Scotlay Eggs of Ayr are supplying Sainsbury’s Scottish stores

Jul 16 2010 by Yonnie McInnes, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

Scotlay Eggs of Ayr are supplying Sainsbury’s Scottish stores

OVER the past decade, Scotlay Eggs have been busy laying the foundation for major success.

The firm, whose headquarters are at High Smithston Farm – just outside of Ayr on the main road to Maybole – is not only supplying free-range eggs to the newly opened Sainsbury’s store in Prestwick, but has also been operating a major contract supplying all of the company’s Scottish stores for nearly three years.

Scotlay’s future looks bright as Sainsbury’s plan further expansion into Scotland, and with that comes additional orders for the Ayrshire firm.

It’s all been a long held dream come true for Scotlay’s founder, Quintin Dunlop, former 70s Scotland rugby star.

He was in the first team to beat England at Twickenham since the Second World War and was a good friend of the late Gordon Brown – Broon frae Troon.

Quintin also played for West of Scotland and latterly Ayr Rugby Club.

He comes from farming stock and it was a decade ago that Quintin, and his wife Joan, first came to High Smithston.

Quintin had a dream – to set up Scotland’s first sustainable free range egg company utilising massive, but movable, hen houses powered by solar and wind power.

Being mobile meant the hen houses could easily be shifted when the surrounding land inevitably got over-utilised by the birds. It all made for a better tasting product and happy, free-roaming hens who weren’t living in crowded conditions.

“We won an innovation award from NFU Scotland for introducing our mobile hen houses. I’m delighted to say it’s one of many awards Scotlay has notched up over the years for both quality of our product and our marketing,” added Quintin.

“We had been working towards gaining the Sainsbury’s contract for a very long time. It was a massive boost for all the staff against some very stiff competition.

“However, a year ago I took the difficult decision that to be able to move the company further forward it would need a programme of restructuring and major re-investment.”

Quintin sold the business to Ayrshire farmer and businessman Andrew Glover.

However, he remains in charge of the day to day running of the company.

He explained: “I am now operations supervisor, basically doing the same job I was before, and still living at High Smithston which is now our production and packaging base.

“These days Scotlay also has four mobile hen houses at Thornhill and two at Galston.

“We have over 15,000 hens who roam the fields, producing 96,000 free-range eggs per week, and deliver our freshly laid eggs to Sainsbury’s at East Kilbride every day.

“They then distribute our stock to their stores in Scotland throughout the night.

“We are one of only six British Lion coded egg outlets in Scotland and consequently have to stick to some very strict guidelines.

“That includes recording the exact number of eggs going out and ensuring our date stamping is always accurate.

“The production of food is very strictly controlled and our administration department is vital in keeping the relevant paperwork up-to-date.”

And Sainsbury’s isn’t Scotlay’s only big name client. They also supply top delicatessan chain Peckhams and, for many years, Turnberry Hotel and Arran Dairies.

Quintin pointed out: “You’ll also find Scotlay in many independently owned stores like Alloway Post office.

“We may be a bigger operation these days, but that hasn’t been at the sacrifice of the superb taste of our eggs.

“In the early days I’d have 50 boys and girls out there selling eggs door to door all over Ayrshire.

“Nowadays we attend big events like the Royal Highland Show and in October we’ll be at the Sainsbury’s stand for the BBC Good Food Show at the SECC in Glasgow to further spread the Scotlay word.”