Scottish shoppers now have the opportunity to enjoy a taste of the first spreadable butter to be produced by a Scottish dairy.
It follows the official opening of a new £1.2 million butter plant by Graham’s The Family Dairy at its Airthrey Kerse Farm in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire.
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, butter’s 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 C J 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 feature in the dairy aisle of Scottish stores operated by Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and Co-op.
Dr Robert Graham, chairman of 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 and 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 insights to the specialist machinery and methods used by French farmers to produce butter.
Subsequently, Paul Thomas, dairy manager at Graham’s The Family Dairy, 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.
