YESTER FARM DAIRIES LIMITED

What YESTER FARM DAIRIES LIMITED does

Yester Farm Dairies Limited is a privately held, family-owned artisan dairy producer operating from Yester Mains farm in Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland, approximately 25 miles south-east of Edinburgh. Founded in 2003 by Simon McCreery after he returned to the family farm, the company began by pasteurising and selling its own milk direct under the Yester Farm label, formalised as a limited company and pivoting in 2015 to a focused artisan range of soft cheeses, cottage cheese, cultured creams, yoghurts, and fiore di latte mozzarella made in a cheese room converted from an on-farm shed. Production is vertically integrated on the family farm's 400-cow Holstein Friesian herd, with milk piped directly from the milking parlour to an on-site pasteurisation plant and cheese room, supporting full traceability from cow to consumer. The business holds BRCGS START! food-safety certification and has won multiple industry awards, including a 2020 Great Taste 2-Star for its cottage cheese, a 2021 Royal Highland Show Gold, and a 2022 Scottish Dairy Championships Gold.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market model spanning three channels: direct-to-consumer via its own UK-wide 48-hour courier online shop with on-farm Friday click-and-collect; foodservice and wholesale supply at both UK and Scotland-retail level; and through named retail accounts including Scottish Sainsbury's and Morrisons plus independent farm shops and distributors (Total Produce, Cress Co, Clarks Speciality Foods). Pre-COVID-19, foodservice and hospitality accounted for approximately 80% of revenue; in March 2020 the business pivoted within a week of lockdown to launch an online shop, expanding from local click-and-collect to UK-wide home delivery, reportedly fulfilling 3,500+ orders in five months and reaching around 120 households per day at peak. Pricing is unit-based across 300-500g retail packs (£1.85–£2.65), 2kg foodservice packs (£6.10–£13.03), and a small branded merchandise line. There is no disclosed funding, institutional investor, parent company, or revenue figure, and ownership remains concentrated with the McCreery family.

Customer segments are health-conscious retail consumers seeking traceable artisan dairy and UK foodservice/hospitality operators (notably pizza outlets, restaurants, hotels, caterers, and meal-kit provider Gousto). Marketing is built on earned media (awards), organic social (Instagram #yestoyester), recipe content collaborations (Lea Harris, Great British Bake Off), and email/newsletter outreach rather than paid acquisition.

Name

YESTER FARM DAIRIES LIMITED

Legal name

Yester Farm Dairies Limited

Website

https://yesterfarmdairies.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yester Farm Dairies is a family-owned artisan Scottish dairy in East Lothian producing soft cheeses, yoghurts, cultured creams, and mozzarella from its 400-cow herd, supplying UK foodservice, Scottish retail, and direct-to-consumer via its online shop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Dairy Manufacturing

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ripened Natural Cheese Manufacturing (Semi-Soft, Hard & Blue) (AFAHABAB), Cultured Cottage Cheese & Quark Manufacturing (AFAHADAH)

Keywords

• Artisan dairy products
• Soft cheese production
• Cultured cream manufacturing
• Farm fresh milk
• Scottish dairy farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Gifford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-consumer retail: Online shop selling artisan dairy products to consumers via home delivery (UK-wide 48-hour courier) and click-and-collect (Fridays 1pm-3pm at farm).
2. Wholesale and foodservice supply: Supplies foodservice and wholesale customers UK-wide as well as directly to retail outlets throughout Scotland.
3. Retail distribution: Products sold through major retailers including Scottish Sainsbury's, Morrisons, farm shops, and independent retailers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Yester Farm Dairies produces an artisan range of soft cheeses, cottage cheese, yoghurts, crème fraîche, soured cream, and Fior di Latte mozzarella on its family farm at Yester Mains, Gifford, East Lothian. Milk is piped directly from the milking parlour into an on-site pasteurisation plant and cheese room, then sold via own-branded retail packs (300–500g), foodservice 2kg packs, and branded merchandise through direct-to-consumer, retail, and wholesale channels.

