Find out who the top 50 agricultural businesses in Scotland are

Chronic labour shortages, shifting government policy on vital issues such as inheritance tax, huge volatility in financial markets and the increasing climate risk represent a perfect storm of problems

East Lothian Produce

Almost 80 percent of Scotland’s land mass is used for agriculture, and the sector is worth more than £2 billion to the economy. It supports nearly 70,000 jobs, many of them critical to more remote communities.

Yet fewer than half of Scottish farms are profitable without direct support, leaving them vulnerable to global shocks

Yet despite these challenges the industry continues to grow and, in many cases, thrive - with innovation and diversification at the heart of the country’s leading performers.

And fittingly these companies are all growing from strong roots, with solid foundations that can stretch back over 100 years and involve generations of families bringing their expertise and imagination to challenges old and new.

It’s no real surprise to Albert Bartlett sitting near the top of this year’s Agricultural 50 ranking for example. The company started with a dream to grow the perfect potato, and now has over 1500 employees and is a household name in the UK and one of the country’s biggest suppliers of potatoes. Over almost 80 years they have continued to grow, building new international markets and local partnerships, while expanding the range of products to include chilled and frozen goods, and diversifying into different markets such as the Capocci Ice Cream brand.

This kind of development, enhancing a well-established business to ensure future success, can also be seen in the work of Angus Soft Fruits, where breeders are continually creating new strains of fruits that can withstand disease and thrive in a fast-changing world.

The historic backbone of the industry isn’t standing still either, with the likes of Lunar Fishing ensuring it has the latest transportation technology being employed to ensure Scotland’s fishing fleets can get their produce to market in pristine condition, while Netherton Tractors continues to expand its comprehensive range, allowing Scottish farmers to access the tools they need to stay ahead of the field.

These are just five of Scotland’s outstanding agricultural businesses, reaping the rewards from decades of graft and sowing the seeds for future success.

Albert Bartlett Holdings Ltd.

Founded in 1946 by Albert Bartlett Sr., who had a passion for growing the perfect potato, Albert Bartlett Holdings Ltd is now the UK’s biggest supplier of potatoes. Headquartered in Airdrie, just four miles from the small farm where it all started, the fourth generation of the Bartlett family now works in the company, which has over 1500 employees and supplies potatoes to supermarkets and producers across the UK. Last year it teamed up with tennis legend Andy Murray, and the company has been a long-term supplier to his Cromlix House hotel. Its product line includes a variety of different types of potatoes, including Rooster, Maris Piper, and King Edward. And its last available figures showed it had a turnover of over £400m, and pre-tax profits of £17.6m.

Angus Soft Fruits

Angus Soft Fruits was established in 1994 in the berry fields of Angus by passionate berry growers Lochy Porter, his father Willie Porter and his cousin James Gray. Their aim was to work directly with retailers and raise the standard of berries available to consumers. Today they work closely with trusted growers in the UK and around the world to ensure a consistent year-round supply of high-quality berries. Their head office remains in Angus, where their trademark Berries Breeding Programme develops premium strawberry, raspberry and blackberry varieties tailored for global markets and built for reliability, performance and quality across the supply chain. The company now has over 200 employees and latest available figures gave it an annual turnover of £166.3m, with a pre-tax profit of £2.5m

Netherton Tractors

Founded by Harry Barclay Snr in 1987, and currently led by his son, Harry J. Barclay, is one of Scotland’s leading agricultural agencies for equipment sales and services, and as such is a vital part of Scotland’s agricultural sector.

It now has five branches across Finavon, Glenrothes, Perth, Turriff and Nairn, and in 2023 was finalist for Machinery Dealer of the Year in the Scottish Agriculture Awards. As well as tractors, combines and cultivators it offers a comprehensive range of precision agriculture solutions tailored to meet the unique requirements of our customers. Headquartered in Forfar, it has more than 90 employees and latest figures show it had an annual turnover of £53.4m and a pre-tax profit of £1.5m.

East Lothian Produce

The Logan family have been farming in East Lothian for three generations, and it was Billy Logan who, in 1976, took up the work of his father and grandfather running the 40-acre smallholding in West Garleton.

He found new processing and packing customers, and in 1998 established East Lothian Produce to supply brussels sprouts, white cabbage, savoy, red cabbage, parsnips and potatoes direct to supermarkets.

Their facilities have been continuously expanded and upgraded to improve efficiency and stay ahead of retailer and consumer needs. Today, they employ more than 50 staff and their products can be found in major retailers across Scotland, the UK and beyond, and latest figures showed the company had a turnover of £13.5m, with pre-tax profits of £600,000.