The Story of McCaskie
A chemist and equipment store in Stirling, three generations of one family, four country stores, a field sales team and an engineering department — still family-run, still in Stirling.
A Chemist and Equipment Store in Stirling
McCaskie began in the 1950s as a small chemist and equipment store in Stirling, founded by Alex McCaskie and Bill Rettie.
In 1957 Bill Rettie and his son Andrew took ownership and turned it into McCaskie Farm Supplies, with a plain purpose: to meet the needs of the local farmers and the rural community around Stirling. The name over the door stayed. The family behind it has been the Retties ever since.
Through the 1960s and 1970s the business grew its customer base and became part of the farming community it served — and in 1979 it became a founding franchisee of Downland, the co-operative of independent agricultural merchants whose products still lead our shelves today.
Store by Store
Every step on this list is a place a farmer can still walk into.
Mid-1980s — Springkerse
The business moved to a larger site on Springkerse Industrial Estate in Stirling, where head office, the Stirling store and the engineering department are today.
1986 — AMTRA qualified
The sales staff achieved AMTRA qualification, which is what allows a merchant to supply licensed animal medicines over the counter. Every store has SQPs on the counter now, and all eight field reps are SQPs.
1989 — Ayr
A second store, at Ayr. Today it trades from the livestock auction market at Whitefordhill.
1991 — Fossoway
A third store, at Fossoway, extending McCaskie’s reach into Fife and Kinross-shire. That store later moved to Kinross, where it trades today from Orwell Farm.
1993 and 1994 — the third generation
Andrew’s son Neil joined the business in 1993. The following year the Stirling store moved to its current home on Munro Road.
2003 — Lanark
A fourth store, at Lanark, taking McCaskie into south central Scotland. It trades from Caldwellside Industrial Estate.
2013 — three generations
Steven, Andrew’s second son, joined the business: three generations of one family working in it at once.
Today
Ayr, Kinross, Lanark & Stirling, eight reps on the road, eight engineers at Springkerse, and an online shop.
Ayr, Kinross, Lanark & Stirling, and the Road Between
Four country stores and eight reps, dairy, beef and sheep, animal health first.
Two Ways to Deal With McCaskie
The shape of the business has not changed since 1957: a counter you can walk up to, and people who come to the farm.
The country stores
Animal health with SQPs on the counter, Downland nutrition and the names you already ask for, fencing, tags, workwear, pet and equestrian supplies. Open to everyone, farm account or not. Find your store.
The field sales team
Eight reps across Scotland, every one a qualified SQP, advising and supporting through the season — vaccination, calving, lambing, turnout, silage and housing. Find yours.
Online
The shop at mccaskie.store, for the things that post well, sent by post or courier.
Beyond the Counter
Robotic and conventional milking, milk cooling, slurry, ventilation, handling and feeding — specified, supplied, installed and serviced from Stirling.
The Same Company, at the Other End of the Farm
The engineering department grew out of the same instinct as the shop: if the farmer needs it, be the people who supply it and stand behind it.
Today McCaskie is the exclusive Fullwood dealer for Scotland — the only company in the country that can sell, install and service a Fullwood Merlin milking robot — with more than ten years of Fullwood work and more than 90 Merlin robots installed. Eight engineers work from Springkerse, on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they cover milk cooling, slurry robots and scrapers, ventilation, handling and feeding as well as the milking. It is all on the Engineering pages.
Three Generations, One Counter
Bill Rettie founded it. His son Andrew is Managing Director. Andrew’s sons Neil and Steven work in it.
That matters to a customer in a practical way. The people who decide what goes on the shelf are the people who hear what comes back over the counter, and the name on the lorry is the name of a family that has to face its customers at the mart on Monday. A company that has been on the same industrial estate since the 1980s and in the same town since the 1950s is not going anywhere.
About McCaskie
When was McCaskie founded?
McCaskie began in the 1950s as a small chemist and equipment store in Stirling. In 1957 Bill Rettie and his son Andrew took ownership and made it McCaskie Farm Supplies, which is the business trading today.
Is McCaskie a family business?
Yes. Three generations of the Rettie family work in it: Bill Rettie founded it, his son Andrew Rettie is Managing Director, and Andrew's sons Neil and Steven joined in 1993 and 2013.
Where is McCaskie based?
Head office, the Stirling store and the engineering department are on Springkerse Industrial Estate in Stirling, where the business moved in the mid-1980s. There are also stores at Ayr, Kinross and Lanark.
How many McCaskie stores are there?
Four country stores: Ayr, Kinross, Lanark & Stirling. Ayr opened in 1989, the Kinross store opened at Fossoway in 1991 and later moved to Kinross, and Lanark opened in 2003.
What is McCaskie's connection with Downland?
McCaskie has been a founding franchisee of Downland since 1979. Downland is a co-operative of independent agricultural merchants, and its products lead the range in every McCaskie store alongside the other names farmers ask for.
Does McCaskie only sell farm supplies?
No. McCaskie Engineering specifies, supplies, installs and services milking, cooling, slurry, ventilation, handling and feeding systems across Scotland, and is the exclusive Fullwood dealer for Scotland.