WELL-KNOWN Fife farmer and star of the BBC’s ‘This Farming Life’, Steve Mitchell, has launched a crowdfunding campaign in a bid to realise his ambition to provide Scotland with its first ever home-produced buffalo mozzarella.

Steve, the sixth generation of the Mitchell family to farm in Fife, has been keeping a buffalo herd since 2005, providing buffalo meat to Scotland’s foodies. But he wants to make a move into buffalo mozzarella, and has set an ambitious crowdfunding target of £800,000 to build a manufacturing facility, milking parlour and slurry store. Investors can participate in one of three ways:

• Buffalo Farm Supporters Club – get in with the bricks with a £100 donation and see your name on the walls of the new production facility;

• Buffalo Farm Founders Club – enjoy rewards equivalent in value to a 10% annual return on investment paid in 'Buffalo Farm' vouchers – but with a minimum investment of £1000;

• Buffalo Farm Founders Executive Club – enjoy rewards equivalent in value to a 12% annual return on investment paid in Buffalo Farm vouchers – minimum investment £10,000.

Mr Mitchell said: “We run three butchers shops, an event catering business, our own bistro and we also supply into a growing number of hotels and restaurants and feedback has always been fantastic. However, I have always felt that something is missing and so now the time is right to launch this crowdfunding Founders Club so that we can give our customers access to their first soft, smooth and deliciously Scottish mozzarella.

“My plans will create up to six new jobs and produce a quality and delicious product. There is a current UK market of £79 million and a 12% year on year growth within the mozzarella market and so I strongly believe that Scotland needs a quality home produced alternative to imported mozzarella.

“The funny thing is that if I had a pound for every time that someone has asked me if I would make mozzarella I wouldn’t need to be crowdfunding at all! But I do need your help. We have a fantastic customer base and I would love those loyal fans, as well as new ones, to get behind the creation of another emerging Scottish premium product, head over to our website and participate today. We’ll make it worth your while!”