Cupar-headquartered East of Scotland Growers Ltd (ESG) and R&K Drysdales Ltd (RKD) have joined forces to create Pease Bay Farms. This means that two of Scotland’s longest-established fresh produce organizations have completed a merger, creating an additional growing business.
ESG is a farmer-owned co-operative with a collective of 15 growers that produces vegetable crops, including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbages, carrots, onions, and asparagus. The members’ farms are based in Fife, Angus, Perthshire, Kincardinshire, and the Scottish Borders, producing more than 6000 acres of Scottish brassicas on the east coast.
RKD is the UK’s leading brussels sprout grower and packer, with one of the most sophisticated and high-output grading, packing, and storage facilities in Europe. It also grows and packs swede and leeks at its facilities in Berwickshire.
Merging the two organizations couples Scotland’s leading vegetable growers with the premier brassica packer in the country. It also complements the winter cropping of RKD to the summer cropping portfolio of ESG, creating a sustainable, year-round producer.
This step will create further create opportunities for farmers in Berwickshire, Scottish Borders, Lothians, Fife, Angus, Kincardineshire, and Perthshire through the not-for-profit co-operative.
Source: fifetoday.co.uk