Scottish Grocer - Top Scottish Brands 2017 by Peebles Media Group

December 2017

L A N E M O N E H HAVE A P CHRISTMAS © Snowman Enterprises Limited 2017 THE SNOWMAN™ Snowman Enterprises Limited *Source : Kantar World Panel, Value Sales, Take Home Non-Alcohol Brands, MAT to 21.05.17, Total Scotland

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Scottish brands 2017

A year of evolution Amanda’s overview AMANDA Brown, strategic insight director for Scotland for market research company Kantar Worldpanel – which provides the listing of the top 50 Scottish nonalcohol brands in Scotland and the Top 25 Scottish alcohol brands in Scotland – analyses the year for the leading Scottish brands in Scottish food and drink retailing.

AS 2017 draws to a close it’s time to take a look back at what has shaped the food and non-alcoholic drink industry in Scotland over the past year. The retail landscape continues to evolve, offering shoppers more choice than ever before with Aldi and Lidl developing their store footprint in Scotland, helping them both attract more shoppers. Despite the increased competition from the discounters and bargain stores sector, the Big 3 – Tesco, Asda and Morrisons – still command 54% of the market, with The Coop (including Scotmid) going head to head with Sainsbury’s to be the 4th biggest retailer. The independent sector grew but not as strongly as the total grocery market as it felt the effect of the increasingly competitive environment. 2017 is the year that own label overtook brands to command a greater share of our grocery spend in Scotland and whilst we see the trend towards premium own label continue, the pace of growth is slower than we see happening nationally. Scottish brands account for just under 5% of our spend in Scotland and whilst this figure has not changed much

over the last five years we now see a wider range of Scottish products available in stores. However, as we move into times of economic uncertainty, decreasing consumer confidence and interest rate rises, shoppers will begin to tighten their purse strings and brands of all shapes and sizes may begin to feel the effects as we see the retailers put an increased focus into their ownlabel ranges. Another defining feature of 2017 is the momentum in reduced or no-sugar soft drinks and smaller packaging variants in response to the Sugar Tax. Proactive action from the industry means that currently only 34% of sales are eligible for the levy. Irn-Bru, which successfully launched Irn-Bru Xtra last year, has seen continued success and incremental sales, and the brand retains the number one position in the Top 50 for another year. With both the UK and Scottish Governments setting out their obesity reduction plans, it is now the turn of the food industry to respond to reduction targets being set around sugar, fat and salt. So while shoppers have become savvier about where and how they shop, more of them are

becoming more interested in their health. We have seen Scottish producers respond to this trend including Nairn’s, Graham’s, Genius and Stockan’s, to name a few. We’ve also seen sales and volumes of fruit and vegetables grow in Scotland – but we still only eat 2.5 of our recommended five a day and lag behind the rest of the UK. The industry set itself a new growth target in 2017 to double its size by 2030 by growing the presence of Scottish brands at home and overseas. The £108bn UK grocery market offers a host of opportunities, not least in London and The South which account for almost 32% of shoppers’ spend. In the last 12 months we’ve seen some credible growth from Scottish brands south of the border including Albert Bartlett, Genius, Graham’s and Stoats. More of our companies and brands need to look beyond Hadrian’s Wall to seek out opportunities that play well into the premium brand credentials that the Scottish food and drink industry does so well. Within the Top 50, the Top 10 features the same brands as last year with the top five remaining in the same places. Further down the top table there’s more movement, with McIntosh moving up to number six and McLelland Seriously to number eight. The Top 10 are well-established Scottish favourites and have all been proactive in developing their presence in store using innovation to drive their success across new products and packs. Müller Wiseman still features in the top 10, however as we see the Wiseman branding featuring less and less, it is unfortunately inevitable that the Wiseman

