STAFF at the Rowan Glen factory are ‘thrilled’ after receiving some royal correspondence.
The factory at Palnure was visited by HRH The Princess Royal last month, when she officially reopened the site.
The yoghurt factory ceased operations in November 2022 and closed for a short period of time. However, it reopened shortly afterwards, with limited production, following the purchase by factory manager Alan Baxter, supported by South of Scotland Enterprise.
Mr Baxter took to social media this week to share the letter from the Princess’ lady in waiting, which stated: “The Princess Royal has asked me to convey her thanks to you and Mrs Baxter for a most enjoyable visit to Rowan Glen. Her Royal Highness was delighted to return to the site, after visiting all those years ago in 1997, to witness all that has been achieved since you succeeded in restarting the business. The story of this restart, achieved by your dedicated team of Rowan Glen ‘Warriors’, was impressive and heart-warming in equal measure; it was refreshing to hear of staff members’ commitment and loyalty to your joint endeavour
“When we were all gathering in the hall at the end of the visit it was clear the core spirit of the Rowan Glen team is very strong – something to be celebrated!”
Reacting to the letter, a spokesperson for Rowan Glen said: “We are thrilled to share a special message of gratitude from HRH The Princess Royal, following her recent visit to Rowan Glen. It was an absolute privilege to welcome Her Royal Highness back to our site after her first visit in 1997. The Princess took great interest in learning about our journey, our production processes, and the incredible dedication of our team who make everything we do possible.
“A special mention goes out to South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) for their significant support in helping us grow. It was wonderful to have this recognised, and we’re grateful to SOSE for all they do to empower local businesses like ours.
“A heartfelt thank you to HRH The Princess Royal for her kind words and encouragement. We are inspired to keep growing and contributing to our community, illustrating, as she put it, that “where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
