Forest Farm, a rural organic dairy farm in Aberdeenshire, has been named the UK's best ice cream parlour for 2026 by the Ice Cream Alliance. The award, announced on July 6, 2026, recognises the farm's gelateria as the Parlour of the Year, with judges calling it the 'glowing standard for ice cream in Scotland'.
Scotland’s Longest-Established Organic Dairy Farm
Located just outside Aberdeen, Forest Farm is Scotland’s longest-established organic dairy farm. It houses a small herd of organic cows, an award-winning organic milk refill station, a gelateria, and a pizzeria. The farm handcrafts its gelato in small batches using fresh organic milk and high-quality ingredients in a purpose-built creamery and gelato kitchen.
Forest Farm has created more than 150 flavours, with a daily menu that changes seasonally. Popular flavours include cranachan, pistachio, rocky road, mint chocolate chip, hazelnut, specialty coffee, cookie dough, and Biscoff. Each flavour contains over 65% organic milk, less cream, and no egg, resulting in a cleaner, denser taste.
Award-Winning History
Purchased by Anthony and Anne Willis in 1989, Forest Farm became Scotland’s first organic dairy farm in 1998. It introduced the country’s first milk vending machine in 2017 and began producing gelato in 2019. In 2021, the family opened an on-farm gelateria and garden. Today, the farm is managed by Anne, her sons, and a team of 30, welcoming over 250,000 visitors annually.
Industry Recognition
The Ice Cream Alliance, the UK and Ireland’s only trade association for the ice cream industry, has been awarding the Parlour of the Year for over 80 years. The 2026 competition saw a record number of entries. Previous winners report that the award transforms their business by raising profile and generating national press coverage.
A Forest Farm spokesperson said: 'It’s an absolute honour to win Parlour of the Year! A lot of amazing ice cream parlours have won in the past and we’re excited to be counted among the best in the country. We plan to keep making our gelato to the high standard we’ve set for ourselves, while still innovating on our recipes. This award is just the beginning for us!'
Catherine McNeil, Director of Operations at the Ice Cream Alliance, added: 'We’re so excited to crown this year’s Parlour of the Year. Forest Farm absolutely deserves this. A glowing standard for ice cream in Scotland, Forest Farm’s heritage of excellence shines through their amazing organic ice cream.'
Nadia Miller of Nic UK, the competition sponsor, commented: 'We are thoroughly delighted to sponsor the Parlour of the Year competition recognising and rewarding excellence in our industry. Congratulations to Forest Farm, who are very worthy winners.'