brand may not feature in future lists. Mrs Unis, a new entrant last year, has continued to build on the brand’s foundations, moving up a further eight places to number 33 by growing its distribution into new customers and new channels. J G Ross is also another notable mover on the list, moving to 18th place, up six places from last year. We have two new brand entries – the first is Calder Millerfield, which has successfully developed its brand offering in the Co-op and enters at number 48, and One Pounders from Golden Casket making it in at number 50. There is no doubt that more change lies ahead. Economic uncertainty will affect how and where we shop, demographic changes such as an ageing population and a growing number of smaller households need to be considered as well as retail disrupters such as Amazon’s purchase of Wholefoods, all of which will offer new commercial opportunities. Changing consumer tastes, an interest in health, a desire for easy to cook and convenient meals are all current trends that should be influencing NPD within our industry and Scottish brands need to respond. The Scottish food industry and the brands within are in a good place to realise continued market potential and success. With the digital age now upon us, it is critical that the industry is able to compete in fast-moving markets where customers and consumers will move more quickly than ever before and behave differently when it comes to shopping and consuming both in the home and out.

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Top 50 Scottish take-home food and drink brands in Scotland – excluding alcohol Brand

Rank Rank Moving 2017 2016 up

Brand

Rank Rank Moving 2017 2016 up

▲

Irn Bru

Scott’s

Graham's the Family Dairy

Genius

Malcolm Allan

Paterson’s

Baxters

Marshalls

Bells Pies and Pastry

Tarbert Fine Foods

McIntosh

Mackays

Tunnock’s

Mrs Tilly’s

▲

Wiseman

Mrs Unis

▲

Seriously

Buchanan’s

Mackie’s

Lawson’s

Simon Howie

Highland Game

Albert Bartlett

We Hae Meat

Barr

Big and Scottish

Scotty

Macsween

Rowan Glen

Orkney Cheddar

Border Biscuits

▲

Hamlyns of Scotland

▲

Galloway Cheddar

▲

Grant’s

▲

JG Ross

▲

Glenrath

▲

Highland Spring

▲

Dean’s

Macb

Lees

Scottish Blend

Stockan’s

▲

Hall’s

Swankies

▲

Mothers Pride

Calder Millerfield

Nairn’s

Brownings

Great Scot

One Pounders

▲

NE 50

▲ NE

Source: Kantar Worldpanel take-home sales in Scotland 52 weeks to 21 May 2017 v 52 weeks to 22 May 2016. NE = New entry. December 2017 · Scottish Grocer · 27

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Scottish brands 2017

1 Irn-Bru

Bolstered by the success of Irn-Bru Xtra, Irn-Bru has recorded another phenomenal year and once more claimed the top spot among non-alcohol brands. THERE’S no surprise which brand takes the number 1 spot. Scotland’s “other national drink” Irn-Bru has been reigning champion of Scottish Grocer’s top 50 brands review for several years and more positive results in 2017 saw it secure its place once again. Though it was launched in summer 2016, 2017 has been the year of Irn-Bru Xtra, the new variant which contains more of the famous Irn-Bru essence but with no sugar. Irn-Bru Xtra made its television debut in June with an ad campaign running for the entire month, supported by extensive digital and social media support as part of a £5m brand investment throughout 2017. AG Barr commercial director Jonathan Kemp said Xtra had experienced a very successful launch and had significantly outperformed the market this year. He said: “Xtra has worked really well for us. I think we have a great-tasting product, and that’s important. It does give you an extra Irn-Bru taste with no sugar, so that’s worked incredibly well. “We’ve seen a lot more people come into Irn-Bru Xtra than were perhaps expected. Not just people who drink Irn-Bru. People from outside the market. I know from one piece of analysis that 10% of people who tried Irn-Bru Xtra this year had not drunk any Irn-Bru in the previous year. We’ve seen some real positive brand building. “At the same time, Sugar Free has continued to do well. There are a lot of people who like the taste of Sugar Free and want to drink that. “People are trying to cut down on the amount of sugar they’re consuming as well, so to give them a great-tasting product with no sugar has worked really well.” The success of Irn Bru Xtra, awareness of consumers’ changing tastes and the approach of the Westminster Government’s levy on sugary soft drinks all fed into AG Barr’s decision to slash the sugar content in its original formula Irn-Bru by 50%.

