Scotland’s only producer of buffalo mozzarella is targeting sales growth outperforming the original Italian product, as it reveals its first supermarket listing.
The Buffalo Farm in Fife has secured placement across all of Aldi Scotland’s 102 stores.
The business began producing cheese less than a year ago, following a crowdfunding campaign which saw the supplier raise over £800,000 to bring to the product to market.
Following the deal with Aldi, which will see the product join the retailer’s Specially Selected range, The Buffalo Farm expect to triple its production of Scotland’s only mozzarella over the next two years and anticipates sales to the retailer will account for as much as half of its total revenue.
The product is made from the milk of grass-fed water buffalo, which were selected from the best herds across Europe.
Company founder Steve Mitchell, who has appeared on the likes of BBC’s Farming Life and Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word, believes that the Scottish-made cheese can outperform the Italian product, as it has done in Ireland, where locally produced mozzarella is now the most popular choice.
“Scotland is renowned globally for its quality of grass and natural larder - our buffalo feed on this grass all day long, giving their milk a distinctive flavour and freshness.
“My journey hasn’t been without challenge, but to be able to raise £800,000 for its development demonstrates widespread belief in this product.
“Aldi Scotland is a central part of our story, without its support, my vision wouldn’t now be a reality, and we are hugely grateful for the guidance its team has provided to help us bring our product to the people of Scotland.”
Graham Nicolson, group buying director at Aldi Scotland, said: “Scotland has some of the most dynamic food and drink producers anywhere in the world, and The Buffalo Farm is a great example of the exceptional innovation we are seeing here in this country.
“Steve and his team have taken a hugely popular product, which has been around for generations, and found a way to make it Scottish, providing a fresher alternative, that is full of flavour.”
The Buffalo Farm has Scotland's largest herd of water buffalo, with more than 500 freely roaming the hills at Clentrie Farm.
In 2021, Aldi invested £36m in six new stores, opening its 100th Scottish store at Hermiston Gait in Edinburgh in November. Aldi recently unveiled plans to invest over £55m from 2022 to 2023, with a further nine stores planned to open.
The new stores, including two in Aberdeen at Countesswells Road and Hareness Road, and one at Greendykes Road in Broxburn, will create an additional 150 jobs. This will take the total number of staff employed by the retailer to nearly 3,500 by the end of this year.
Don't miss the latest headlines with our twice-daily newsletter - sign up here for free.
