Innovation Voucher Project: Stew 'n' Drew's

Stew ‘n’ Drew’s currently manufacture luxury dairy ice-cream, through their personal ambition and via customer feedback they were striving to add a healthier option to the menu but one that is also innovative and unique to Stew ‘n’ Drew’s.  Kefir seeds were chosen due to its proven ability to benefit the immune system.  Academic staff at UHI Moray worked with Stew ‘n’ Drew’s initially trialling the reproduction of the kefir seed to explore how different processes affect the product and then introduced different milk bases determining which worked best with kefir.  The final proof-of-concept not only provided a healthier, unique, innovative ice-cream for Stew ‘n’ Drew’s, but one that is also very tasty to eat.  This partnership was made possible through a successful funding application to the Scottish Funding Council Standard Innovation Voucher scheme.

Stewart Sutherland, Director, Stew ‘n’ Drew’s Ltd:

“Working with two experienced chefs, listening to their views and opinions was an invaluable experience for me and my company.  I had a vision of what I wanted to achieve from this project, Darren and Martyn helped me reach the standard I was after.  Their enthusiasm was evident from the start. I found it very rewarding working through several batches until we were happy with the quality and taste of the final product. This project would not have gone ahead if I never had the use of the facilities at UHI Moray.  To introduce a new product to the market in terms of cost and time, was just not on the horizon for my company.  The help of UHI Moray helped me achieve this and meant the cost was not as substantial as would normally be. I believe my company can now push forward and look at creating a couple of different kefir-based ice creams and bring them to the market.”

Martyn Woodard and Darren Bate, Hospitality Lecturers:

“The most enjoyable part of the project was creating a good Community Connection with a local producer, as chefs working on the project we have a strong understanding of food production, but this project opened our learning while working with the producer.  Learning new things about ice-cream and looking into the science behind fermentation.  How kefir worked and how the different environments have different results, continuing to research to give us a culture that is consistent and true, allowing the producer to have a consistent and top-grade product that can be adapted for the producer to produce a new line of products and flavours going forward.   The experience overall was very good, it has grown into a good relationship with a local and artisan product, we have all learnt from one and another to understand the constraints of the producer.”