Family-run dairy business to add 30 jobs with Scotland-wide growth plans

A Scottish family dairy business has vowed to continue expanding amid a fragmented market after notching up fivefold growth over the last five years.

Mills Milk (Scotland), led by managing director Adam Mills, now serves some 35,000 households and 3,500 businesses across Scotland, operating from five depots, in Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Shotts, Inverness and Argyll.

Turnover has increased from £5.1 million in 2020 to £24m in 2025, almost fivefold growth in five years, with staff numbers rising to more than 180.

Adam Mills, managing director, and director Abbey Mills at the firm's base at Mills Milk Family Farm, Dalry, Ayrshire. Picture by Martin Shields

The Ayrshire-headquartered company is now preparing for its next phase of investment, with projections for revenues to reach £30m by the close of 2026 and the creation of 30 jobs as it strengthens infrastructure across the country.

Since 2021, the firm has completed a series of strategic acquisitions across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and the wider Central Belt, consolidating smaller family-run dairies and expanding both wholesale and domestic operations.

The business experienced accelerated growth during the Covid crisis as demand for home delivery surged. However, bosses said customer numbers have continued to grow post-pandemic, supported by acquisition-led expansion and increasing hospitality contracts.

In 2024, the company acquired a small wholesaler in Lochgilphead giving it access and the means to service hospitality businesses across Argyllshire and island communities including Islay and Mull. It also commissioned a purpose-built garage facility at its Ayrshire headquarters to support its expanding fleet of 120 vehicles.

Last year, Mills Milk expanded further into the Central Belt through acquisition, enabling it to reach homes and businesses across Perthshire, Stirlingshire and Fife for the first time. The business also relocated its Inverness depot to larger premises and confirmed plans for a new purpose-built Edinburgh depot valued at some £500,000.

Mills said: “We’ve moved from being a growing regional operator to building a national footprint. The focus now is on scaling responsibly, investing in depots, fleet and systems to support long-term growth.

“There is still significant opportunity in the Scottish market. We operate in a fragmented sector, and we see scope to continue expanding our reach while maintaining service quality.”

While the company officially launched in 2016, the Mills family’s involvement in the dairy industry spans more than eight decades, beginning on the Isle of Arran in the 1940s.

Now led by siblings Adam and Abbey Mills, the business is looking to combine that generational heritage with a “modern logistics-led approach to growth”. Today, the firm delivers in the region of 20,000 orders per day and positions itself as one of Scotland’s largest independent doorstep and hospitality dairy operators.

The company recently launched its own Mills Artisan range, introducing small-batch sourdough, artisan cheese and butter products - marking a move into higher-margin branded production.

Mills added: “This is not a nostalgia business. Doorstep delivery today is a highly efficient logistics operation. We are investing in technology, infrastructure and people because we believe the long-term fundamentals of the sector are strong.

“Our ambition is to build Scotland’s most trusted and progressive dairy and produce delivery business, one that continues to grow while remaining family-owned and values-led.”

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