Industry leadership body, Scotland Food & Drink, has appointed two industry figures - Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne and Alison Milne - to its board.
Both new Directors will help steer the direction of the membership organisation and shape its ongoing collaborative partnership with the Scottish Government which is driving growth in the sector and forging Scotland’s global reputation as a land of food and drink.
Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne is a pioneer in specialist, gluten-free foods. She founded Genius Foods and has grown the business to become the UK’s leading gluten-free bakery brand. She was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017 where she sits on the Enterprise Fellowship Panel.
Lucinda champions innovation, entrepreneurial thinking and academic collaboration through her business, her directorship at The Scale Up Institute and as Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Edinburgh.
Alison Milne brings a wealth of experience in the agriculture and wider food and drink supply chain. She is currently a partner in A Milne & Son family farming business, who have recently launched a pioneering new malting venture, Crafty Maltsters. The new business produces malt to sell to the brewing and distilling sector, the malted grains have been all been grown, harvested and malted on the farm, adding a unique story of provenance, heritage and quality.
In June 2017, Alison was appointed as co-chair of the National Council of Rural Advisors, commissioned by Scottish Government to provide recommendations on how to secure a vibrant, sustainable and profitable rural economy. She is also currently a member of the Scottish Government’s Future of Food and Farming Group and a member of the Brewing Industry Leadership Group. Alison is also the former Membership Director of NFU Scotland.
The Scotland Food & Drink Board is chaired by Dennis Overton OBE, co-founder of sustainable seafood business, Aquascot. Welcoming the appointments, he said, “Lucinda and Alison are exciting additions to our board. They will be central to our work to deliver further growth and collaboration in our food and drink sector; an industry that is now one of the star performers in Scotland’s economy.
“As we face into a climate emergency, Scotland has great potential to be a world leader in responsible and sustainable food and drink production. Our sector can deliver huge benefits to consumers and communities within our shores and globally.
“Lucinda and Alison’s experience and knowledge of both public and private sectors further strengthens our diverse board and I’m delighted to welcome two inspiring and talented new faces to the organisation. Their fresh perspective and experience will be an enormous asset to us.”
Both Lucinda and Alison will join the other 10 members of the Scotland Food & Drink Board in January 2020. They are appointed for an initial term of three years. They fill vacancies created by the retirement of Gareth Baird and Geoff Bruce as Directors earlier this year.