Scotland’s farmers are well placed to gain from a food market that is increasingly shaped by quality, provenance and sustainability rather than volume alone, Savills has said.
In its latest Spotlight: Food Beyond Today report, the property consultancy argues that the future food system will be driven less by the need to produce more and more food, and more by demand for products that offer nutritional value, traceability and a strong story of origin. That shift, Savills says, plays to Scotland’s strengths across sectors including red meat, dairy, cereals and whisky.
Hamish Logan, Food and Farming Consultant at Savills Scotland, said consumers are looking beyond price and paying closer attention to where food comes from and how it is produced. “From red meat and dairy to cereals and whisky, Scottish producers have built a reputation around quality and provenance, which puts them in a strong position as consumer expectations continue to evolve,” he said.
The report highlights malting barley as a standout example of a value-led supply chain. Around 900,000 to 925,000 tonnes of malting barley are used each year by the Scotch whisky industry, covering about 90% of its barley needs, underlining the importance of long-term relationships between growers, maltsters and distillers.
Savills also points to the wider policy environment as a major advantage. Scotland is described as the most advanced of the UK nations in embedding food policy in legislation through the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act, while the Scottish Government’s national plan says the country has a global reputation for high-quality food that it wants to continue to grow.
The report does not suggest the sector can stand still. Climate change, policy reform and pressure on farm profitability are all forcing change across agriculture, and Savills says future success will depend on resilience, innovation and closer collaboration across the food chain.
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Investment in technology, regenerative farming, water management and data-led decision making is expected to become increasingly important as businesses adapt to those pressures. Savills’ central argument is that the focus is shifting from producing more food to producing better food, with quality, sustainability and strong supply chain relationships likely to define the winners.
“Consumers are increasingly looking beyond price alone. They’re paying more attention to where food comes from, how it’s produced and the quality of the ingredients involved,” said Hamish Logan, Food and Farming Consultant at Savills Scotland.
“The focus is shifting from producing more food to producing better food. Businesses that can demonstrate quality, sustainability and strong supply chain relationships are likely to be best placed to secure long-term opportunities,” he added
