History

The loss of the processor Lawsons of Dyce in September 1979 led to the formation of Grampian Pig Producers Limited. These were desperate days for producers in the North and especially in Grampian Region where some 50% of Scottish Pig Production was based.  The Group had a clear aim: to fully support the Scottish processing industry by negotiating long term contracts and business relationships, which in turn secured the future of its producer members.
 
Quality was the key issue, both in service to members and processors, and in livestock.  GPP was very successful and quickly built up membership and throughput, which arrested the decline in sow numbers and put confidence back in the industry.  
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By 1990 we had grown to 165 members and 7000 pigs per week and had the full support of producers and processors. GPP went from strength to strength, proving its worth time and time again as the processing sector in Scotland continued to rationalise.
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Innovations in members services continued, with the introduction of the immediate payment facility and ISO9001 accrediatation. In 2006, GPP changed its name to Scottish Pig Producers in order to better reflect the national membership.
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Close links were developing with producers in Northern Ireland and were formalised in 2010 when SPP took on the role of marketing agent for the Progressive Lean Pigs cooperative. This has grown continuously into a substantial part of the overall business, supplying the high quality pigs to the major processing companies operating in Northern Ireland.
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Developing the Scottish pig industry has been a key priority for SPP over the years, with strong links to Scottish Government, Quality Meat Scotland, SAOS, NFU Scotland, Ulster Farmers Union and wide range of other organisations that affect us. 

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SPP were instrumental in the development of Quality Pork Limited, the collaboration with Scotlean and Tulip to redevelop Brechin abattoir into a state-of-the-art processing facility that can supply top quality Specially Selected Pork to consumers across Scotland and beyond. 

Gordon McKen retired in 2015 and was replaced by Andy McGowan. Whilst members, processors and staff may have changed over four decades, the principle guiding SPP remains the same: to provide maximum value for farmer members through market security and customer satisfaction.
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