
HIGHLAND GRAIN LIMITED
Farmers Co-operative and Producers of Quality Malting Barley
From the outset, Highland Grain and its members have attempted to produce the very best quality malting barley for the Scotch Whisky industry. The aim is to add as much value for the members of Highland Grain and to deliver the best possible product to the customer.
The Board of Highland Grain has always tried to make the organisation into a preferred supplier in the malting barley market. Highland Grain also places a high value on service, both to its growers and to its customers. The business only processes malting barley supplied by its members; all members are therefore treated in exactly the same way and Highland Grain is accountable for its service to members. The services comprise uplift from farm, full laboratory analysis, drying, storage and marketing through the marketing agent, Highland Grain (Marketing) Ltd. A great deal of emphasis is placed on communication and information throughout the year, but especially at harvest (August and September, normally).
Full laboratory analysis is critical to the success of the organisation. It gives members the
information that they need on their own crop and it gives customers an assurance that the product has been carefully segregated to achieve the best, most uniform bulks for them.
The business attempts to avoid all unnecessary cost for its growers, using pre-delivery laboratory analysis to allow members to decide whether a batch should leave the farm. Poor quality batches may achieve higher net value for growers if sold as feed barley, direct to a consumer, at a later point in the marketing year.
Member and customer service are carefully monitored by the Board to ensure that expectations on service are realistic and achievable.