Irn-Bru ends 2017 once again as Scotland’s most valuable Scottish non-alcohol brand in food and drink retail. AG Barr’s commercial director Jonathan Kemp (below) said it had been especially good for Irn-Bru Xtra.

Announced back in March, Kemp said the new formula will hit shelves in January 2018. “The good news is that Irn-Bru original will not attract a sugar levy at all, in contrast to some of the other brands out in the market. That’s a key thing for the brand going forward,” he said. In the meantime, its been another busy period for marketing activity, particularly

through sport, with the Irn Bru Cup bringing in teams from Northern Ireland and Wales, sponsorship of the English Football League, and ads on the SPFL and Soccer AM websites. “We’ve had the usual social activity,” said Kemp. “A lot on Facebook. Iron Maiden came to the Hydro, so we had a bit of fun with them. We had our Irn-Boo campaign for Halloween, all that sort of stuff. “It’s been a typical busy year, investing in the brand. “As we go into next year there will be a new campaign on Irn-Bru. You can almost set your watch by it. In 2004 we did ‘Phenomenal’. 2011 was ‘Gets you through’. We do something big every seven years, expect to see, early in 2018, a big new campaign on that scale.”

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Scottish brands 2017

2 Graham’s

Scotland’s leading dairy brand – and number one food brand – rises to meet demand for less processed, high-protein, low-fat foods and hangs onto its position. 2016 was the year that Graham’s the Family Dairy, after years of rising through the ranks, finally made it to the number-two spot. It has kept its place this year through continued sales growth in its core product categories and with the launch of a number of new products aiming to meet the evolving demands of consumers. The year got off to a great start with the launch of Protein 22 back in January. The smooth and fruity quark, designed as an ideal snack for sporty, fit and health conscious people or those looking to eat a healthy, protein rich diet, immediately secured listings in Scotmid, Home Bargains and Sainsbury’s. By the end of the year it was also in Asda and Tesco, as well as supermarkets in England. Marketing director Carol Graham said the company’s own research had shown a demand for these kinds of dairy products amongst consumers. “We know there’s a desire for natural products,” she said. “Customers contacted us,

Marketing director Carol Graham said the company was seeing growing demand for more natural products. For this reason it has grown its range of organic, non-homogenised and Jersey milk, all of which have proven popular.

asking if we had a non-homogenised organic milk. It’s one less process. It gets pasteurised, but not homogenised. For those who are not just into organic, but the whole natural, less processed foods, it has a real appeal.” Graham’s Organic Whole and Organic Semi-Skimmed Milk With Cream At The Top

Launched early in 2017, Protein 22 has won several innovation awards across major export shows including SIAL Paris, Gulfood in Dubai and Anuga in Germany.

are non-homogenised and as close to its natural state as possible. They have celebrated increased listings and growing sales in 2017 – as has the ‘gold top’ range of Jersey milk, which has 18% more protein than normal milk. “Those health messages – that it’s high protein, it’s natural – are what we’re focusing on and where we’re seeing an opportunity in terms of our products,” said Graham. “I think when we go into 2018, there is a huge amount still to do with the brand and there are new categories that we can move into. The health market, consumers wanting higher-protein, low fat products, there’s a lot we can do with that. And of course there’s demand for organic. “We’ve got huge potential for the brand and the products. We still focus on the fact

it’s family farming. That’s the foundation of everything we do. When we go into different categories, that story is really important.” Beyond new products and listings, Graham’s the Family Dairy is aiming to invest big in 2018, with a proposal sitting with Scottish Ministers for a national dairy production, research and education facility in Stirling that would make Scotland self-sufficient in the production of dairy and fats. Graham said: “There has been no big investment in dairy in Scotland for the last 30-odd years. That would allow us to have a new dairy facility and to do more research and product development. “A full investment in all elements of dairy is ideally what we would like to achieve. That’s dependent on what happens with our application.”

