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Lazy Day Foods tastes global markets success

Lazy Day Foods thrives as a Scottish-based, female-led firm. Steeped in innovation, it produces delicious Free From treats that are tantalising tastebuds from Scotland to the UAE. Learn how our support has helped the firm to grow.

20 August 2025 | 6 minute read

“Join in the joy,” appears loud and proud on the homepage of Lazy Day Food's website.

And there is much joy baked into this Free From food business.

Headquartered in Harthill, Scotland, the female-founded company is whetting the appetites of its expanding export markets with its tasty treats. These are described as irresistible gluten-free, milk-free, egg-free and vegan goodies, hand-baked with love.

Innovative fast-scaling Free From food 

Equal love and dedication go into this fast-scaling firm. Since the producer started in 2006, it has become a significant operator in the UK Free From market. The £14 million enterprise is now tasting export markets in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Australia and America. 

Managed by Dr Sally Beattie and Emer Bustard, both professional food scientists, the company employs 145 people, selling own and private-label products to major supermarkets. These include Tesco, Sainsburys, Morrisons, Asda and Co-op.

Dr Sally Beattie (left) and Emer Bustard, Managing Directors.

The BRC AA+ accredited food manufacturer makes products that cater for a wide range of Free From dietary needs. This helps ensure it can sell to a broad customer base.

Production of Free From food has ramped up significantly over the past 20 years. As a pioneering Scottish company in this select food sector, the firm has helped to transform the industry from it once modest appetite. 

The ambitious enterprise has also proudly celebrated five accolades across the Scottish Retail Food & Drink Awards, the Free From Food Awards, and two Marketing Society Scotland Star Awards.

Its allergen-friendly food includes Millionaire's Shortbread, Rocky Road and Chocolate Tiffin. They are produced for customers with a range of dietary conditions such as coeliacs, those on restricted diets or with dairy allergies, and vegans.

So how has the company grown so quickly?

Expert support from Scottish Enterprise and SDI

Scottish Enterprise, and its global arm, Scottish Development International (SDI), have supported the company to grow in many areas of its business. They've helped it to attend export programmes and make connections with overseas contacts and peer companies.

Lazy Day Foods has also benefited from attending Scottish Enterprise’s Preparing to Export course and an International Strategy Workshop. It also hosted a site visit for SDI Food and Drink in-market specialists (IMS) to the company’s advanced bakery facilities. 

Dr Sally Beattie says that all three organisations have worked very closely with each other. The company has received support that has included:

  • Practical and technical help from a dedicated trade advisor
  • One-to-one meetings with in-market specialists
  • A Scottish Enterprise account manager attending the company’s International Strategy Workshop

The firm has also benefited from working with Scottish Enterprise’s research team. It also took part in the Scottish pavilion at the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) trade show in Amsterdam in May 2025, hosted by SDI.

Emer Bustard, Lazy Day Foods Director, says: “We've been particularly impressed by the in-market specialists who have excellent knowledge and contacts specific to the country they’re based in. Scottish Enterprise and SDI have helped shape our business strategy, both domestically and internationally.”

A healthy slice of the global market

The company’s entrepreneurial business streak is catering for a healthy slice of the Free From market that is both healthy in nutrition and numbers. This global market was estimated to be worth £69.60 billion in 2024, rising to £232 billion by 2034, according to ExpertMarketResearch.com. 

Tapping into this huge international demand has required the company to innovate its approach to export market research. Lazy Day Foods has used Scottish Enterprise’s Digital Export Assessment Tool to help identify the next steps in its export journey.

The tool has also helped the firm evaluate suitable markets, and used its findings to contribute to the Strategy Workshop the company attended.

Further guidance for exploring export markets has come from our partner, GlobalScot. This international network offers a range of support to Scottish businesses, and it introduced the company to an expat Scot in America's east coast who identified potential new markets.  

Dawn Lamarra, Specialist for Global Trade and Consumer Industries at Scottish Enterprise, says: “Through our various workshops, tools and programmes we have given the company the resources to plan and develop a strategic approach to its exports. The Strategy Workshop day gave Lazy Day Foods detailed insights into target markets.”

Seasoned with Scottish flair, the food innovator has a solid business vision for the future. 

Dr Sally Beattie sums up: “Our three-year plan will explore and develop our export markets. This will include expanding and perfecting our products lines to contribute to a turnover growth of 20%, year-on-year. We know there’s tremendous export opportunity. Our stars are now aligned. We are in a great place to maximise those markets and take our company forward.”   

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Learn more about the support we offer to explore new markets and export opportunities.

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