In the time of Robbie Burns, many Scottish peasants and agricultural workers relied on Scotch oatmeal, in the form of porridge and oat cakes for sustenance. The oat flour was recommended for infants only a few weeks old and and equally for invalids and adults. Indeed, the use of oatmeal porridge as a breakfast, and oatmeal cakes in the day was essential to the development of the young Scottish population. It wasn't until much later that bread made from fine wheaten flour came into use.

Quickly Scott's Midlothian Oat Flour became well known in the area. Scotts products and manufacturing techniques were so revered and advanced for their time that they were featured in 1884's industry journal "The Mercantile Age". It described the milling machinery on the 13,000 square feet factory on the 4th floor as 'most ingenious that we have ever seen'.

The oats came to the mill as groats and then the hull, or husks, and the germs were removed. After the oat flour had been thoroughly purified, it travelled down a chute and was emptied onto zinc tables 25 feet long by 5 feet wide. Girls then put the oat flour into tins or canisters. At that time 1,000 1lb tins were packed each day among other sizes. The oats cakes and biscuits were prepared and 'fired' in the first floor bakery whilst packing was done on the second and third floors.

Even in 1884, everything was done by automatic machinery, The flour was not touched at any stage of the process ensuring stringent cleanliness levels were met.

Exporting was already taking place to the West Indies, New Zealand, American and all parts of the Continent.

Scott's began making Scott's Midlothian Biscuits in 1884,
and in 1893 it was stated in The Victualling Trades Review that 'Scott's Oatcakes and Oat-flour Biscuits are universally appreciated, while at home they form a prominent feature
at the table of the richest and humblest in the land'.

In 1893, Scott's had premises in Buchan Street and was sending out 32,000 oat cakes each week, including a regular order once a fortnight for the Prince of Wales!

By 1888, the firm had become a limited company and,
in 1909, larger premises were acquired at West Mills, Colinton, Edinburgh. To distinguish Scott's Oat Flakes from their competitors, the description Scott's Porage Oats was introduced in 1914 and remains a trademark to the present day. The word 'Porage' is a mixture of the old Scottish word 'poray' and the French word 'potage'.

In 1924, the well-known symbol of the 'Highlander Putting
the Shot' was added to the packaging. It has been suggested that the figure was modeled on an NCO in the King's Own Scottish Borderers, whose barracks were not far from Colinton Mills.

This figure of strength, health and vitality has changed only
a little over the years as fashion conscious and enthusiastic Marketing Managers have lengthened and shortened his hair, and occasionally, very controversially, his kilt.

A disastrous fire destroyed much of the production area in 1928, but with the help from the dedicated workforce the mill was up and running again within seven weeks. Plans were immediately made to build the new mill together with new houses for the employee's at the adjoining Spylaw Park.

In 1947, a former flax mill was acquired at Cupar, Fife,
to manufacture Scott's Porage Oats.

In 1955, A&R Scott Ltd was taken over by Cerebos Ltd,
and both were acquired by Rank, Hovis McDougall in 1969.

In 1982, Quaker Oats Ltd., one of Scott's main competitors, bought A&R Scott. For a few years following the purchase, there was little change, but in 1989, it was announced that Cupar was to become the main centre of Quaker's oat milling in Europe, with an extensive expansion of the mill. This made it the largest oat mill in Western Europe, with its products being sold not only in the UK, but also in Scandinavia, France and even in the Far East.

Quaker Oats Ltd achieved the International Quality Standard BS EN ISO 9002 in 1994, followed by an accreditation as an Investor in People in 1995.

In 1996, major business re-organisation within Quaker's European Operations, resulted in the mill at Cupar becoming the company's sole supplier of rolled oats for European, African and Middle Eastern markets. Its strategic importance to Quaker's world-wide business, the quality of its product, and the skills of its workforce have all combined to produce a true oat milling 'Centre of Excellence' with an impressive past, and bright future.

1880 – A&R Scott, two brothers, started making
Scott's Midlothian Oat Flour.

1884 – The Mercantile Age reports on the high quality
of both the product and the methods used at Scott's mill.

1887 – The firm becomes a limited company.

1893 – The Victualling Trades Review states that
Scott's Oatcakes and Oat-Flour Biscuits are
universally appreciated, while at home they form
a prominent feature at the table of the richest and humblest in the land.

1909 – Larger premises were acquired at West Mills, Colinton, Edinburgh.

1914 – The description Scott's Porage Oats was introduced.

1924 – The well-known symbol of the Highlander putting the shot was added to the packaging.

1928 – A disastrous fire destroyed much of the production area but the mill was up and running again in 7 weeks.

1947 – A former flax mill was acquired at Cupar, Fife.

1955 – Scott's was taken over by Cerebos Ltd.

1969 – Scott's was acquired by Rank, Hovis McDougall.

1982 – Scott's was bought by Quaker Oats Ltd.

1989 – Cupar became the main centre of Quaker's milling operation in Europe.

1994 – The International Quality Standard BS EN ISO 9002 was achieved.

1995 – Scott's was accredited as an Investor in People.

1996 – The Cupar mill becomes the Company's sole source of supply of rolled oats for European, African and Middle Eastern markets.