FSS approved establishments

Authorities in all European Union Member States have to approve establishments that handle, prepare or produce products of animal origin.

Approval of meat plants

EU member states must publish lists of approved establishments, each corresponding to a different food sector. Under food hygiene legislation, meat plants require our approval to operate, unless they benefit from specific exemptions.

We’re responsible for approving slaughterhouses, cutting plants and game handling establishments, as those facilities require the presence of an Official Veterinarian. If a plant also has on-site cold stores, minced meat, meat preparation or meat products establishments, we need to approve these too. However, if they’re stand-alone establishments, your local authority will assess them.

Scottish Manual for Official Controls

The Scottish Manual for Official Controls (SMOC) gives you details of the tasks, responsibilities and duties of our staff and veterinary contractors in approved establishments.

Approved establishments in Scotland

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) approve red and white meat slaughter houses, game handling establishments and cutting plants. If co-located with the previous mentioned operations FSS also approves other activities in relation to products of animal origin. See the full list of approved establishments.

Applying for approval

A food business can’t be considered for approval until we’ve carried out an assessment, a veterinary manager has made a recommendation, and the approval documentation has been issued to the food business operator.

To apply for approval to operate as a slaughterhouse, cutting plant or game handling establishment, please complete the approval form or email approvals@fss.scot for an application pack.

When we are in receipt of the completed application and all supporting documentation, the Approvals team will make arrangements for a mutually agreed time for the veterinary manager to visit your establishment. The assessment visit will cover all structural, equipment, HACCP and hygiene requirements, and food businesses will have to meet all the relevant legal requirements of both Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

Official controls charging

As from 27 March 2023, the undertaking of all approval activity in meat establishments is now charged at an hourly rate of £97.65. This will include time spent by the officer on preparation, visiting establishments and report writing. Travel time is not directly chargeable to the individual Food Business Operator (FBO) but is accounted for in the hourly charge. More information can be found in the charging guide. Please note, the hourly charge rate is subject to change through an annual review and may increase/decrease during the approval process. 

FBO audit appeals process

If the premises are refused approval, you have a right to appeal to a sheriff against our decision. This is in accordance with Regulation 12 of the Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations 2009, as amended. The time limit for lodging an appeal is one month from the date of the decision.

Operations team
4th Floor
Food Standards Scotland
Pilgrim House
Old Ford Road
Aberdeen AB11 5RL

Email: openness@fss.scot
Tel: 01224 285100

If a FBO is dissatisfied with the outcome of an audit or any findings in the audit report once received from the Audit Business Executive, the FBO has the right of appeal in line with the following procedure:

STAGE 1

The FBO should, in the first instance, contact the auditor and try resolve any misunderstanding or dissatisfaction informally with them. This can be either written or oral, at the choice of the appellant.

STAGE 2

If a FBO, or their representative, did not have their concerns addressed via the stage 1 process, they can escalate to the FSS Head Veterinarian (HV) at: elena.gafenco@fss.scot

The FBO, or their representative, should clearly identify which sections of the audit report they are appealing against and give objective evidence to support the claim that the auditor’s assessment is incorrect. Any such action (and evidence) should be submitted in writing within 14 calendar days of receiving the auditor’s response from stage 1 process. Appeals which are not supported with objective evidence may be rejected or further evidence requested. The Head Veterinarian will make a decision based on the evidence provided and communicate back to the FBO within another 14 calendar days.

STAGE 3

If the FBO remains unsatisfied with the outcome of the Stage 2, a formal appeal can be raised in writing with the FSS Head of Operational Delivery (HOD) within 14 days from the receipt of the stage 2 outcome, at: bryan.campbell@fss.scot 

The HOD will make a decision within 14 calendar days. The outcome will be communicated to the FBO in writing, copying in the HV and the auditor.

Withdrawal of approval

We need to ensure that all food business operators of approved meat establishments are producing meat safely. Where we find this is not the case, we can recommend prompt withdrawal of approvals as the ultimate sanction.

