"Mungoswells has always been a working family farm. The mill started out as a small project to process some of the grain we were growing ourselves. From there, it’s gradually grown into what we have today."
Owner, Mungoswells Farm
From Field to Flour
Mungoswells Farm spans 550 acres in the heart of East Lothian, a region known for fertile, high-yielding farmland, earning it the title ‘The Breadbasket of Scotland’. Situated north of Haddington, our family farm grows a variety of crops, including the grain that goes into all our flours. When it comes to provenance, few can match the story behind our flour. We sow the wheat, tend the crop, harvest the grain, mill the flour, and package every bag, right here on the farm. The goal of Mungoswells Malt & Milling is to keep our entire process as local as possible.
Family Farmed for Over 100 Years
Mungoswells Farm has been in the McDowall family for over a century. In the early 1900s they purchased Mungoswells, moving to East Lothian from Galloway. Just a few decades later, Major Andrew McDowall built one of the world’s first electric tractors in the farm workshop during the 1920s.
Early Wheat Breeding at Mungoswells
Innovation has continuously been at the heart of Mungoswells. In the early 1800s, Mungoswells became the home of Patrick Shirreff, a pioneering farmer and wheat hybridisation specialist.
In 1819, after a hard frost, Patrick Shirreff noticed one wheat plant that stood apart, untouched by the cold and carrying a heavy head of grain. He saved its seed, multiplied it, and within two years introduced a new variety, Mungoswells wheat. It was the first documented case of a farmer deliberately selecting a single plant to create a new cereal variety.
By 1857, his nursery contained more than 70 unique strains of wheat and oats, many of which spread across Britain, Europe, and America. His work caught the attention of Charles Darwin, who cited Shirreff’s experiments to help frame the theory of evolution and natural selection.
The fields of Mungoswells are more than just farmland, they played a quiet but important role in the history of agricultural science, helping to lay the foundations for the wheat breeding practices we still rely on today.
(N. Scott Shirreff, 2017)
The Maltings & Mill
In 2006, Angus McDowall began developing a small maltings to process barley and wheat grown on the farm, producing malt for local brewers and distillers. Recognising that most microbreweries lacked their own crushing facilities, a small mill was additionally required.
The following year, Angus discovered a pristine ex-Swiss army mill, complete with a trailer, spares, and camouflage netting. It was still painted its original army green. Built in the 1970s by Bühler, the Rolls-Royce of flour mill manufacturers, this mobile unit was designed to provide fresh flour to soldiers during missions. Seeing its potential, Angus transported it to Mungoswells Farm.
With his background in Agricultural Mechanisation, Angus and the team deconstructed the mill before carefully rebuilding it on-site. Modifying and extending the design, he transformed the mill into a larger and more complex operation. The process was far from straightforward, with numerous trial and error adjustments.
Today, our award-winning operation produces a range of quality Scottish flours. Billy, our miller, runs the mill five days a week, producing flour in small batches. Mungoswells flours can be found across Scotland and throughout the UK, from local bakeries and farm shops to Michelin-starred restaurants.
Much of the farm is dedicated to Organic farming and certified by the Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA), allowing us to also grow and mill our range of Organic flours.
The Importance of Locally Grown
Food transport accounted for around 20% of global food system CO₂ emissions in 2023. At Mungoswells, our grain is grown on the farm or sourced as close to home as possible. By prioritising local production, we can deliver quality Scottish ingredients while keeping environmental impact to a minimum.
Although Mungoswells spans 550 acres, we cannot always grow enough grain to meet demand. When required, we work with trusted neighbouring farms who grow additional grain to our specification, maintaining the excellent provenance of our flour.
Staying local is very important to us. We aim to do everything we can ourselves. In a world of increasingly long supply chains, growing locally offers a better way forward. Knowing exactly where your flour comes from, right down to the fields it was grown in, creates trust and traceability that international supply chains often cannot match.
By using Mungoswells flour, you’re directly supporting British farming and helping build a more resilient, sustainable food system. As demand grows for local, traceable ingredients, our flours showcase both quality and origin.
Our Flours
Unlike commercial white flour, small darker flecks can be seen throughout the flour produced here at Mungoswells. These are tiny particles of bran, the outer protective skin on a wheat grain. These particles of bran contain additional proteins and fibre and add further flavour to the flour.
Our wholemeal range contains the entire grain (bran, germ, and endosperm), providing greater nutritional value. The wheat germ is rich in B vitamins and antioxidants and, together with the bran, offers extra fibre to support digestive health.
Mungoswells farm-milled flours can be used to create a variety of foods, from sourdough breads and malted loaves to pizzas, cakes, and scones. Available in 1.5 kg and 16 kg bags, our flours are perfect for both home bakers and professional kitchens.
Our range now includes 15 different flours. Available in both Organic and Conventional options, our range gives bakers plenty of choice while keeping the focus on quality and provenance.