The Buffalo Farm has gone into administration, as confirmed by the company to The Scottish Farmer.

The high profile Fife business came to national attention when owner Steve Mitchell starred in series three of This Farming Life. The company specialised in selling direct butchery products to customers.

They also launched Scotland's first mozzarella and ice-cream made from the herd of 500 buffalos. A number of their products have been recognised with industry awards such as Buffalo steak pies and black pudding. The business has a cafe bistro on the farm whilst also supplying produce to the hotel and restaurant trade.

The news was broken to investors in an email yesterday, according to Fife Today.

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He said: “Despite my best efforts and determination to bring our vision to reality, we have fallen short due to an economic climate impacted by COVID, wars, soaring energy bills, cost-of-living crises and TB that just weren’t foreseen by anyone. All of this has meant that our debts have mounted to a level we simply could no longer sustain.”

He added: “I was trying to come to terms with telling my incredible employees they would need to be made redundant, watch as the herd of buffalo were sold off - or worst, destroyed - and the rest of the company broken up and sold off.

“However, a chance conversation with a friend and founder, who, after discussing our plight, has offered to help by providing a loan to buy the company assets from the administrator – on two conditions. Firstly, they want nothing to do with the day-to-day running of the company, and secondly, I take on full responsibility.

“He has convinced me that my vision and my plans for the Buffalo Farm are correct, and it has been more down to timing and external factors than a lack of hard work and misjudgement. I feel a huge responsibility to all who have supported us, and it's not in my nature to walk away, and as such, I have accepted the offer of a loan and started a new company and have bought the business and assets from the administrators and all being well save as much as we can of what we have worked so hard to create.”

The company had previously run an ambitious crowd funding exercises with an aim to inject £800,000 into the business. The investments were offered to people at £100, £1000, and £10,000 investment levels.

Company accounts from 2022 stated 84 people were employed by the business at that time.

A spokesperson for the business confirmed that the company had entered administration but could not comment further at this stage.