Sticking to the family recipe

In 2022, our Chairman Alastair Macphie’s nephew – Ed Widdowson – was promoted to the role of Director which saw him joining the executive board.

Prior to joining Macphie in 2017, Ed spent eight years working in sales and marketing for Procter & Gamble brands including Gillette, Pampers and Oral-B before becoming Head of UK Sales for Duracell.

In his new position, Ed oversees the development of our Aberdeenshire manufacturing facility in line with commercial ambitions and our growing sustainability agenda.

Speaking of the appointment, Alastair Macphie said: “Ed brings fresh enthusiasm to our leadership team and I’m delighted to see the next generation of our family supporting the growth of this business.

“He has been instrumental in driving our business forward over the last two years against an assortment of challenges.

“Ed has also been a key player in maintaining our status as a B Corporation across all our sites and he is committed to driving sustainable, profitable growth that provides jobs and wealth in the local area.

“With his commercial background, drive for operational excellence, and passion for the local community, Ed brings a strong, diverse skillset to our board under the direction of our CEO Andy Stapley.”

Non-executive board

In the last 12 months, we have appointed two new non-executive directors who provide an independent view of the running of our business, governance and boardroom best practice.

Norman Soutar and Jane Stewart joined the team, bringing with them a wealth of leadership and industry expertise. With more than 29 years’ experience in the food sector, Norman’s latest venture saw him managing William Jackson Food Group as Chief Executive where he more than tripled the company’s revenue and oversaw a number of business disposals and acquisitions.

Norman said: “To be part of the evolution and growth of a food industry leader like Macphie is something that I am very much looking forward to.

“During my time at William Jackson Food Group, I worked with the Managing Directors and their leadership teams to help them create value over the long term, going that extra step beyond group strategy support.

“I hope that I can bring the knowledge and skills that I have gained throughout my 29 years in the industry to help Macphie on the next phase of its expansion plan.”

“Macphie continues to grow from strength to strength. Being a great fan of B Corp, I am delighted to be working with a firm that is so passionate about sustainability and environmental performance, having been one of the first businesses in Scotland to achieve this status in 2015.

“With many more significant business developments in the pipeline, it’s great to be on this exciting journey with them.”

Jane Stewart has over 25 years’ experience in industry, private equity investment and corporate finance and brings extensive experience of helping innovative businesses to grow.

Jane holds a number of non-executive positions in high-growth companies, including Edinburgh-based waste tech firm, Topolytics, and Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult. She has recently been recognised by Innovate UK as one of the UK’s leading Women in Innovation.

Customers

It’s our job to make life easier for chefs and bakers around the world. We throw everything we have at making sure we continue to deliver the best possible solutions for our customers.

We invest heavily in market research to predict our customers needs before they’ve had a chance to. And from adapting our packaging solutions to introducing plant-based products, we’re never standing still when it comes to keeping customers happy.

Maintaining high standards

In 2022, we maintained the top rating for food safety and quality from retail industry association the Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS).

Following rigorous on-site audits at both our manufacturing facilities, we were awarded AA status – the highest possible scoring from the renowned safety and quality certification programme of which less than 40% of all BRCGS accredited businesses achieve.

The BRCGS have set the benchmark for over 20 years and have been adopted by over 20,000 sites in 130 countries. Successful certification guarantees a manufacturer is meeting legal obligations as well as strict quality, safety, and operational criteria to protect the end user.

Our Technical Director Mark Duncan said:

Quality shines through at Macphie and this top score is testament to our programme of continuous improvement.

“We have maintained the highest BRCGS grade annually since its conception in the 1990s and the auditor commented that it was clear to see why. They were impressed with our robust quality management system as well as the can-do attitude of our team.

“We are trusted to deliver and it’s our commitment to quality that has helped build long-lasting relationships with so many of our customers.”