Audit reports of meat establishments

Plant ID Business Name Local Authority Link to Audit Summary
1100 2 SISTERS FOOD GROUP LTD Perth and Kinross Council 1100 - 2 Sisters Poultry Ltd (t/a 2 Sisters Coupar Angus) - June 2022
1626 A K STODDART LTD West Lothian Council 1626  - A K Stoddart - December 2022
1541 A K STODDART LTD South Ayrshire Council 1541 -  A K Stoddart Ltd - December 2023
1685 ABERDEENSHIRE LARDER  LIMITED Aberdeenshire Council 1685 - Aberdeenshire Larder Limited - November 2023
1150 ALI CETIN, DOGAN KAYA, ERCAN KAYA T/A TURKISH DOUBLE DONER KEBAB COMPANY Glasgow City Council 1150  - Ali Cetin, Dogan Kaya, Ercan Kaya  (t.a The Double Doner Kebab Company) - November 2023
1560 ANGLO BEEF PROCESSORS UK T/A ABP BRIDGE OF ALLAN Stirling Council Audit pending.
1101 ANGLO BEEF PROCESSORS UK T/A ABP PERTH Perth and Kinross Council 1101 - Anglo Beef Processors UK (t/a ABP Perth) - October 2023
1715 ANGLO BEEF PROCESSORS UK T/A ABP PENSTON Angus Council Audit pending.
1135 ARCHIBALD MACLEAN T/A GEARADHMOR Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 1135 - Gearadhmor- November 2018
1152 B&M SAUSAGES LTD Glasgow City Council 1152 - B&M Sausages Ltd - February 2024
1621 BIDFRESH LTD T/A CAMPBELL BROTHERS Midlothian Council Audit pending.
1757 BORDER MEATS LTD Dumfries and Galloway Council 1757 - Border Meats Limited - September 2023
1584 BORDER MEATS LTD T/A LOCKERBIE ABATTOIR Dumfries and Galloway Council 1584 - Border Meats (t/a Lockerbie Abattoir) - March 2023
1738 BRAEHEAD FOODS LTD East Ayrshire Council 1738 - Braehead Foods Ltd - October 2023
1217 BROWNS FOOD GROUP T/A THE SCOTTISH GOURMET South Lanarkshire Council 1217 - Browns Food Group Limited (T/A The Scottish Gourmet) - September 2022
1228 BROWNS MANUFACTURING LTD Dumfries and Galloway Council 1228 - Browns Manufacturing Ltd - February 2024
1704 BURNSIDE FARM FOODS Scottish Borders Council 1704 - Burnside Farm Foods  - May 2022
1222 CAFRO FOODS LTD Renfrewshire Council Audit pending.
1648 CAMPBELLS PRIME MEAT LTD Falkirk Council 1648 - Campbells Prime Meat Ltd - December 2023
1751 CLANMILL LTD T/A ORIGINAL DONER KEBAB West Dunbartonshire Council 1751 - Clanmill Ltd (t/a Original Doner Kebab) - November 2023
1223 COUNTRYWIDE FOODS LTD South Lanarkshire Council