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No.1 Scottish food brand. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wellie delighted.

And we continue to be Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no.1 dairy brand for 2017. Source: Kantar Worldpanel

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Scottish brands 2017

3 Malcolm Allan A sharp rise in the price of raw materials made it a challenging year for Malcolm Allan, but the business has invested in itself and brought out some new products RETAINING its position in the top three for another year, Malcolm Allan is a third generation family company that has been manufacturing quality meat products since 1954. Its reputation was built as a high street butcher serving high-quality products and it now supplies all the multiple supermarkets – and many convenience retailers – with sausages, pies and burgers as well as traditional butcher meat lines. This year the company completed a comprehensive investment programme totalling £3.6m, which saw the renewal of its entire production facilities and the building of a new bakery. Director Gordon Allan said: “That’s been a big thing for us. It’s a big investment. We worked with a lot of our customers to make sure we got it right. It’s built for the future, but it’s still producing our products in the same way we’ve always made them. “Our original ovens were built in Falkirk and the new ovens, believe it or not, were built in Falkirk by two of the same engineers. “We can produce the products the same way, but quicker, because we’re a lot more efficient with firing, chilling and all that sort of stuff.” The new factory and bakery are both grade A on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, which Allan said was increasingly important to retailers. “We’ve seen a shift in people being able to supply multiples and discounters without

Malcolm Allan launched two new low-fat sausages, approved by Scottish Slimmers, to the market in 2017, which director Gordon Allan said had been a hit.

meeting BRC standards. “We’ve been at BRC level for a long time, but over the last 10 years, a lot of customers had been getting supplied by much smaller, cheaper producers that only had SALSAs (Safe and Local Supplier Approval). “That’s changed now. Everyone wants a BRC and I think that’s a good thing. It means there’s a level playing field.” As far as its products go, in 2017 Malcolm Allan has continued to reap the benefits of its decade-long partner-

ship with Scottish Slimmers. Its range of low fat products bearing the Scottish Slimmer tick of approval, including Low Fat Steak Lorne, Slimmer Burgers and Extra Lean Steak Mince, was added to in April with the launch of two new low-fat sausage products. The Pork Sausages are 62 kcal per sausage and the Steak Sausages are 59 kcal per sausage, independently verified by a UKAS Accredited Lab. The pork sausages are 2.5 checks and the steak sausages are two checks per sau-

sage under the Scottish Slimmers Weight Loss Plan. The sausages are made to a healthy recipe in an artisan butcher style, with no compromise in taste. “Scottish Slimmers has been quite good for us,” said Allan. “There is a health agenda in Scotland. Everyone’s on a drive for lower salt, low fat, etc, which is great. But the problem is the product’s still got to be good. “If it doesn’t taste good, people won’t buy it, so we spent ages getting our recipes right. The most successful is Malcolm Allan Scottish Slimmers Pork Link – and it’s a good product. We eat them in my house – and if I forget to bring them home, my wife will go to the shop to buy them. “That’s been pretty good for us, because it’s higher value business. It’s a good product and a route we want to continue down. “The good thing about it is 94% of the people going to Scottish Slimmers are women. Out of that, a large majority will be making the rest of the food purchasing decisions for their families, which makes them valuable customers.” Beyond the Scottish Slimmers sausages, there wasn’t much in the way of NPD this year. Allan said this wasn’t the time to be launching a lot of new products, but to concentrate on the core business and the challenges it faces. “We’re finding things very tough at the moment,” he said. “Sterling has been devalued 15%, which has sent exports

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up 18% and Scottish cattle numbers are down 10%. So there’s a perfect storm there in raw material prices. “It’s made things really tough. We’re effectively paying 15% more for raw materials, but you can’t put that onto the price of a pie. That’s going to cause a lot of bother. “Brexit is causing chaos. Customers have asked me to guarantee prices for 18 months but I don’t even know what prices will be in three months. “I’ve been through periods like this before, where we’ve been hit by circumstances beyond our control and, the thing is, everybody’s in the same boat.” Allan said the company had navigated its way through difficult times by seeking support from its supermarket customers and finding efficiencies

