Wee Knob of Butter
It may be a staple in every chef and home cook’s larder, but friends turned business partners Kieran Woods and Jules Bal are proving that the humble stick of butter can also be one of the most exciting ingredients to taste, test and try.
Made with fresh local produce, Wee Knob of Butter started life as a lockdown passion project, and has since grown to become a cult favourite of high-end chefs, bakers and food lovers alike, wowing fans with exceptional hand-crafted quality and flavour.
“During lockdown of 2021, Jules had been making flavoured butters for steak nights, and passing them out between friends,” explained Kieran. “He had learned to make butter as a child with his Father, who was a talented chef and restaurant owner in Inverness, where they moved to from France when Jules was 14. The feedback was so positive, and the butter requests were coming in so fast, he decided to make a business of it.
“There was such a great response, Jules started looking for a business partner to share the workload, and that’s when I came on board. I had no knowledge or experience in the food industry, but I was keen to learn and take on the challenge of building something together.”
And build something they did. As well as being used in some of the finest kitchens in Scotland – including Trocadero's, Michel Roux Jr’s new restaurant at Crossbasket Castle Hotel, and Cromlix House – Kieran and Jules recently secured a wholesaler listing with Lomond/Clarkes foods, allowing them to expand nationwide. However, that’s not to say the pair have forgotten their roots, as Wee Knob is still available to buy at farmers markets every weekend across the central belt.
Kieran said: “For us, farmers markets are a great way to interact with the customers directly, hearing their honest reviews, opinions and feedback. It is perhaps, in a way, comparable to attending a very large weekly focus group, and we take on board every single comment, good or bad, and act on them where appropriate. We don't consider ourselves to know best – the consumer knows best, and we listen, which is a large contributing factor to why we have such a popular product.
“The biggest selling point of Wee Knob of Butter is its taste. We welcome any opportunity to get samples out and tasted, and more often than not, gain ourselves a customer in the process. Markets are a great platform for us to test out new products directly with our consumers before considering launching them onto our range, or into wholesale. That’s a huge asset to us.”
Proudly handmade in Glasgow, Wee Knob is available in a range of flavours, from sundried tomato and basil to spicy harissa, and truffle and black pepper, with every element sourced for its freshness and quality – something Kieran says has been a core commitment since day one.
“Our mission statement at Wee Knob is producing the best butter Scotland has to offer, and we would not be able to do that without the best Scottish ingredients,” he said. “We have worked off this ethos since day one.
“We use Scottish cream from a collective of farms, including long-standing relationships with Park Farm, a multi-generational family-run farm in East Kilbride, and Mossgiel Organic Farm in Ayrshire, who we now produce own-brand of organic butter for.
“We also use west coast Scottish sea salt, courtesy of our friends at Blackthorn Salt, Glen Heather Honey from East Kilbride, and basil and parsley grown fresh on Arngask Home Farm.
“Having relationships with suppliers is extremely important to us. We don't want to be a number, a faceless customer – we want to work with our suppliers, not just buy from them. We collaborate, we support each other, and we take the same approach with those who we supply.”
As the business continues to go from strength to strength – even recently becoming the first Scottish artisan butter available in the United States – Kieran says being in membership with Scotland Food & Drink has been vital for accessing new opportunities.
He said: “Scotland Food & Drink has played a key advisory role in our business journey of late. The insights, referrals and genuine interest in helping us grow have made a meaningful difference. It’s rare to find a partner as committed to the success of businesses, and the team goes above and beyond to foster collaboration and excellence across the industry.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the continued support and look forward to building on our relationship in the future. Scotland Food & Drink is a true asset to the industry — and to businesses like ours.”
