Funding boost for Fife farm bidding to open buffalo mozzarella plant.

Fife-made mozzarella could bring jobs and tourists, says Kirkcaldy farmer

A cheese famously produced in Italy could soon be rivalled in Fife as a farm bids to open a £2.5 million processing plant.

Buffalo mozzarella could be made at The Buffalo Farm near Kirkcaldy from as early as next January.

Farm owner Steven Mitchell, already well-known for his award-winning buffalo meat products, intends to create the facility near his base at Boglily Steading.

He has already taken in a herd of almost 100 dairy buffalo and is to lodge a planning application this week.

Yesterday it was revealed his project had the backing of the Scottish Government, with a £579,000 food processing, marketing and co-operation grant.

Once Steven has secured an investor, he will be ready to start transforming a derelict dairy building at Bankhead of Raith.

“It has always been my ambition to be the first to produce Scottish mozzarella,” said Steven.

An agreement has been secured for first refusal of the new product with Lidl, which recently sold 44,000 of his buffalo burgers.

Steven continued: “We have also been approached by several other big retailers who are interested. There is a big market out there. Buffalo mozzarella has the highest growth of any cheese.”

Each animal could produce a tonne of mozzarella, with the milk also used for a range of other products including icecream.

The dairy is also expected to provide an economic boost to the area, with at least 12 new jobs being created.

Steven said: “We are building it with tourism in mind. There will be viewing galleries so we can engage with our customers and let them see what goes on. Hopefully it will be somewhere local where people will be proud to bring their visitors for a tour.”

The Buffalo Farm is among 11 businesses to share £3.59 million in the government grant scheme.

Crafty Maltsters of Auchtermuchty are to receive £144,000 for a facility to create high-end malts for Scotland’s craft brewers.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “Each of the companies receiving an award are demonstrating great ambition to grow and improve their businesses.”

Hopefully it will be somewhere local where people will be proud to bring their visitors for a tour. STEVEN MITCHELL

Steven Brown. Steven Mitchell hopes milk produced by his Fife buffalo herd will create the first Scottish mozzarella. His new plan includes viewing galleries to let visitors see the production process.