Iain Chapman succeeds his father RobertS
4 January 2024
4 minute learn
Among the best-known faces in Scottish and UK egg manufacturing has introduced he’s handing over the reins to his son, based on a latest firm press launch.
Robert Chapman won’t be flying the Farmlay nest fully; staying on as government chair whereas his son Iain, 40, takes the highest perch as managing director.
The 67-year-old says now’s the proper time – having lately come via a really busy couple of years which has included securing profitable long-term contracts with supermarkets Aldi and Lidl. Farmlay additionally provides Spar and all Morrisons’ supermarkets in Scotland.
“It’s simply pure succession,” says Robert, who left faculty at 15 with the dream of proudly owning 100,000 hens and 1,000 acres of farmland. He steps down as MD with the enterprise proudly owning 450,000 hens – and an additional 550,000 owned by contract producers – and a couple of,500 acres of land – an almost 20-fold improve from the 130 acres he began out with.
“My father let me get on with making my mark on the farm and it’s solely proper that I do the identical for Iain. I like every little thing about Farmlay; particularly all of the individuals who have been on this superb journey with us. However I owe it to my spouse Ethel – who has labored alongside me rising the enterprise and been probably the most marvellous help – to lastly spend some extra time along with her and the grandchildren.”
It’s not solely extra household time Robert, who places his boundless vitality and enthusiasm right down to all the time beginning the day with two softly boiled eggs for breakfast, has booked into his diary. In January, he has been invited to be a speaker on the panel reflecting on the keynote Oxford Farming Convention 2024 Report, which this yr centres on the meals provide chain.
“Eggs are nature’s comfort meals,” smiles Robert. “Low cost, fantastic tasting and stuffed with nutritional vitamins.”
Iain, who has labored for Aberdeenshire-based Farmlay ever since he was sufficiently old to assist gather the eggs – other than research at SRUC and travels in Australia – has performed a key function within the progress of the enterprise.
One space he’s eager to develop but additional is the five hundred,000 further hens saved by different farmers on a contract foundation underneath the Farmlay wing. Whereas it was no joke on the time, he believes the 2022 photographs of grocery store cabinets empty of eggs – the results of a mixture of things together with excessive vitality and feed costs together with the chance of avian flu – has inadvertently resulted in a “golden age” for egg producers.
“No one desires to see that occur once more – least of all of the supermarkets – and the five-year rolling contracts we now have in place are offering an thrilling alternative to different farmers,” explains Iain.
“There’s a good return available from hens; ultimate for a member of the household wanting to come back residence to the farm or for these searching for diversification. These new long-term contracts imply our market is extra worthwhile than ever, with full prices monitoring for feed, vitality and labour leaving a great margin.
“We work with farmers each step of the way in which, from planning permission for sheds, via to constructing work, lighting, supplying the birds, feeding, audits and help with all of the paperwork. As farmers ourselves we perceive what we have to supply assist and help with.”
Iain’s spouse, Debbie, shall be becoming a member of the board and dealing alongside him within the Farmlay workplace.
“Like dad who has had mum by his facet, I’m fortunate that Debbie works inside the enterprise,” says Iain, who’s father to six-year-old Megan, three-year-old Molly and seven-month-old Emma.
“She’s had her fingers full lately with the women, however the time’s proper for us now and we’re enthusiastic about following in mum and pop’s footsteps.”
Along with 1,700 acres of cereals made up of winter and spring barley, winter oilseed rape and winter wheat, the Chapman household run 230 industrial suckler cows at their 2,500-acre Cockmuir Farm, close to Strichen, Aberdeenshire. They attempt to develop as a lot wheat as doable within the rotation to feed the birds, with the remaining acreage grass and woodland.
Working carefully with surrounding farmers in terms of joint enterprise offers resembling shopping for in cereals for the 400-tons-a-week wanted for the feed milling operation or offering poultry manure as fertiliser is on the very coronary heart of the Farmlay enterprise. The household has invested closely in each surroundings and welfare – planting greater than 10,000 bushes to boost the hens’ habitat – in addition to photo voltaic, biomass and wind-powered renewable vitality. £3.5million was lately invested within the packing centre which included one other robotic including to the prevailing six used within the grading facility and one other deliberate for 2024 to extend effectivity.
