SAC Consulting | Food & Enterprise

We work with the food & drink industry across Scotland (and beyond) to support sustainable growth through a range of diverse business services.

From strategic marketing or sales advice and tools, to sustainable packaging and product development, data and technology development, business coaching and business skills training, or diversification - we have the right industry expertise to help you grow.

We also deliver circular economy strategy and support including carbon management plans, life cycle analysis, carbon knowledge exchange, resource benchmarking and mitigation advice, and we have a growing expertise in green finance. We think strategically about your natural assets and how these can deliver positive outcomes for you business.

Nurturing success in your food and drink business

As part of Food & Footprint, the food and enterprise team is interwined with industry, policy and education in the food and drink sector, which gives us a unique perspective and insight to advise and support you.

Whatever your business needs, you are guaranteed a friendly reliable, independent, and expert service.

Get in touch with the team

New product development

Our food and enterprise team has years of expertise in delivering new product, reformulation and recipe development projects with SME's, entrepreneurs and larger food and drink producers all over Scotland.

We also have a wealth of knowledge in other specific complementary business areas such as start-up, business planning, selling skills, branding, marketing and exporting and can build a bespoke package suitable for your needs.

Get in touch with our team to discuss your next product.

Services we offer

Sustainable marketing and consultancy

We can help you to make sustainability communication simple and effective. Our team helps businesses to develop tailored strategies to highlight their sustainability efforts, ensuring your message builds trust, and sets your brand apart in the market. As demand for sustainable practices grows, it's more important than ever to showcase your commitment clearly and credibly.

Let us help

ESG and sustainability strategy

A strong ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) strategy is crucial for businesses aiming to stay competitive and responsible in today’s market. It not only improves sustainability efforts, but also enhances access to capital, attracts top talent, and strengthens your business reputation. Our expert team has extensive experience across the industry, including FMCG, retail, and manufacturing. We can help you to develop an impactful ESG strategy tailored to your business needs today.

Find out how

Mentoring and coaching

We offer tailored coaching and mentoring services to support personal and professional development across various industries. Our coaching covers executive leadership, confidence-building, and much more, ensuring that each programme meets your unique needs.

For mentoring, we connect clients with industry experts in sectors such as food and drink, tourism, retail, and rural land-use, supporting clients to achieve a balance between personal aspiration and professional success.

Unlock your potential

SME business support

Whether you’re looking to scale or improve efficiency, we can provide expert guidance to help your business grow. Our consultants bring diverse experience across industries like food manufacturing, retail, and agri-tourism, offering fresh perspectives to unlock new opportunities. By working with us, you’ll also gain access to valuable networks, new business ideas, opportunities to improve customer experience, and more.

Start your journey

Diversification

We work with all kinds of clients: farmers, smallholders, crofters, new entrants, estates, land owners & managers, among others within the rural sectors. We will work with you to ensure that whatever diversification you are pursuing is the most suitable, successful, and sustainable option for your business.

Examples of enterprises we can support you with include agri-tourism, rural-tourism, retail, hospitality, forestry, renewable energy, food and drink, leisure, wedding venues, event spaces, diversifying crops or livestock (establishing markets for your crops/livestock), visitor experiences, and activity centres.

Diversification services

Our partnership projects

Carbon literacy training

Futureproof your business with carbon literacy training. Our accredited training has been designed specifically for agricultural, food and land-based businesses by SAC Consulting and Keep Scotland Beautiful.

How to get accredited

THRIVE

THRIVE is a free collaborative initiative from SAC Consulting, SRUC and Queen Margaret University supporting the next generation of food and drink and rural enterprise entrepreneurs. THRIVE helps students, recent graduates, and micro businesses gain essential business skills and knowledge.

Help your business thrive

Food and Drink TechHUB Business Support Service

The TechHUB Business Support Service helps food and drink producers, manufacturers and wider supply chain businesses in the Highland Council grow by providing business support, technical advice, events and workshops.

How TechHUB supports you

Easy steps for effective sustainability communication

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Food biodiversity: reflecting on our past to reshape our future.

Lessons from the world

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Nature-related risks and opportunities for your business

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Sustainable packaging

Choosing the Right Sustainable Packaging Strategy For Food & Drink MICRO AND SMEs

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Case studies library

Our case studies

Special projects

Learn more

Skills self-assessment for land-based tourism operators

This guide will introduce you to the concept of land-based tourism and give an introduction into how you may want to assess yourself, your business, and your team for growth opportunities.

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Understanding the different types of land-based tourism

This helpful guide takes you through many of the opportunities for land-based tourism. It’s not always accommodation, or a food and drink experience! Sometimes it’s as simple as highlighting a walking trail or hosting educational events for the public. Find out which type of land-based tourism suits you best.

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Understanding different types of skilling, upskilling, reskilling and training for land-based tourism operators

Do you know the difference between skilling, upskilling, training and reskilling? This handy guide will explain all of the skills opportunities out there, from Higher Education Degree courses all the way through to online webinars and resources you can access in your own time.

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Skill areas for land-based tourism operators

This guide will get you thinking differently about the different skills and training you may need to access depending on what type of enterprise you want to run. Do you need tourism qualifications? Food Safety certifications? Or Business Leadership skills? Discover new areas of skill-building here.

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Suggested skills pathways for land-based tourism operators

Do you have an existing business and want to upskill yourself and your team? Or do you know exactly what type of business you want to start? This suggested skills pathway guide can shortcut some of the thinking for you and outline exactly what type of skills and training you may want to consider (and who provides it).

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Resources for land-based tourism operators

This resource provides you with a list of skills and training providers, tertiary and distance education providers, and on-demand skills platforms. This is the resource list for all courses and providers listed throughout this toolkit.

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Want to know more?

Our work

From industry publications to customer case studies and outputs from some of our special projects and research, dive into the detail and see our work for yourself.

Our expertise in action