Director Gordon Allan says it’s been a challenging year for the brand, but the quality of its products remains the top priority.

within the business. However, what Malcolm Allan certainly cannot afford to do, he said, is tinker with its recipes to make them more economical. “The easiest thing to do would be to cut the amount

of steak in our steak pies. But that’s short-termism. You’ve got to keep your quality. “You might sail through the six or nine months when everyone else is taking a kicking, but four years down the line your business is goosed, be-

cause customers might buy it once, but they won’t buy it again. “My father always said if it’s not good enough to have in our own homes, it’s not good enough to sell. And that’s still our mission statement.”

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Scottish brands 2017

4 Baxter’s

As it looks ahead to its 150th anniversary in 2018, Baxters Food Group retains its position in the top 5, sitting comfortably after another ‘super good’ year. FROM humble beginnings in Fochabers, Scotland, to the successful premium-positioned, global business it is today, Baxters Food Group has had an incredible journey. Baxters products are now sold across various categories in over 100 countries around the world, testament to the strength of the brand, its product offering and commitment to quality produce, reinforced further through a Royal Warrant for the manufacture of Scottish Specialities by Her Majesty The Queen. In 2017, Baxters built on its product offering and reputation with the addition of innovative new soups reflecting evolving consumer lifestyles and the growing desire for ‘good for you’ options, beyond the traditional low fat, low sugar and salt approach. The new Baxters Super Good range comprises six soups, each providing a balance of strong flavours and health-supporting ingredients. Marketing director Cara Chambers said: “The Super Good ethos reflects increasing evidence and understanding of the benefits of these ‘super’ ingredients. From the anti-inflammatory values of ginger

Alongside the launch of Super Good (below), the existing Hearty range from Baxters has been revitalised to give greater shelf appeal along with improved clarity of its health benefits and goodness credentials.

and turmeric to the high fibre content of super greens, the vitamin D and B delivered in oily fish and the high protein provided from chicken. This is a range packed full of goodness.” Alongside the launch of Super Good, the existing Hearty range has been refreshed to give greater clarity of its health benefits and goodness credentials with three new flavours. Hearty is designed to

help consumers eat more protein with great tasting, energyboosting ingredients providing up to 20% energy from protein in just one can. Baxters’ desire is to educate and inform around the issue of protein by making the message very simple, as well as proving that soup can offer high protein intake, making it cost effective and convenient. Chambers said: “Throughout its existence, the com-

pany has consistently shown commitment to quality and strong food values. This remains core to its philosophy as much today as it did 150 years ago. “As Baxters reflects it can also take pride in continuing to move forward and innovate to meet changing consumer tastes. All this whilst retaining the quality and ensuring as a brand, they are always striving to be better and distinctive.

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Have a Super Good Soup Season

NEW

Available A il bl in i 6 flavours fl at 400g 400 weight i h

New flavours to appeal to the health conscious Category’s no.2 brand worth £34.7m* *Source: IRI SIG Grocery Outlets, 52 w/e 22.7.17

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Scottish brands 2017

5 Bells

Scotland’s leading producer of Scotch pies has experienced another good year, with a refresh of its packaging and the launch of new bakes getting great results.

Director of sales and marketing Gordon Smith is delighted with the year Bells has had, but reckons there’s room for growth.

