SAOS launch food integrity scheme

Protecting and promoting products from Scotland’s food and farming sector by verifying and giving credibility to the industry’s claims on sustainable food production is the aim of a new scheme being set up.

SAOS, Scotland’s agri co-op and supply chain collaboration experts, have launched the new industry-focused venture, Food Integrity Assurance, claiming it will fulfill the need for enhanced delivery of brand assurance - and to verify claims that production methods are both climate-friendly and supportive of the country’s unique rural environment.

SAOS chief executive, Tim Bailey said that the new scheme was the result of extensive market research and industry engagement, and that it would help farmers and food producers in multiple sectors by underpinning Scotland’s unique appeal to consumers worldwide as a provider of food and drink products with impeccable credentials:

“Food Integrity Assurance will deliver brand assurance in Scotland, by Scotland, for Scotland,” said Bailey.

“The future of our Scottish food and farming industry is dependent on adding value to our primary products, helping to identify and access new markets at home and abroad, and building on Scotland’s key credentials of truly sustainable food production that is climate-friendly and supportive of our unique rural environment.

However Bailey stressed that the initiative did not set out to undermine the longstanding and world-leading assurance schemes which were already up and running in the country –some of which had been trailblazers in the field - but would rather add to them whilst developing new ones in other sectors.