on the Delivering Growth through Wholesale programme. Its aim is to develop a cohesive plan with practical solutions to expand access for local food producers into more mainstream markets.
One key focus has been on improving logistics across Scotland.
To find out more, or to express your interest in the next Delivering Growth Through Wholesale training opportunity, contact info@scottishwholesale.co.uk
SAOS is working in partnership with The British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN), exploring the case for an added-value pulse supply chain in Scotland as a substitution for current imports and contributing to a more resilient farming sector.
Part of this work involved an interactive workshop at Arbikie Distillery where delegates undertook group work to identify stakeholder priorities and develop a shared vision.
The combined thinking reinforced the need to: derisk farmer investment, strengthen routes to market, create confidence in long term demand and explore policy incentives - all of which need co-operation to succeed.
A report is now available, summarising the findings, to help encourage and develop further dialogue on the possibilities and challenges.
You can download the report here.
Get in touch if you would like to find out more or have any ideas that you would like to talk through with one of the team.
Project Manager
patricia.rojas@saos.coop