Yester Farm Dairies Named Finalist for Farmers Weekly Diversification Farmer of the Year

East Lothian dairy business Yester Farm Dairies has been named one of just three finalists for the prestigious Farmers Weekly Diversification Farmer of the Year award.

The McCreery family-run business, based near Haddington, has been recognised for its innovative approach to adding value to its dairy farming operation through on-farm processing and the development of a growing range of dairy products.

The winner will be announced at the Farmers Weekly Awards ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Thursday 1 October.

The Diversification Farmer of the Year award, sponsored this year by Jeremy Clarkson’s Hawkstone beer brand, recognises businesses that successfully add value to their core farming operation, with the key criterion being how diversification supports a sustainable farm business.

Yester Farm Dairies is just one of three finalists in the 2026 category, alongside Balmaud Distillery in Aberdeenshire and Penllyn Estate Farm in Wales.

Simon and Jackie McCreery began diversifying their dairy business in 2003, selling their own branded milk directly to consumers and through retail outlets. After initially contracting out processing and bottling, they built their own pasteurisation plant in 2007 before converting a grain shed into a soft cheese factory in 2015.

By 2018, the business had moved away from liquid milk and was concentrating solely on producing soft cheese. The range has since continued to grow and now includes cottage cheese, soft cheese, Greek-style yoghurt, crème fraîche and soured cream.

The business has also demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing market conditions. When Covid-19 caused major disruption to the food service sector, Yester shifted its focus towards retail products and has continued to build its presence in the retail market.

Farmers Weekly judges highlighted the business's “very impressive expansion and future growth plans”, as well as its ability to “pivot and diversify to suit changing market requirements”.

Today, Yester Farm Dairies operates a 300-cow dairy alongside its processing business, with cereals grown on the farm used to feed the herd. All milk produced on the farm is processed on site, with additional milk supplied by four family-run dairy farms.

The business is currently producing around 75 tonnes of dairy products every week, a 200% increase year on year, with products stocked by several major UK retailers and UK wholesalers.  Yester was the first Scottish cheese to be exported to Spain and is available on the shelves of Spanish supermarkets too. Further investment is planned to increase production capacity, including an ambition to double weekly volumes to at least 150 tonnes in 2027.

The family is also exploring additional export opportunities and longer-term plans to extract further value from the dairy production process.

Simon McCreery said:

“We’re absolutely delighted to be recognised as a finalist for the Farmers Weekly Diversification Farmer of the Year award.

“For us, diversification has always been about finding ways to add value to what we produce as farmers and, importantly, keeping the family farm at the heart of the business.

“To see how far the business has come, from selling our own milk locally to now processing milk from our own farm and other local dairy farms into products sold across the UK and into Europe, is something we’re incredibly proud of.

“It’s fantastic recognition for everyone involved in the business and a real credit to the team who have helped us get to where we are today.”

The Farmers Weekly Awards recognise achievements across UK agriculture, with the 2026 finalists selected across 14 categories. The Diversification Farmer of the Year judging panel includes Farmers Weekly markets editor Charlie Reeve, the Marshall family – winners of the 2025 category – and independent judge Ben Makowiecki, agriculture sustainability director at Lloyds Banking Group.