ROUNDING out the top five is Bells, the brand covering fresh pies and pastry owned by Lanarkshire-based Bells Food Group. With a 60% share of the chilled brand pie market in Scotland, sales and marketing director Gordon Smith is exceedingly pleased with its performance, but believes it still has far to go. “That kind of share is the kind of thing brands dream of,” he said. “And across the UK, from a fresh pies perspective, Bells is still a number two brand, behind Pukka. That shows the strength of our performance in Scotland. We have next to no presence in England, but we’re still number two in the UK. “The market is pretty buoyant in terms of consumer purchases. When I look at the fresh pie market in Scotland,

it’s showing 7.7% growth, according to Kantar. That’s driven by frequency of shop, bigger volume purchases by consumers and also penetration, which is up 8.9%. There are consumers still coming into the sector, and for a mature sector, that’s quite encouraging. An extra nine consumers for every hundred is very welcome. “What’s really tough in the market – and its tough for everyone – is the cost of ingredients. So sales can be up, but profitability can be challenged. That’s the position for a lot of people and it’s no different for us. “It’s a strong brand that still has great potential, and we’ve seen that coming through in the last couple of years. We’re getting a lot more strategic and a bit more focussed in what we’re doing.” On the savoury side of the

business – Bells Food Group also owns Kirriemuir Gingerbread – the company has been investing money, refreshing its packaging and launching new products. Following a £3.6m investment to double its pastry production capacity to 150 tonnes per week, it launched Bells Professional Pastry, a dedicated arm of the business focused on the manufacture and supply of quality pastry to

the commercial pastry arena. Packaging has been refreshed to provide more consistency and personality, and the brand has boosted its portfolio with the introduction of a new Bakes range (Chicken and Steak for now, with Chicken Curry to follow) that Smith forecasts will soon be worth £2m. Designed to attract customers with busy lifestyles who are looking to enjoy good quality, affordable and convenient food, the range seems like a good fit for convenience stores, but Smith said this was an area where he felt the company was still lagging. “It’s very rare to find our products in the convenience sector,” he said. “There are two channels at the moment where we’re not as strong as we should be, which isn’t fair on the Scottish consumer. One is the foodservice market and the other is convenience. “Our market at the minute is dominated by the major mults, around 90%. We’ve not been able to penetrate the convenience sector and that’s something I aim to tackle in 2018.”

40% of the Scottish population will buy a Bells product at least once a year. It is Scotland’s fourth most recognised food brand with over 60% of the chilled branded pie market, according to data from Kantar Worldpanel.

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Scottish brands 2017

6 McIntosh

Continuing to cement its position as the best-selling ready meal brand in Scotland, this year saw McIntosh move up a place in our list to take the sixth spot. IT’s been another good year for chilled foods and ready meals brand McIntosh of Strathmore, which continued to climb through the ranks, coming in at number 6. According to IRI figures quoted by the company, it now accounts for 18% of all chilled ready meals sold in Scotland, with five of the top 10 selling chilled ready meals in Scotland coming under the McIntosh brand, McIntosh Macaroni Cheese being the nation’s favourite ready meal. Steady growth has continued through 2017, highlighted at the recent Kantar Worldpanel Scottish Client Day where the brand was highlighted as currently being the 4th fastest growing food and drink brand in Scotland. McIntosh attributes this success to its continual marketing through a variety of channels and strategies – both to potential new customers and the established loyal customer base. Annual spend on radio and

The new McIntosh FTG pot can withstand any combi or merrychef oven and includes a lid and spork, meaning it can be consumed on the go.

press has this year been reinforced with a new TV advert that ran on STV throughout September and November, with a Burns-specific advert scheduled for January Meanwhile, the brand’s community grants campaign McInvest has been supporting community causes throughout Scotland on a monthly basis, with over £6,000 already in-

vested to date. Its presence at numerous consumer events and shows throughout the year has also allowed new customers to sample products and learn about the brand. However, nothing is more important than the products themselves, and continuous investment in the production site and the staff has ensured

their consistency and quality do not waver. Looking ahead to 2018, Julie Nisbet, managing director of Strathmore Foods, said: “A recent trial of the McIntosh Macaroni Cheese in Morrisons stores across England and Wales proved very successful and it is hoped this may open the door to an extended trial in the future which would be a big step for the business given that the brand is predominantly only available in Scotland “The McIntosh NPD team have been working for some time on a solution for bringing the best-selling chilled ready meals to the food-to-go market, and this new concept is now ready. The best-selling lines in the range will be available in branded pots that can withstand any combi or merrychef oven, along with a lid and spork, meaning all stores or vendors have to do is heat up the meals and hold in any heated cabinet or hot plate ready for their customers to grab and enjoy on the go.”

