| Administrative History | North Eastern Agricultural Co-operative Society was established 1906 by a group of farmers from the north east. The object of the society was to provide members with grains, seeds and equipment at competitive prices and to offer support and advice to local farmers.
The Society's headquarters were in Aberdeen with its main premises being in Bannermill Place from 1914-1998. The Directors were always farmers, were elected and served for a set period of time. The company's shareholders were also made up of farmers.
The Society milled grain for its members and sold fertilisers, feed stuffs, farm seeds and other agricultural products. It moved into fertiliser production and fuel sales later in the 20th century. By the 1980s, the business was divided into production, distribution, fuels and retail divisions.
In April 1968 the Society was renamed as the North Eastern Farmers Limited (NEF). In 1998 NEF sold the Bannermill site and moved its headquarters to Rosehall, Turriff (a site previously occupied by Hutcheon's of Turriff).
NEF was successful for many years and covered an area from Forfar in the South to Lerwick in the north to Skye and Aberdeenshire west and east of Scotland. The company's turnover was £60 million a year at its peak and in 1987 they had over 10000 members.
By the 1980s the company had depots had Elgin, Inverness, Wick, Huntly, Turriff, Fraserburgh, Mintlaw, Brechin, Forfar, Kirkwall and Shetland. At Portsoy oatflakes were produced for supermarkets, branded 'Up Country'. A grain drying and cereal plant operated at Pitmedden. The company acquired a number of subsidiary companies, include A. Milne (Millwrights), Maintech Services Ltd, Ellis & McHardy (Oils) Ltd and Wilson's Dog Food of Dundee.
The company ceased trading in 2002, although the pension fund remained open to 2005. The company was liquidated 2006. Part of the company was sold to Harbro (an animal feeds manufacturer) and part to the Agricultural Co-operative Trading who wanted to expand into the North East of Scotland. |