Product overview

Yester Farm Dairies is an artisan Scottish dairy farm business operated by husband and wife team Simon and Jackie McCreery. The company produces a range of dairy products on their family farm at Yester Mains in East Lothian, Scotland. Their product portfolio consists of three main categories: Retail Products (soft cheeses, cottage cheese, cultured creams, yoghurts, and mozzarella sold in sizes from 300g-500g), Food Service Products (large-format 2kg packs for professional kitchens and caterers), and Branded Goods (gift cards and apparel). All products are made from fresh milk from their own 400-strong herd of Holstein Friesian cows, processed through their on-site pasteurisation plant and cheese room. The company supplies UK-wide to foodservice and wholesale customers, directly to outlets throughout Scotland, and directly to consumers via their online shop with UK-wide courier delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Luxury Soft Cheese (300g retail) A luxurious spreadable soft cheese made from fresh pasteurised Scottish cows' milk and cream (around 20% fat content), suitable for cheesecakes, cooking, or spreading; sold as a 300g retail pack to consumers via the online shop and Scottish retailers.
• Cottage Cheese (300g retail) Artisan cottage cheese hand-made in open vats using traditional techniques, around 6% fat, high in protein with a chunky creamy texture; sold as a 300g retail pack to consumers.
• Set Soured Cream (300g retail) Cultured cream with a tangy, spoonable texture and creamy mild taste, ideal as an accompaniment for spicy dishes; sold in 300g retail packs.
• Reduced Fat Soft Cheese (320g retail) Low-fat soft cheese at around 6% fat content, made from fresh pasteurised Scottish cows' milk and cream, suited for snacks, cooking, or spreading; sold as a 320g retail pack.
• Crème Fraîche (300g retail) Cultured cream with around 20% fat content that can be spooned or poured, ideal for cooking and sauces; sold in 300g retail packs.
• Whole Milk Natural Yoghurt (500g retail) Thick and creamy natural yoghurt made from fresh pasteurised skimmed Scottish cows' milk, suitable for breakfast, baking, or desserts; sold in 500g retail packs.
• Low Fat Natural Yoghurt (500g retail) Smooth, mild pourable low-fat yoghurt made from fresh pasteurised skimmed Scottish cows' milk; sold in 500g retail packs.
• Mixed Berry Yoghurt (450g retail)

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,500+ orders placed in 5 months during COVID-19 pivot to online
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Scotland Food & Drink CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnection/partnership with Scotland's food and drink industry body promoting local food provenance.
• Food and Drink ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership and connection with industry association for Scottish food and drink producers.
• RSABIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoyal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution - charity connection supporting those in Scottish agriculture.
• David Mitchell CheesemakerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConnection with experienced cheesemaker David Mitchell for expertise and knowledge sharing.
• Royal Highland Education TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership connecting children with farming and food production through farm visits and educational programmes.
• Scottish Cheese TrailminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed on Scottish Cheese Trail guide, promoting artisan cheese producers to consumers.
• Scottish Land and EstatesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMembership organisation for rural businesses in Scotland.
• Lea Harris (The Baker's Bunny)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest baker collaboration with Great British Bake Off series 1 contestant. Lea Harris creates recipes using Yester Farm Dairies products, providing authentic content marketing and recipe development partnership.
• Belhaven SmokehouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal supplier of smoked salmon used in recipes and featured alongside Yester products.
• The Spice WitchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal producer whose mango and chilli chutney is sold through Yester's online shop alongside their own products.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Arla Foods: UK's largest dairy cooperative producing milk, yoghurt, butter, cheese, and cream across all major grocery channels; comparable as the dominant broad-incumbent dairy player whose private-label and branded ranges compete head-to-head with Yester on shelf.
• First Milk: UK dairy farmer-owned cooperative producing cheese, butter, and milk powder for retail and B2B; comparable as a UK dairy incumbent in cheese and processed dairy categories.
• Müller UK & Ireland: Major UK yoghurt and dairy dessert manufacturer with deep grocery and foodservice penetration; comparable as a broad incumbent competing directly in the yoghurt and cultured dairy categories where Yester operates.

Direct peers

• Graham's Family Dairy: Scottish family-owned dairy producing milk, cream, butter, yoghurt, and ice cream across retail and foodservice channels; comparable as a Scotland-based family dairy brand with a similar product portfolio and multi-channel UK distribution.
• Rodda's: Cornish family dairy famous for clotted cream and now producing cultured creams and yoghurts via retail and foodservice; comparable as a regional UK family dairy brand extending into cultured dairy categories.
• Snowdonia Cheese Company: Wales-based artisan cheese producer with strong UK grocery listings and food-service distribution; directly comparable as a UK artisan cheese brand operating across retail, delis, and foodservice.
• Wyke Farms: Somerset family-owned cheddar and dairy producer with major UK retail and export presence; comparable as a vertically integrated UK family dairy competing on quality and major-retailer listings.
• Connage Highland Dairy: Highland Scotland-based artisan cheesemaker producing artisan cheeses and dairy from own dairy farm; directly comparable as a small, farm-based Scottish artisan dairy with retail and foodservice distribution.
• Errington Cheese: Scottish artisan cheese producer specialising in traditional farmhouse cheeses from own herd; comparable as a UK artisan cheese business competing on quality awards and premium positioning.

Emerging players

• The Estate Dairy: London-based direct-to-consumer artisan dairy delivery service sourcing from small UK farms; comparable as an emerging DTC artisan dairy brand with overlapping customer segments (foodie, traceable, premium).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/yester_farm_dairies/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yester-farm-dairies-limited

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 YESTER FARM DAIRIES LIMITED