Josh Barton is the driving force behind Scottish oat milk producer Brose Oats. He speaks to Business HQ Monthly about his fast-growing company and its “drive for social change” and talks about his passions and strongly held beliefs both within and outwith the business.

Name:

Josh Barton

What is your business called?

Brose Oats

Where is it based?

East Linton, East Lothian, EH40 3DN

What does it produce/do?

Scotland’s oat milk - the only oat milk that is actually produced in Scotland and the only oat milk in the world that is produced with Scottish oats which also happen to be gluten-free with 100% traceable from bottle to field.

To whom does it sell?

At this early stage in our journey our sales are primarily focused on B2B (business to business) supplying into major contract catering companies, such as one of the UK’s leading catering companies Baxterstorey which has championed Brose as a “regional food hero”, as well as premium five-star hospitality venues which value the traceability, provenance and premium quality. Paul Hart, executive chef of The Balmoral has said: “I’m really happy to be working with Brose. It’s a great product and even better that it’s all produced locally.”

Brose has become oat milk of choice for The Balmoral Hotel, Gleneagles Resort as well as Scottish Government sites, financial institutions such as JP Morgan and educational settings from universities to children’s nurseries. Following a successful tender, as of September 2024 Brose will be supplied to the University of Edinburgh, as well as the University of St Andrews, QMU, and Glasgow School of Art, with other Scottish universities in the pipeline. Despite interest from the UKs largest retailers, we’ve held off to ensure that we don’t go too big too quickly. It is important to us that we maintain control and most importantly quality. However, we are proud to work with Mosgiel Organic Farm and Park Farm Dairies, two Scottish dairies, who offer Brose as part of their service to door-step delivery customers. Brose can also be found in small independent retailers in and around Edinburgh and will begin supplying into Scotmid “premium” stores from September. We’ve also begun branching out to specialty outlets which focus on high-quality produce as opposed to high volume. For this, we’ve just begun working with the UK’s number-one ranked speciality distributor, Cress Company, located in Dunfermline. Through Cress’s network of UK-wide distribution, Brose can been ordered into farm shops and delis from as far south as Plymouth and as far north as Thurso. We also work with two local / independent distributors - Food Options based in Livingston and George Anderson’s of East Lothian. Between the two of them, they cover all of Scotland supplying various hospitality, educational and professional settings.

What is its turnover?

Turning over £1m by December 2024 / £10 million by December 2027 / £20 million by 2030.

How many employees?

Currently eight and expecting to recruit more talent over the next 12 months.

What attracted you to your current role?

Scotland’s oats are world famous – and farmers will tell you it’s because of the very unique climate, that they’re also best… which is why it makes no sense that there aren’t any other companies out there producing oat milk using Scottish oats. Oat milk is the most popular plant-based drink in the world, while 80% of the UK market is currently imported.

The UK market is worth over £150m and will grow to £300m by 2030. The global market is currently worth over £2 billion and is expected to reach £5bn by 2030 with continued growth thereafter If Scotland produces the best oats in the world... then surely, shouldn’t Scotland also be producing the best oat milk in the world... well, Brose is here to do just that. Using the world’s very best oats, it is our mission to produce the world’s very best oat milk. It’s also a mission to create local jobs, training and work experience for the disadvantaged and disabled, and shine a spotlight on Scottish farmers and the role they have in feeding the nation, all while celebrating Scottish agricultural heritage.

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After all, people have been enjoying oat milk in Scotland for hundreds of years and it was known as “brose”. We’re here to put “Brose” back on the map as the “original” and world’s very best oat milk… What were you doing before?

Following completion of an MA in International Political Economy in the Department of Political Science from the University of Manchester, using my own funds I founded a Scottish charity dedicated to providing learning opportunities, education and support to adults with learning disabilities with a staff team of 100-plus, providing services and meaningful activities to hundreds of students with additional support needs across the Lothians. The charity attracted attention from politicians at the highest level of government and some of Scotland’s biggest celebrities. However, the difficulty was scaling such a concept within a sector of limited financial resource.

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Brose was founded with the same drive for social change and is unique among oat milk companies for this reason. The half-dozen founding members of Brose share the commitment to positive social change and come with expertise and a proven background in agriculture and entrepreneurship. As a group, they’re driven to create sustainable and meaningful jobs and training opportunities for local people in a way that is environmentally responsible while delivering lasting value to Scottish farmers.

