Insect farmer,  tallow producer & beekeepers bid to win business base at East Neuk estate

The trio of businesses have been announced as finalists in the innovative scheme which enables small businesses access to rural areas, providing opportunities to use land in a way that would not otherwise have been possible without renting or buying

Launched in Scotland for the first time in October, Pitch Up! invited applications from a diverse range of businesses with sustainability at their heart. The finalists for the Balcaskie Estate Pitch Up! 2023 season include three businesses,

Helena Vondrus of Fife Insect Farm is aiming to found the first insect farm in Scotland to produce feedstock for pet, poultry and fish food - there is a growing demand for sustainable, high protein feed, which is almost exclusively imported from abroad at present.The Scottish Tallow Company is also in the running. Tallow is an ancient source of healthy fats, treasured for its nutritional benefits and stability at high temperatures. Mostly lost as a kitchen staple in the rise of industrial seed oils, it is slowly coming back into mainstream awareness as a high-value food product.

Right now, most of the fat removed during the butchering process is a waste product - the Scottish Tallow Co seeks to reduce this by rendering and purifying it into a shelf-stable, long-lasting and nourishing culinary must-have.Fife Beekeepers Association wants tol build a number of hives across Balcaskie Estate, teaching apiary, supporting biodiversity and pollination. The beekeepers would also lead educational tours and supply businesses based at Balcaskie and beyond with local honey and beeswax.The finalists will be invited to present their business plans to the Pitch Up! Panel.

Sam Parsons, estate manager at Balcaskie said: “We were blown away by the diversity of applications we received, and are looking forward to moving forward with these three finalists. I know that we were all heartened by the number of passionate people who are working to create a more sustainable future for Scotland. This process really shows the scope for new and improved approaches to farming and production in our area and beyond.”