Important Update – June 2026
An update for all of our shareholders, subscribers, supporters and customers from the Trustees of Bread for Good Community Benefit Society
As the board of Trustees, we are writing to share an update on the future of Bread for Good Community Benefit Society (Scotland The Bread).
It would be remiss not to first thank every one of you for your support over the past decade; we have valued every contribution, monetary or otherwise, as each one has been instrumental to the organisation’s achievements. We also acknowledge the significant support of the Balcaskie Estate, especially in the early years of the project.
By way of reminder and celebration, your support has enabled:
– Grain research resulting in the rescuing of three nearly-forgotten Scottish winter wheat varieties
– Nearly ten years of researching, growing and milling grains with higher nutritional value than commercial alternatives (and their distribution to bakeries and home bakers)
– Participatory research projects, through Soil to Slice and The People’s Bread, inviting communities across Scotland to engage with milling better grains and baking better bread
– Partnerships with community food hubs to share breadmaking skills and nutritional knowledge, through Flour to the People.
Above all, you have supported people to take their health into their own hands, to choose healthier bread originating from a fairer, more local food system that is built for environmental and social sustainability, as well as increased resilience to cyclical geopolitical turmoil. We think that deserves a pat on the back!
This work has been – as was always intended – a successful proof of concept: it is possible to grow excellent quality organic wheat and rye in Scotland, mill it in a way that preserves the high level of nutrients, and distribute it to like-minded bakers. As the Society approaches its (formal)10th birthday, we plan to move on in order to share our experience and knowledge with potential replicators of this pilot.
The Society has decided to cease milling at the end of June 2026 and to end production operations at Bowhouse by the end of August 2026.
The mill at Bowhouse will close but the Society will continue.
Various factors have combined to make this decision, sad though it is in some ways, necessary. The plan is to engage further with agroecological research projects with whom we are already well connected, in particular to translate research into advocacy and to amplify its impact by making real bread more accessible. We will persevere in support of urgently required system change in the growing, milling, and baking of our staple food.
At the end of August our co-founder and honorary chair Andrew Whitley will step down from his current role and Bread for Good will set out into the big, wide, exciting world of partnerships with like-minded organisations, put down new roots and deliver inspiring events, workshops and impactful community engagement.
When, what, how?
1. Grinding to a halt
We are going to be producing as much flour as we can before ceasing milling operations at Bowhouse at the end of June. Key deadlines are as follows:
• June 22: last order date for collection by, or delivery to, wholesale customers and bakeries for the period up to June 30
• June 24: the online shop closes to flour and grain orders for despatch
• June 28: the online shop closes to flour orders for collection from Bowhouse
• July 11-12: closing down sale and last Scotland The Bread presence at Bowhouse Market. If you plan to pick up flour or grain at this market, please place your order by June 28.
All orders will be fulfilled on a first-come-first-served basis, in date order, so please act soon to secure stocks to tide you over until you find a replacement. Our flour has a 6-month shelf life from the date of milling.
2. Grain for home milling
We will have a limited number of 16 kg bags of cleaned wheat or rye grain available after milling ceases on June 30. These can be collected from Bowhouse by arrangement after June 28, but ideally at the Bowhouse Market on July 11-12. Last orders for these 16 kg bags of cleaned, unmilled whole grain must be placed by July 3.
3. Local flour futures
A plan is being developed to continue milling (with one of our mills) by some likeminded people in the East Neuk of Fife who have been involved with Scotland The Bread and who are committed to expanding a local organic & regenerative grain-flour-bread network.
As trustees of Bread for Good Community Benefit Society, we appeal for your help to continue and then expand our core work as outlined above. Serious expressions of interest are welcome and should be addressed in the first instance to honsecretary@scotlandthebread.org.
We wholeheartedly welcome any input from our community shareholders, supporters and customers, including but not limited to:
– Contacts in organisations who may be interested in working with us (both not-for-profit and for-profit)
– Any professional expertise you can personally provide to support this transition (e.g. communications, fundraising, accounting)
– Thoughts, feelings, and ideas for what we could work towards and how we might get there
– Any donations, financial support, or support in-kind
Once again, we thank you for your support and trust.
Signed
Jamie Wills
Honorary Secretary
honsecretary@scotlandthebread.org
on behalf of
BFGCBS Board of Trustees