Julie Nisbet, managing director, Strathmore Foods (left) is excited about the coming year for McIntosh, which has strengthened its position with constant marketing activity and show appearances. Insights from Kantar Worldpanel show that new twists like Bacon Mac’n’Cheese have brought a much younger shopper to the brand. 38 · Scottish Grocer · December 2017

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Scottish brands 2017

7 Tunnock’s

THE country’s favourite Scottish biscuit brand this year takes the seventh spot in our Top 50 list. Established in 1890, the brand is steeped in history. And while the products – including its famous Tunnock’s tea cakes as well as caramel wafer, snowballs and caramel logs – haven’t changed much in the last five decades, the production process certainly has. The firm has invested heavily in technology at its factory in Uddingston, with robots capable of running 24 hours a day and producing millions of products a week – something owner Boyd Tunnock said has been critical to meeting soaring demand. “We’re up 10% this year, which is quite a lot, but it keeps us busy,” he said. Work is currently underway on a 220,000 sq ft extension, costing £3.5m, that will add a further 30 jobs to the payroll and provide the company with an extra 10% production capacity. The construction should be finished by the end of March. The expansion isn’t the only news that has brought press attention to Tunnock’s in 2017. In October, two cars carrying exclusive Tunnock’s logos took part in Britain’s round of the World Rally Championship in Wales, co-driven by Boyd’s grandson Stuart Loudon. And in the same month, Glasgow scientists took the brand off-world, launching a Tunnock’s tea cake into space in a bid to spark people’s imaginations about science. Around 20% of the brand’s sales are now abroad, where new markets are opening up and demand continues to grow, with the brand still en-

Owner Boyd Tunnock has invested heavily in production to meet the rise in demand in 2017, with an expansion for the factory underway. A small detail has also been changed on the wrapper of the caramel wafer this year. While at the start of 2017 it boasted that more than 5m of the biscuits are made and sold every week, that’s now been updated to 6m.

joying a high from 2014’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. “The dancing teacakes at the Commonwealth Games went worldwide. You couldn’t have asked for a better advert,” said Tunnock. “There are about 35 countries we export to now, from Australia and Canada to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. We send 1,000 cases of caramel wafers to Iceland every month – and it’s a small country.” Sales have continued to climb in the home market too, something Tunnock attributes

to the reliability of the brand. “We haven’t put the prices up for six and a half years and we haven’t reduced the size,” he said. “Through thick and thin the product has remained the same. “At the moment, we seem to be best known in Scotland for tea cakes, but the one I like best is the caramel wafer, because I can wrap them at 400 a minute. I make more money off them. “It’s a good product and a good size. The chocolate is made with milk crumb – fresh milk, cocoa liquor and sugar,

mixed together and dried. It’s the drying process that puts the caremalised flavour into it. “You can replicate it by using full cream milk powder, sugar and cocoa liquor, but it hasn’t the same characteristics. I tried to make it that way, because it would save me money, but I gave it up. “If things are going well, you can look for efficiences elsewhere, but don’t mess with the product. We stick with what works. “It’s a pleasure to be making stuff that people want to buy. That’s the whole trick.”

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Scottish brands 2017

9 Seriously

UP one place from 2016, the Seriously cheddar brand is performing exceptionally well with value and volume sales in strong both up by over 12%, according to owner Lactalis McLelland.

