What SAC Consulting does

SAC Consulting is the commercial business-services division of SRUC (Scotland's Rural College), a company limited by guarantee and registered Scottish charity. It provides independent, research-driven consultancy for agricultural, food, and land-based businesses across Scotland, with roots in advisory work stretching back over 100 years. The firm operates from multiple SRUC campuses (Edinburgh, Dumfries, Aberdeen, Fife, and West Lothian) and serves farmers, crofters, rural estates, food supply chain businesses, SMEs, multinationals, and government/public sector clients.

The service portfolio spans specialist knowledge networks (Livestock Services, Potato Services) and broader advisory divisions covering Agricultural Advisory, Environment and Sustainability Services (carbon footprint, natural capital), Food & Enterprise (supply chain and product development), and Business Consultancy. The underlying capability rests on SRUC's academic and applied research base, augmented by proprietary datasets such as the Scottish Farm Business Survey, which collects data from 400 volunteer commercial farms annually and informs Scottish agricultural policy. Services are delivered by named expert teams surfaced through a "Find an Expert" directory, supported by publications, case studies, and industry events such as the annual SACAPP potato conference.

The business model is professional services: project-based, quote-based consulting engagements tailored to individual client needs. Revenue is generated through advisory fees and project work; pricing is not publicly disclosed. GTM is relationship-led and sales-led, combining direct enterprise engagement for larger clients with a self-serve online directory and contact channels for smaller operators. Headcount is 92 employees, with no disclosed revenue, funding, or M&A activity, consistent with SAC Consulting operating as a self-funded division of a non-profit higher-education institution.

Name

SAC Consulting

Legal name

Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)

Website

https://sac.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SAC Consulting is the commercial advisory division of SRUC, providing research-driven agricultural, food, and land-based consulting to farmers, crofters, rural estates, food businesses, and government across Scotland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural and Rural Consulting

NAICS

Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Whole-Farm Business Management & Budgeting Advisory (AFACAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL), Livestock & Herd/Flock Operations Management Advisory (Nutrition, Housing, Performance) (AFACAJAL), Supply Chain, Marketing & Contracting Advisory (Grain/Livestock Marketing) (AFACAJAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural consulting
• Rural advisory services
• Livestock advisory
• Crop consultancy
• Sustainability assessment

Headquarters

HQ city

Edinburgh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for agricultural, food and land-based businesses, providing technical advice grounded in the latest research. Revenue is generated through project-based engagements and advisory services for farmers, crofters, rural estates, and businesses.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

SAC Consulting provides independent, research-driven advisory and consultancy services for farmers, crofters, rural estates, food supply chain businesses and public sector bodies across Scotland. The portfolio spans livestock and potato knowledge networks, environment and sustainability services, food and enterprise consulting, agricultural advisory, and business consultancy, all delivered by specialist teams and grounded in the academic and applied research capabilities of SRUC.

Product overview

SAC Consulting operates as a single unified consultancy service under SRUC (Scotland's Rural College), offering research-driven advisory services for agricultural, food, and land-based businesses. The portfolio includes specialized knowledge networks (Livestock Services, Potato Services) and service divisions covering Food & Footprint, Agricultural Advisory, and Business Consultancy. Services range from on-farm technical advice to strategic consultancy for rural estates, serving farmers, crofters, landowners, SMEs, multinationals, and government bodies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Livestock Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Data from 400 volunteer commercial farms annually informing Scottish agricultural policy

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bidwells: UK property and rural consultancy advising landowners, estates, and farming businesses on rural estate management, natural capital, and diversification. Comparable to SAC Consulting's Rural Estates and Landowners services and natural capital work.
• Promar International: UK agri-food consultancy delivering farm business management, supply chain, and enterprise advice. Directly comparable to SAC Consulting's whole-farm business management and food enterprise service lines, especially for dairy and livestock producers.
• Andersons: UK farm business consultancy providing economics, policy, and management advice to agricultural businesses. Comparable to SAC Consulting's Agricultural Advisory and Business Consultancy service lines, with a particular emphasis on farm economics and policy.
• ADAS: UK-based agricultural and environmental consultancy providing independent on-farm advice, agronomy, livestock, and environmental services. Directly comparable as the leading full-service agricultural advisory firm in Great Britain, overlapping with SAC Consulting's livestock, crop, and sustainability offerings.
• Kite Consulting: UK-based consultancy specializing in dairy, livestock, and farm business advice. Comparable to SAC Consulting's Livestock Services and Agricultural Advisory offerings, particularly for dairy and ruminant producers across the UK.
• Velcourt: UK-based farm management company providing operational management and advisory services to commercial farms. Comparable to SAC Consulting's on-farm and farm management advisory offerings, though Velcourt operates more as a contract farm manager.
• Agrii: UK agronomy services and crop input provider offering technical advice to arable and potato growers. Comparable to SAC Consulting's Potato Services and crop-focused agricultural advisory work, although Agrii couples advice with crop inputs and trials.

Regional players

• Soil Association: UK charity focused on organic certification, sustainability standards, and farming advisory. Comparable as an advisory body with strong sustainability and certification credentials, but operating across the UK and with an organic rather than conventional farming focus.

Broad incumbents

• Savills Rural: International real estate advisor with a substantial UK rural division covering estates, farms, and natural capital. Overlaps with SAC Consulting's rural estates and natural capital advisory work but operates across a much wider commercial real estate portfolio.
• AHDB (Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board): UK statutory levy body funding applied research, knowledge exchange, and farm benchmarking for agriculture and horticulture. Comparable to SAC Consulting's research-driven knowledge networks (livestock, potatoes) and the Scottish Farm Business Survey-style benchmarking work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sacconsulting

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAC Consulting