Adding a range of protein products to Graham’s Family Dairy’s portfolio was an “obvious” move, says managing director Robert Graham.
Graham’s Family Dairy launched their first protein products back in 2019.
Now, they produce the majority of these products at their factory in Nairn.
The Nairn facility produces over 1.1 million kilograms of dairy product every month, around 70% of which is cultured products (such as protein yoghurt and kefir).
And these products are now making more money than the product Graham’s Family Dairy’s has previously been best known for – milk.
“Protein is now bigger for us than conventional milk,” Robert says.
“So for a business that was built on conventional milk – and milk is still a huge part of our business – for protein yoghurts to have overtaken that from a standing start of nothing is massive.”
Read on to find out:
- Why Graham’s Family Dairy started to sell protein products
- Sales figures for their protein products
- Why the protein products are so successful
- How the protein pots and pouches are made
Why did Graham’s Family Dairy start protein products?
For Robert, who took over from his dad Dr Robert Graham as the business’ managing director back in the 90s, starting to sell protein products was a no-brainer.
“I’ve always been into sport,” he says, “trying to eat less biscuits and be healthy.
“We are passionate about dairy in terms of how good it is for one’s health.
“So when we saw the possibilities with dairy to play a key part in a consumer market, it seemed quite obvious to get into that.”
Robert says new ideas are always welcome in the family business.
“Our approach to new products is always if it’s relatively straightforward, let’s do it.
“But we couldn’t have imagined that it would be as big of a success as it has been.”
In May 2024, Nairn achieved its highest-ever sales figures for yogurt and protein drinks – and they are anticipating further growth.
Their protein sales, which now equate to 25% of total sales, saw 67% growth over 2023.
This outperformed sales of conventional milk.
Robert says it is “exciting” to have helped bring Graham’s Family Dairy into this next new phase.
“It is exciting to be making products in such high demand that are so recognisable,” he adds.
“The business has evolved and grown a lot, and become the number one dairy brand in Scotland.
“It’s stuff that I would never have imagined back in the 90s.
“We didn’t deliver milk outside of Stirling back then. A lot has changed since.”
‘Keep it simple’ the key to success of Nairn protein products
So what makes the products so popular?
Robert explains: “From our perspective, I think we make fairly unique products, that are right at the top of the market in terms of product quality and taste.
“So I think there are a lot of things helping us drive them.
“We try to be as natural as possible, using Scottish dairy.
“And we try to keep it simple.
“So what we do as a farming, family business – all of those are fundamental as we try to stay true to what we do.”
Stephanie Kearney, 27, is the operations manager at the Nairn factory.
She explains the eight-hour process of creating the protein pots and pouches.
“In developing a high protein yoghurt drink, you need to select a milk protein that wouldn’t give you the thickness and viscosity of a yoghurt,” she says.
“And with the spoonable high protein yoghurt, you would need to select a high protein product that wouldn’t be powdery.
“We use a blend of whey and casein milk protein to boost the protein content.
“We hydrate your protein and the milk for about half an hour. Then it goes through pasteurisation, homogenisation. And then we incubate it at 44 degrees.
“That’s where the yoghurt will coagulate and become spoonable.
“Then we filter it, add our fruit and our flavouring, and then we pack it into our pots or our pouches.
“It is about an eight-hour process.”
In her previous role as new product development technologist, she helped come up with protein products – including protein ice cream.
Stephanie has high hopes for the products.
“I think it started off as a trend,” she says, “but it’s a trend that is here to stay.
“They’re convenient, filling and healthy.
“Conventional milk isn’t as trendy as it used to be as a lot of consumers are going for alternative milks.
“But the kefir and protein products are growing massively.”
Conversation