Iain Chapman succeeds his father RobertS
4 January 2024
4 minute learn
One of the most best-known faces in Scottish and UK egg manufacturing has introduced he’s delivering the reins to his son, in keeping with a up to date corporate press liberate.
Robert Chapman may not be flying the Farmlay nest utterly; staying on as govt chair whilst his son Iain, 40, takes the highest perch as managing director.
The 67-year-old says now could be the easiest time – having just lately come thru an overly busy couple of years which has incorporated securing profitable long-term contracts with supermarkets Aldi and Lidl. Farmlay additionally provides Spar and all Morrisons’ supermarkets in Scotland.
“It’s simply herbal succession,” says Robert, who left college at 15 with the dream of proudly owning 100,000 hens and 1,000 acres of farmland. He steps down as MD with the industry proudly owning 450,000 hens – and an extra 550,000 owned by means of contract manufacturers – and a couple of,500 acres of land – a just about 20-fold build up from the 130 acres he began out with.
“My father let me get on with making my mark at the farm and it’s simplest proper that I do the similar for Iain. I like the whole thing about Farmlay; particularly all of the individuals who had been in this wonderful adventure with us. However I owe it to my spouse Ethel – who has labored along me rising the industry and been probably the most marvellous strengthen – to in spite of everything spend some extra time together with her and the grandchildren.”
It’s not simplest extra circle of relatives time Robert, who places his boundless power and exuberance 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 at the panel reflecting at the keynote Oxford Farming Convention 2024 File, which this 12 months centres at the meals provide chain.
“Eggs are nature’s comfort meals,” smiles Robert. “Affordable, superb tasting and stuffed with nutrients.”
Iain, who has labored for Aberdeenshire-based Farmlay ever since he used to be sufficiently old to assist gather the eggs – aside from research at SRUC and travels in Australia – has performed a key position within the expansion of the industry.
One space he’s willing to make bigger but additional is the five hundred,000 further hens stored by means of different farmers on a freelance foundation below the Farmlay wing. Whilst it used to be no funny story on the time, he believes the 2022 pictures of grocery store cabinets empty of eggs – the results of a mix of things together with top power and feed costs together with the chance of avian flu – has inadvertently led to a “golden age” for egg manufacturers.
“No one needs to peer that occur once more – least of all of the supermarkets – and the five-year rolling contracts we have now in position are offering an exhilarating alternative to different farmers,” explains Iain.
“There’s a excellent go back available from hens; ideally suited for a member of the circle of relatives in need of to return house to the farm or for the ones in search of diversification. Those new long-term contracts imply our marketplace is extra successful than ever, with complete prices monitoring for feed, power and labour leaving a excellent margin.
“We paintings with farmers each step of the way in which, from making plans permission for sheds, thru to construction paintings, lights, supplying the birds, feeding, audits and strengthen with all of the bureaucracy. As farmers ourselves we perceive what we wish to be offering assist and strengthen with.”
Iain’s spouse, Debbie, will likely be becoming a member of the board and dealing along him within the Farmlay workplace.
“Like dad who has had mum by means of his facet, I’m fortunate that Debbie works throughout the industry,” says Iain, who’s father to six-year-old Megan, three-year-old Molly and seven-month-old Emma.
“She’s had her palms complete just lately with the women, however the time’s proper for us now and we’re interested by following in mom and dad’s footsteps.”
Along with 1,700 acres of cereals made up of iciness and spring barley, iciness oilseed rape and iciness wheat, the Chapman circle of relatives run 230 industrial suckler cows at their 2,500-acre Cockmuir Farm, close to Strichen, Aberdeenshire. They are attempting to develop as a lot wheat as imaginable within the rotation to feed the birds, with the rest acreage grass and forest.
Operating intently with surrounding farmers relating to joint industry offers reminiscent of purchasing in cereals for the 400-tons-a-week wanted for the feed milling operation or offering poultry manure as fertiliser is on the very center of the Farmlay undertaking. The circle of relatives has invested closely in each surroundings and welfare – planting greater than 10,000 timber to make stronger the hens’ habitat – in addition to sun, biomass and wind-powered renewable power. £3.5million used to be just lately invested within the packing centre which incorporated some other robotic including to the present six used within the grading facility and some other deliberate for 2024 to extend potency.