Maker Spaces empower local food businesses to create and collaborate
The Digital Dairy Chain has unveiled its expanding network of Maker Spaces; purpose-built facilities designed to empower local food and drink businesses to innovate, collaborate and develop new dairy products.
Through the Digital Dairy Chain, an SRUC-led UKRI Strength in Places initiative, the Maker Spaces support innovation, skills development and sustainability across the dairy supply chain in south and west Scotland and Cumbria.
The newest facility, located at Ayrshire College’s Ayr Campus, marks a significant milestone in extending hands-on product development support to businesses across Ayrshire.
Maker Spaces provide access to specialist equipment, technical expertise and collaborative working environments, enabling producers to experiment, trial and refine dairy-based products before taking them to market. From yoghurt and halloumi trials to heritage gelato and new dairy desserts, the spaces support everything from early-stage concepts to established product diversification.
A key strength of the Maker Spaces is their collaborative model. Businesses work alongside technical specialists and education partners, sharing knowledge and testing ideas in a low-risk, supportive environment. This approach helps accelerate innovation while strengthening local supply chains and food communities.
Mark Robertson, Maker Space Coordinator for the Digital Dairy Chain, said: "It’s been a busy and inspiring few months since the opening at Ayrshire College in July. We’ve seen everything from heritage gelato revivals to innovative cheese trials with each one showcasing the creativity and resilience of businesses in our region. We hope that we will be able to work together with the team at the college to develop our offering further. We’re thrilled to see such a variety of businesses using the space. This diversity is what makes the Maker Space so special, it’s a place where great ideas are shared, tested, and brought to life.”
Local businesses are already seeing tangible benefits. Fiona from Humeston Byre, a family-run farm shop in Ayrshire, said: “At Humeston Byre we’ve really valued our partnership with Mark from Digital Dairy Chain and the Ayr maker space. Their expertise and collaborative approach has helped us explore new product development in a way that strengthens our business and the wider local food community.’’
The Maker Space at Ayrshire College also aligns closely with wider regional investment and growth ambitions. Gillian Morton, Project Lead from the Ayrshire Growth Deal, said: “The Maker Space located in the Ayr campus of Ayrshire College provides food, drink and agriculture businesses within the Ayrshire Region the support, facilities and resources to develop products with dairy, as the main ingredient, to grow their product range and add value to existing business. The DDC maker space compliments the Ayrshire Manufacturing Investment Corridor Project (AMIC) which is due to be operational in early 2028 at Moorfield, Kilmarnock as part of the Ayrshire Growth Deal. Construction on the infrastructure element of the AMIC project commenced in September 2025. East Ayrshire Council and the Ayrshire Growth Deal are delighted to be working collaboratively with the DDC to support the food, drink and agriculture sector in Ayrshire."
Connor Pattie, Sector Development Specialist at South Ayrshire Council, added: “The Maker Space is a superb opportunity for local dairy businesses to explore product development and benefit from the expertise of the Digital Dairy Chain team. We have already referred several of our local businesses to the Maker Space and the support they’ve received to help them innovate and grow has been first class. We are genuinely excited at the impact this project could have on Ayrshire’s dairy sector and wish the Digital Dairy Chain team continued success.”
Barry Morton, Head of Facilities, Estates and Sustainability at Ayrshire College, said: “We’re proud to support the Digital Dairy Chain’s Maker Space at our Ayr Campus. This facility reflects Ayrshire College’s commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration within the local food and drink sector. By providing a modern, well-equipped space, we’re helping businesses access the resources they need to experiment, create, and grow. It’s exciting to see the positive impact this partnership is having on Ayrshire’s economy and food culture.”
As Maker Spaces continue to grow, they’re looking forward to welcoming even more local producers, helping them turn their creative ideas into market-ready products and working with Ayrshire College to develop a legacy for businesses across Ayrshire and beyond.
For more information about the Maker Space or to discuss how it can support your business, contact Mark Robertson at Mark.Robertson@sruc.ac.uk
Posted by SRUC on 18/12/2025
