Working with our North Highland farmers

Working with our North Highland farmers

08 November 2022

Sainsbury’s is a key partner in the North Highland Initiative (NHI) project, a charity established in 2005. In an effort to bring together the farming community, local business and the tourism industry by His Majesty The King, NHI was established in order to support rural communities in the far north of Scotland. 

NHI created a strong regional brand for the area which aimed to help address some of the challenges facing these by creating job opportunities and helping to ensure communities and businesses in the region were sustainable. NHI are also credited with the creation of the now world famous North Coast 500.

What you can expect from our NHI products

Our North Highland PGI Scotch Beef is produced from cattle born and reared in the North Highlands of Scotland from small family farmers and crofters, guaranteed to be from within 150 miles of the Castle of Mey, in the county of Caithness. Animals are grazed on rolling heather-rich highland pastures for a distinctive flavour unique to the North Highlands. Due to the close relationships we’ve built with these farmers, each cut of our North Highland PGI Scotch Beef is fully traceable back to each individual farm.

How we work with these farmers

We work closely with over 100 farmers supplying cattle into the North Highland range and we meet with our North Highland farmers to promote and showcase best farming practises. This better enables our North Highland producers to deliver Beef and Lamb to the highest standards, with the utmost care for both animal and the environment.

One of our NHI farmers is Douglas Gill from Ross-shire. Douglas farms his 1,560 acre family farm with his parents John and Hazel. The farm, which has been in the family for generations, is based in Portmahomack just outside of Tain -the oldest Royal Burgh in Scotland.