1223 – Countrywide Foods Ltd - June 2023

1699 CRAIGADAM COUNTRY LARDER Dumfries and Galloway Council 1699 - Craigadam Country Larder - June 2018
1230 DAATA MEAT & POULTRY LTD City of Edinburgh Council Audit pending.
1742 DAVID KILLOH MEAT CO. LTD Aberdeenshire Council 1742 - David Killoh Meat Co Ltd - September 2023
1226 DENNIS THOMSON (FRESH MEAT) LTD T/A THOMSONS FOODSERVICE Dumfries and Galloway Council 1226 – Thomsons Foodservice - Audit Summary - 2021/2022
1110 DONALD RUSSELL LTD Aberdeenshire Council 1110 - Donald Russell Ltd - July 2023
1598 DUNBIA UK T/A DUNBIA HIGHLAND MEATS North Ayrshire Council 1598 – Dunbia UK – December 2023
1735 DUNLOSSIT TRUSTEES LTD Argyll and Bute Council 1735 - Dunlossit Trustees Limited - November 2023
1743 EURO FAST FOOD DISTRIBUTION LTD South Lanarkshire Council 1743 - Euro Fast Food Distribution Ltd - October 2023
1176 FOODSTORE LTD T/A KING FOOD BUTCHERY Aberdeen City Council 1176 - Food Store Ltd (King Foods Butchery) - September 2023
1725 FRANK YORKE & GRANT YORKE T/A YORKES OF DUNDEE Dundee City Council 1725 - Yorkes of Dundee - December 2023
1214 FRESH SELECT LIMITED Glasgow City Council 1214 - Fresh Select Limited  - January 2024
1193 GORDON MCWILLIAM  (ABERDEEN) LIMITED Aberdeen City Council 1193 - Gordon McWilliam (Aberdeen) - March 2022
1727 GRANTS OF SPEYSIDE Highland Council 1727 - Grants of Speyside - September 2022
1529 HALL'S OF SCOTLAND LIMITED South Ayrshire Council 1529 - Halls of Scotland Limited - January 2024
1178 HIGHLAND GAME LIMITED Dundee City Council 1178 - Highland Game Limited - October 2023
1701 HUBERTUS GAME LTD Perth and Kinross Council 1701 - Hubertus Game Ltd - November 2022
1664 HUGH BLACK & SONS LTD West Lothian Council 1664 - Hugh Black & Sons Ltd - April 2022
1202 HUGH BLACK & SONS LTD North Lanarkshire Council 1202 - Hugh Black & Sons Ltd - April 2022
1661 J F FINLAY & COMPANY LTD North Lanarkshire Council 1661 - J F Finlay & Company - April 2022
1750 J GILMOUR & CO LIMITED East Lothian Council 1750 - J Gilmour & Co Limited - November 2023
1225 JACKTON ESTATE LTD South Lanarkshire Council 1225 - Jackton Estate Ltd - May 2023
1139 JAMEEL POULTRY LTD Glasgow City Council 1139 - Jameel Poultry Limited - September 2023
1107 JAMES CHAPMAN (BUTCHERS) LTD North Lanarkshire Council 1107 – James Chapman Butchers Ltd – Audit Summary – May 2023
1516 JAMES CHAPMAN (BUTCHERS) LTD T/A SHOTTS ABATTOIR North Lanarkshire Council 1516 -  Shotts Abattoir Ltd - October 2023
1224 JB Foods (Scotland) Ltd Midlothian Council 1224 - JB Foods (Scotland) Ltd - May 2023
1740 JOHN HENDERSON (MEAT SPECIALISTS) LTD Fife Council 1740 - John Henderson (Meat Specialists) Ltd - January 2024
1125 JOHN M MUNRO LTD Highland Council 1125 - John M Munro - October 2023
1686 JOHN MORRISON T/A LOCHMADDY SLAUGHTERHOUSE Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 1686 - John Morrison (t.a Lochmaddy Slaughterhouse) - October 2018
1536 JOHN SCOTT MEAT (PAISLEY) LIMITED T/A JOHN SCOTT MEATS LTD - TBC Renfrewshire Council 1536 - John Scott Meat (Paisley) Limited  (t/a John Scott Meats Ltd) - February 2024
1533 JOHN SCOTT MEAT (PAISLEY) LIMITED T/A W M BOSOMWORTH Renfrewshire Council 1533 - John Scott Meat (Paisley) Limited (t/a W M Bosomworth) - July 2023
1546 JOHN SCOTT MEAT (PMP) LTD Renfrewshire Council 1546 – John Scott Meat PMP - April 2023
1106 KEPAK GROUP LTD T/A MCINTOSH DONALD Aberdeenshire Council 1106 - Kepak Group Ltd  (t/a McIntosh Donald) - June 2023 
1647 KEZIE LIMITED Scottish Borders Council 1647 - Kezie Ltd - September 2023
1758 KISMET (SCOTLAND) LTD T/A KISMET HALAL MEAT & DONER Renfrewshire Council 1758 - Kismet (Scotland) Ltd (t/a Kismet Halal Meat & Doner) - October 2023
1154 LOTHIAN CATERING BUTCHERS LIMITED T/A LOTHIAN CATERING BUTCHERS West Lothian Council 1154 - Lothian Catering Butchers Limited (t/a Lothian Catering Butchers) - September 2023
1213 MALCOLM ALLAN LTD Falkirk Council 1213 - Malcolm Allan Limited - February 2024
1702 MCLAYS LIMITED Glasgow City Council 1702 - McLays Limited - January 2024
1218 MEDITERRANEAN BREEZE (LONDON) LTD T/A SCOTT MEAT Glasgow City Council 1218 - Mediterranean Breeze t/a Scott Meat - October 2022
1508 MICHAEL MALONE OF EDINBURGH LTD City of Edinburgh Council 1508 - Michael Malone of Edinburgh Ltd - May 2023
1160 MILLERS OF SPEYSIDE LTD Highland Council 1160 - Millers of Speyside - October 2022
1745 MOHAMMED PARVEZ T/A SUPREME FOOD PROCESSORS East Dunbartonshire Council 1745 - Mohammed Parvez (T/A Supreme Food Processors) - February 2024
1737 MRS JOAN HOULISTON AND MRS MELISSA HOULISTON T/A GALLOWAY FOODSERVICE Dumfries and Galloway Council 1737 -  Mrs Joan Houliston and Mrs Melissa Houliston (t/a Galloway Foodservice)  - June 2022 
1585 MULL SLAUGHTERHOUSE LIMITED Argyll and Bute Council 1585 -  Mull Slaughterhouse Limited - August 2022
1151 NAVSTAR LIMITED T/A EFES NAVSTAR LTD Glasgow City Council 1151 - Navstar Limited (t/a Efes Navstar Ltd) - December 2022
1142 NAZAR SCOTLAND LTD Glasgow City Council 1142 - Nazar Scotland Ltd - December 2023
1103 NEEROCK LTD T/A WOODHEAD BROTHERS Aberdeenshire Council 1103 - Neerock Ltd (Woodhead Brothers) - July 2023
1208 NISAR AHMED T/A REHMAN POULTRY Glasgow City Council Audit pending.
1220 OVENS RETAIL LTD T/A MEARNS T McCaskie Glasgow City Council 1220 - Ovens Retail Ltd - January 2024
1633 P R DUFF LIMITED Inverclyde Council 1633 - P R Duff Limited - January 2024
1170 PAK POULTRY PRODUCTS LIMITED North Lanarkshire Council 1170 - Pak Poultry Products Limited - July 2023
1227 POLMAR MEATS LTD Glasgow City Council

