£5.2bn
gross value added by Scottish food and drink manufacturing, Scotland’s largest manufacturing sector
Food, drink and aquaculture
Finance for Food, Drink and Aquaculture Businesses in Scotland
Equipment, vehicle and property finance for producers, processors, distillers and aquaculture businesses across Scotland.
- Broker since 1997
- 575+ lenders
- Led from Dundee
Scotland’s food and drink economy in numbers
47,000
people employed in food and drink manufacturing, across around 1,220 businesses
£828m
Scottish salmon exports in 2025, from a record 111,000 tonnes
£5.3bn
Scotch whisky exports in 2025
Strong brands, real pressures
Scottish food and drink has a strong international reputation, but producers face tariffs, rising costs and price pressure. Salmon export volumes reached a record in 2025, although value did not rise with volume as prices fell. Whisky exports have been under pressure too, as our distillery page explains.
Lenders therefore look closely at each business: margins, customer concentration, the age and condition of the assets, and how well costs are managed. Matching the case to the right lender matters more than ever.
What we can help finance
Processing and packaging lines
Production, filling, packaging and handling equipment for food and drink manufacturers.
Cold storage and chilled distribution
Chillers, cold stores and refrigerated vehicles.
Distilleries and breweries
Stills, tanks, bottling lines and warehousing.
Aquaculture equipment
Feed barges, workboats and farm equipment. Vessels usually require a survey, registration and insurance, so allow extra time.
Production premises and warehousing
Commercial mortgages for owner-occupied production units and storage.
Farm-to-fork businesses
Equipment and premises finance for farm shops, smokehouses and small producers.
Tell us about your business
Tell us what you want to finance and a little about your business. We’ll come back to you with options. There is no obligation, and we don’t carry out a credit search at this initial stage.
Food, drink and aquaculture finance FAQs
Often, through hire purchase or lease, depending on the equipment, the supplier and your accounts.
Sometimes. Fewer lenders do this, and they usually require a survey, registration and insurance.
Often. Refrigerated vans and HGVs can be financed in the same way as other commercial vehicles.
Related
Sources
This page is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Figures come from the published sources listed on this page and were correct when last reviewed. Lender availability, terms and criteria vary and are subject to status and underwriting.
Paul Thompson, trading as Acorn.finance, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 660207). Not all of the finance we arrange is regulated by the FCA.
Last reviewed: 11 November 2026