The Brose team is a small dedicated group of individuals who collectively have expertise in food technology, quality assurance and management, circular economy, financial management, entrepreneurship, and farming. We are on a mission to create a company that reflects the environmental and social values of the people of Scotland… a company whose intention is to give back and to be a company that can make Scotland proud.

What do you least enjoy?

We currently live in a time where a lot of young people in particular, but also people of all ages, are spending more and more of their time in virtual realities – whether this is social media, gaming or just consuming online content. It is something that we now know is having a negative effect on our mental health, our relationships and our ability to socialise. Awareness of this is on the rise but it is a real problem that needs to be taken seriously by parents, teachers and policymakers.

What do you consider to be the main successes of the business?

Brose oat milk is recognised by executive chefs across Scotland to be the best oat milk product in the UK market. Our products have won multiple awards – we’ve got top-quality products that we know people want. What are your ambitions for the firm?

It is our aim to supply Brose to all the top universities, schools, nurseries, and local and national institutions such as the NHS across the UK, and to be the oat milk of choice for the consuming public. We know that we can significantly help with carbon savings through our use of environmentally sustainable packaging while create lasting employment for hundreds of people, and therefore directly contribute to economic growth. It is also our intention utilise the desire, that we know first-hand, that people with learning and physical disabilities have to work, be active and engaged in our collective society. We also plan to undertake extensive research and development activity to develop new products using Scotland’s native crop for the UK and global market. However, with this it is our intention for our R&D activity to be integrated with learning exchange programmes in partnership with educational establishments to provide further opportunities for young people and, through our relationships with Scottish farmers, access to learning and work experience within agriculture.

What single thing would most help?

For people to realise the power that they have as consumers to make long-term contributions to economic improvement and well-being by supporting businesses and companies that have the power to make a positive economic and environmental impact locally as opposed to purchasing whatever is the cheapest regardless of origin, ingredients or the conditions in which it is produced.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?

Find your purpose, have a clear vision, trust your instincts and, there is always a way - so never give up.

What was your best moment?

When a sales rep from one of the UK’s largest oat milk producers said in reference to Brose: “this is what we wished our product tasted like”.

What has been your most challenging moment in life or business?

My son, now six years old, was born weighing less than 2lbs. We spent four months in the neo-natal unit in Edinburgh. If it was not for the NHS, my family would have been financially ruined due to the significant ongoing daily costs associated with critical care, or far worse – my son wouldn’t have survived. The care and support that we received as a family was beyond words and something for which I will be forever grateful. The NHS has been under tremendous strain but is something that should be recognised, celebrated and prioritised. I believe the alternative of not having a free national healthcare service would be a great loss to us as a society. I can say that from the perspective of growing up in America where increasingly so many families can’t afford basic healthcare - which is very concerning.

What do you do with your free time?

I support my favourite Scottish registered charity ‘Scot-ART’, formerly known as “Edinburgh Palette”. Scot-Art helps hundreds of organisations, small businesses, projects and various community initiatives focused on delivering social value to local areas, while regenerating and improving the properties they manage and look after. Scot-ART has innovative and inspired projects across Scotland and is worth checking out (www.scot-art.co.uk).

What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most?

“[…] when everything would seem to be a matter of price, there lies still at the root of great business success the very much more important factor of quality.” Andrew Carnegie What is the best book you have ever read? Why is it the best?

I don’t know about the best book ever… but right now I’m reading “The Lyrics” by Paul McCartney. It is one of the most interesting autobiographies that I have ever read. Paul comes across very well – both humble and accessible. Through his music. and that of The Beatles, he has made a truly extraordinary contribution to the world. The world is a better place because of Paul McCartney.

Where do you find yourself most at ease?

Actually, listening to or playing music.

If you weren’t in your current role, what job would you most fancy?

Teaching young people that you can do anything in the world that you put your mind to. Our only limits are within our own minds. Discover your purpose, follow your vision, and through hard work and dedication you can accomplish anything – so don’t be afraid to dream big.

What countries have you most enjoyed travelling to, for business or leisure, and why?

Ok – most of us do like travelling abroad and visiting foreign destinations and of course I do too. I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled to countries around the world. However, in terms of beauty, I think Scotland is tough to beat. Rugged mountains, snow-capped in the winter, hundreds of miles of untouched coastline with deserted beaches (deserted possibly because of the weather), ancient forests and landscapes that have inspired the likes of Robert Burns, Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.