Organic growers secure Highland Council contract
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The Natural Vegetable Company in Torbreck and Knockfarrel Produce in Dingwall will supply up to 600 lettuces per week, as well as a range of herbs, in a £124,000 four-year deal with Highland Council. The companies grow 22,000 lettuces per year between them and will work together to ensure demand is met.
For organic farmers Maggie Sutherland and Jo Hunt — who have been running their businesses more or less single-handed — it will mean creating new jobs.
Mrs Sutherland has run the Natural Vegetable Company at Clachandreggy for nine years and expects the contract win will take the company’s turnover to over £20,000 this year. It has given her the confidence to hire her first employee and take on more volunteers from the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms charity.
“This is a boost and has allowed me to take somebody on to help with everything,” she said. “Previously I was doing more wholesale supplies, but in recent years the number of customers dipped which led me to diversify into my own thing with a growing food box scheme and supplying hotels and restaurants.”
Mr Hunt expects his three-year-old company Knockfarrel Produce to grow by 25 per cent and he is planning to take on an apprentice.
“You need to know that you are going to have a market before you can expand and this council contract gives me that,” he said. “They are buying the lettuce and herbs directly from us.”
Both farmers have outdoor growing areas and polytunnels and hope their produce will help youngsters learn about organic farming.
In addition to more than 100 schools, they will be supplying the snack bar at the council’s Glenurquhart Road headquarters in Inverness, Inverness Museum and Art Gallery, Inverness Leisure (until the end of August) and council functions as part of the deal. More then 30 council-owned care home kitchens will also receive their produce.
The pair aim to maintain all their current contracts with hotels and restaurants across the area, while Mrs Sutherland will continue suppling regular food boxes to her 50 Inverness customers and Mr Hunt will still trade through farmers’ markets on the Black Isle.
Council leader Drew Hendry is a frequent customer to the markets and has seen the quality of produce first hand.
“It’s great that the council is able to work with local producers,” he said. “The quality is excellent and is something I have been keeping an eye on for years.”
The local authority held events in November and December last year as part of the tendering process for its catering scheme contracts, which are worth a total of £5.2 million.
“We strive to ensure that ingredients for school lunches are as much about locality as quality,” said a council spokesman. “So far this year we have awarded food produce contracts that support local businesses.”