1227 - PolMar Meats Ltd - June 2022

1136 QUALITY PORK PROCESSORS LIMITED West Dunbartonshire Council 1136 - Quality Pork Processors - September 2023
1571 RAMSAY OF CARLUKE LIMITED Glasgow City Council 1571 - Ramsay of Carluke Ltd - February 2024
1641 RICHARD CARMICHAEL OF CARMICHAEL T/A CARMICHAEL ESTATE FARM MEATS South Lanarkshire Council 1641 - Richard Carmichael of Carmichael (t.a Carmichael Estate Farm Meats) - July 2022
1210 RODGERS BUTCHERS (WHOLESALE) LTD T/A RODGERS BUTCHERS West Dunbartonshire Council 1210 - Rodgers Butchers Wholesale Ltd - August 2022
1221 SAC COMMERCIAL LTD Midlothian Council 1221 - SAC Commercial Ltd - May 2023
1535 SANDYFORD ABATTOIR (PAISLEY) LTD T/A SANDYFORD ABBATOIR Renfrewshire Council 1535 - Sandyford Abattoir (Paisley) Ltd - November 2023
1515 SCOTBEEF (EAST KILBRIDE) LTD South Lanarkshire Council 1515 - Scotbeef (East Kilbride) Ltd - September 2023
1121 SCOTBEEF INVERURIE LIMITED Aberdeenshire Council 1121 - Scotbeef Inverurie Limited - October 2023
1130 SCOTBEEF INVERURIE LIMITED Aberdeenshire Council 1130 - Scotbeef Inverurie Limited  - September 2023
1560 ANGLO BEEF PROCESSORS UK T/A ABP BRIDGE OF ALLAN Stirling Council 1560 - Scotbeef Ltd - April 2022
1724 SCOTT BROTHERS (DUNDEE) LIMITED Dundee City Council 1724 - Scott Brothers Butchers - January 2024
1680 SIMON HOWIE BUTCHERS LTD Perth and Kinross Council 1680 - Simon Howie Butchers Ltd - November 2023
1190 SIMPSON GAME LIMITED Highland Council 1190 -  Simpson Game Ltd - September 2022
1756 SLMG TRADING LTD T/A SHETLAND ABATTOIR Shetland Islands Council 1756 - SLMG Trading Ltd (t/a Shetland Abattoir) - March 2022
1118 STORNOWAY ABATTOIR / COMHAIRLE NAN EILEAN SIAR Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 1118 - Stornoway Abattoir - October 2022
1184 THE ARDGAY GAME FACTORY LTD Highland Council 1184 - The Ardgay Game Factory Ltd - December 2023
1505 VIVERS SCOTLAMB LTD Dumfries and Galloway Council 1505  - Vivers Scotlamb Ltd - October 2022
1672 W W WALES LIMITED East Ayrshire Council 1672 - W W Wales Limited - June 2023
1744 WE HAE MEAT LTD South Ayrshire Council 1744 - We Hae Meat Ltd - February 2023
1692 WILLIAM G YOUNG, WILLIAM G YOUNG (JNR), JOHN YOUNG, ELIZABETH YOUNG The Firm of WG Young, Overton Farm Butchery South Lanarkshire Council 1692 - W G Young - January 2024
1517 WISHAW ABATTOIR LIMITED North Lanarkshire Council 1517 - Wishaw Abattoir Limited - September 2022

In this section

Approved establishments inspections

Our verification, audit and meat inspection services protect public and animal health and welfare in Scotland.

Change of food business operator

Information for changes to food business operators (FBO).

Official controls in approved meat premises

Our role is to make sure Scotland’s meat industry protects public health, and pays due consideration to the health and welfare of animals at slaughter.

Slaughter

We ensure that animals are protected prior to and during slaughter and killing.

Wild game

Requirements for producing meat products, including wild game.

Food chain information

All slaughterhouse operators in Scotland are bound by EU food hygiene legislation to request, receive, check and act on food chain information.

Animal disease

Cattle, sheep and goats are susceptible to a group of brain diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).

Plant Inspection Assistants (PIAs)

Information about Plant Inspection Assistants and the process of enrolling slaughterhouse staff in this role. 

Testing for Trichinella in pigs

Information for businesses about testing for Trichinella in pigs.

Authorisation of transportation of warm meat

Guidance on the authorisation process for transporting warm meat.

Site plans and location maps

Guidance for site plans and location maps, which you need to include when applying for approval.

More on this topic

Related

Imports and exports

You need to comply with regulations when importing or exporting food.