One of Scotland’s fastest growing milk delivery firms in Scotland will expand into Aberdeen and Inverness.
EM Dairies was started four months ago by Julian Terriaca in Bellshill, but is now looking for new homes in the north and north-east.
The former pub landlord, 44, supplies milk to businesses with an aim of delivering while they are open – rather than leaving it sitting through the night.
Julian, claims to have already turned down a £400,000 offer for the start-up and says he has an order book worth £5 million.
The business plans to begin operations in Aberdeen and Inverness next month.
North and north-east expansion
It was always Julian’s plan to expand EM Dairies operations outside of the central belt.
He already has existing clients who have asked him about supplying their north-east offices, forcing his hand “in the best way possible”.
Julian said: “While we’re still on the hunt for our perfect facilities in Aberdeen and Inverness.
“Existing clients brought my expansion plans forward. It was always the plan to grow but we already had a demand.”
The business currently has 10 staff in its workforce, with 10 new opportunities arising from the expansion.
Julian added: “The staff we currently have are driven and of a real quality, which is so valuable to me.
“To begin with, three or four will head up north to lead operations and mould our new recruits into what we need.
“It’s good for the areas where jobs will be created, Aberdeen and Inverness are beautiful and the people deserve a top service.”
What’s so different about EM Dairies to other milk companies?
Julian has worked in the Scottish dairy trade for nine years, and believes his experience has allowed him to “right all of the wrongs”.
He said: “In my experience, businesses have been neglected by a lot of milk companies.
“The overwhelming majority of companies do doorstep deliveries through the night.
“From speaking to customers, they want a different kind of service, something which fits their needs.
“They don’t want to arrive at their premises to open up and find a milk order has been lying outside through the night for several hours.
“They want fresh deliveries to them during opening times so they can make sure everything is tip top.
“It’s important, not only to make sure you offer a quality service, but for your clients to be able to see a face of the business. They get that when a delivery driver shows up.”
Julian said the business also has a 24 hour milk line where customers who forget to make an order can call and expect to see it in the same day. It also delivers all types of cream as well as milkshakes.
EM Dairies boss on mission to ‘take over Scotland’
The business is already churning out deliveries totalling 80,000 litres each week.
And Julian doesn’t want to stop there.
“I’ve not done too badly as the new kid on the block. On our first day we had 15 customers on the books.
“We’ve had to double capacity and things are developing at a much faster rate than I hoped at the outset.
“It’s growing from the foundations because people want honesty and don’t mind paying for a quality service.
“The business wasn’t set up without a plan. I’m here to take over and I won’t stop until we’re everywhere in Scotland.
“That’s why we’re here, I’m like a dog with a bone and my employees are exactly the same — driven and passionate.
“The last few months of success is down to them and all of their hard work.
“We’re different. We’re a bespoke service which a lot of places don’t currently have. The quality of our milk is phenomenal.
“I wouldn’t be looking at the expansion if I didn’t think it was going to be a success.”
Conversation