Graham's Invests Over £1m in New Butter Plant

Early July will see Scottish shoppers given the opportunity to enjoy a taste of the first spreadable butter to be produced by a Scottish dairy. It follows the official opening this morning (3 June) of a new £1.2m butter plant by Graham’s The Family Dairy.

Graham’s The Family Dairy Scottish Spreadable Butter (slightly salted 250g/500g) is the latest tasty product innovation to be revealed by the proud family dairy, renowned for its award-winning range of Scottish Dairy, Graham’s Gold and Organic milks, creams, butters and ice-cream.

As part of Graham’s successful core Scottish Dairy range, the slightly salted spreadable butter will initially retail through Peckham’s delicatessen and leading Scottish convenience stores including David Sands and CJ Lang.

The new product will retail at RRP £1.50 (250g) and RRP £2.80 (500g). From September, Graham’s The Family Dairy anticipates the product will also be listed in Scotland stores by Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and The Co-operative.

Dr Robert Graham, chairman of Bridge of Allan-based Graham’s The Family Dairy, commented: "As a family that has farmed in Stirlingshire for five generations, today marks another proud milestone for Graham’s The Family Dairy as we offer consumers the first high-quality, locally produced spreadable butter from a Scottish dairy.

"Our latest product innovation, 72 years after my father started the dairy at Airthrey Kerse, also reflects the recognition that many consumers increasingly seek an alternative to traditional butter in their shopping basket."

Dr Graham added: "While I hope discerning consumers will enjoy and choose to spread the word about Scotland’s first spreadable butter, it’s also important to recognise the approximate £175,000 of grant assistance from the Scottish Government to help develop the new butter plant.

"This financial support was significant in helping Graham’s The Family Dairy bring our exciting new product to market."

The spreadable butter retains the distinctive packaging of Graham’s conventional (Scottish Dairy) range. The blue tubs also reflect the family’s proud farming heritage with the design incorporating a message and image of managing director Robert Graham, and the additional brand features of a Graham’s hay bale and three pairs of wellington boots.

Fergus Wood, Provost of Stirling, who officially opened the butter plant, commented on the significance of this latest development by Graham's The Family Dairy: "I have watched the growth and diversification of Graham's The Family Dairy with admiration over the past decade.

"This family business has made a major impact on the local area - not only by the growing number of jobs they provide, but also by their commitment to the local community and their generous support for so many local organisations.

"It is seldom one finds a company that takes the product right through to its logical conclusion - literally from the cow to the customer! Spreadable butter adds yet another dimension to this concept."

Last year, prior to investing in the new butter plant, Dr Graham received a rarely extended invitation from the French dairy industry to visit a dairy in Cherbourg where he gained invaluable insight into the specialist machinery and methods used by French farmers to produce butter.

Subsequently, Paul Thomas, dairy manager at Graham’s, travelled to Spain to see a similar butter plant in operation. The butter plant machinery at Airthrey Kerse was installed by a specialist team from France.

Scottish Government funding of the butter plant was provided through the Food Processing, Marketing and Grant Co-operation Grant Scheme (FMPC).

Graham’s The Family Dairy Scottish Spreadable Butter (slightly salted) is a natural extension to the family’s award-winning range of slightly salted and unsalted Scottish Dairy, Organic and creamy Graham’s Gold butter. In 2008, Graham’s launched the first Scottish organic butter (slightly salted and unsalted) on the UK market.

To March 2010, Graham’s announced record year-end results that included a 28 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to £1,051,247 (2009: £820,959).

In 2010, the firm launched the UK’s first 1% Organic milk and its first range of flavoured ice-cream across its conventional, Organic and Graham’s Gold lines.

Graham’s has won a number of prestigious awards for its milk, cream, butter and ice-cream products. At last week's 2011 Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards, Graham’s was awarded both the Dairy product and Marketing Initiative of the Year.

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