Next Generation Award 2025 Goes to Claire Dyce

SAOS Award Celebrates the ‘Next Generation of Co-operators’

The SAOS Next Generation Award for 2025 has been awarded to Claire Dyce of Grampian Growers who was recognised for her unfaltering enthusiasm and commitment, and can-do attitude. SAOS Chairman, Rory Christie, presented the award to Claire at a reception before SAOS’s Annual Conference Dinner at Crieff Hydro Hotel.

Claire first worked at Grampian Growers while she was studying for her 4-year Rural Business Management course at SRUC in Aberdeen. Since 2017, she has been employed full-time by the co-op, based near Montrose, whose members produce daffodil bulbs and flowers, and seed potatoes. Claire initially spent three years in the potato department, liaising with growers and taking on responsibility for Quality Control on farm.

Claire has since worked in all the co-op’s produce sectors, establishing an impressive bank of knowledge and understanding, in particular with the potato breeding business, GPS Ltd, and in flower sales, where she now manages this time-critical sales period with great expertise. Claire was also instrumental in the creation of the Flowers Grown in Scotland producers’ group, which SAOS helped establish, and is currently their Chair.

A true all-rounder, other strings to her bow include managing the website and social media for the different businesses, producing the member newsletters and dealing with any talks, press and industry events. Claire even holds a drone license which greatly benefits all of these.

In her current role as New Business Development Manager, much of Claire’s time is spent expanding current projects, and exploring new ones along with potential funding resources. Grampian Growers was recently awarded Innovate UK funding for a new project which Claire will co-ordinate; her knowledge of technology and her networks are invaluable for such projects.

Presenting the award, SAOS Chair Rory Christie commented: “Once again, we had a wide spread of nominations which is reassuring for the future of our industry. It’s always pleasing to hear about young people thriving and developing good careers through enthusiasm, hard work and a willingness to continue to learn. Claire embodies all this, as well as an innate understanding of the need for, and the value of, working ‘co-operatively’, it’s great to see and we congratulate her.”

SAOS Co-op Development Manager, Robert Logan, was closely involved with the award judging, and added: “It’s a difficult but enjoyable task to judge this award. We get insight into the hard work of lots of young individuals who make a real difference in their co-ops. Claire’s commitment to co-operation is well evidenced, particularly by her completing the Certificate in Co-operative Management from St Mary’s in Halifax, Nova Scotia; this is a big commitment and further emphasises her can-do attitude and willingness to learn.”

The Next Generation Award forms part of SAOS’s work looking at ways to encourage, motivate and recognise younger people involved in agricultural and rural co-ops. Nominees for the award must be aged 40 or under and must have made an impression on the industry with their leadership, vision and commitment to co-operation.