Earlier this year, the company relaunched and added to its Seriously brand with the roll out of a fresh new look and two clearly-defined sub-ranges with their own unique recipes: Seriously and Seriously

Creamy. The move also saw the launch of a completely new line, Seriously Creamy Medium Cheddar 350g, introduced to appeal to younger families in particular and to spark life back into the underperforming mild/medium maturity cheddar segment. Lactalis McLelland recently unveiled a new look for the Seriously Spreadable range, including a packaging makeover and new brand identity designed to help broaden its appeal among families. The revamp brings the Seriously Spreadable brand in line with the Seriously cheddar range, which was relaunched earlier this year.

“Packaging is a great way of communicating the brand’s credentials at the point-of-purchase,” said the company’s marketing director Mike Chatters, who also pointed to the product’s quality as a point of difference. “To stand out and appeal to consumers in a crowded marketplace, it is essential that a product’s quality is absolutely first rate,” he said. “In a blind taste test conducted among consumers, Seriously cheddar showed a strong preference (62:38) versus the market leader.” The Seriously brand is produced, cut and packed at Lactalis McLelland’s creamery in Stranraer.

of products, particularly with all the exciting things happening for us this year. “It’s important to us that we stick fiercely true to our principles – as that is what our customers have grown to trust us for. “For instance, the ‘of Scotland’ within our name is evermore relevant as we continue to expand production from our Aberdeenshire farm and maintain close relationships with fantastic local producers.” The firm’s on-site renewable energy generation has also

reached new heights, with the solar farm completing its second calendar year and providing large amounts of power during the summer months when its four wind turbines often produce less power. Elsewhere in the business, Mackie’s Crisps has noted significant growth both at home and abroad, with seasonal flavours and in-store promotional work proving highly successful in Scotland and the number of countries they now export to having risen to a grand total of 25.

10 Mackie’s SINCE launching its crisps and chocolate brands, Mackie’s of Scotland has firmly established itself across Scotland’s sweet treats and snacks markets – while its famous ice cream continues to grow in popularity. Another positive year of sales has resulted in growth across the family firm’s product ranges, as it continues to launch new flavours in Scotland and secure important listings south of the border. Despite a backdrop of decline among most premium ice-cream brands, Mackie’s ice cream has also seen a strong increase in its UK-wide market share, recording a rise of 10% over the 12-month period ending 13 August 2017. This significant growth at a national level is reflected in its homeland, where the familyrun business scooped up an

impressive 6% increase taking it to 25% of the overall premium ice cream market north of the border – becoming Scotland’s biggest-selling brand. Despite severe 300% increases to the cost of cream, (which it buys in to supplement the creamy whole milk from its own dairy herd) Mackie’s has maintained its good value pricing position at checkouts, and remains committed to making real dairy ice cream – and to encourage consumers to check ingredients and “taste the dairy difference”. Taste and innovation remains key, continuing the success of its limited-edition flavours, with its current line Caramel Biscotti proving a hit. Karin Mackie, marketing director at Mackie’s of Scotland, said: “It’s great to see continued growth across our range

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Scottish brands 2017

Simon Howie 11

RETAINING its number 11 spot for the second year is Perthshire-based family butcher Simon Howie. The company began operating 30 years ago and today

employs 120 people, with two butcher shops in Perth, a successful foodservice operations and listings in all the major supermarkets in Scotland and nationwide. 2017 was a significant year for the brand as the Simon Howie Original haggis officiallu became is the world’s bestselling haggis, according to IRI till data. The company saw recordbreaking sales for its expanded haggis range (including Original, Veggie and Family) in the run up to Burns Night – a substantial boost in sales coming on the back of a Burns Tour of Tesco and Morrison’s supermarkets throughout Scotland allowing shoppers to

sample the products for themselves. In September, the brand was relaunched with redesigned packaging across its core product range to drive onshelf presence in store. Simon Howie said: “Our new branding reflects the quality

of our products and the high standards we work to achieve whilst also reaffirming our brand heritage. “This is an exciting period for myself and the team and we’re looking forward to seeing the new packaging and products on shelf.”

12 Albert Bartlett POTATO specialist Albert Bartlett leapt two places, up to number 12, in 2017. And considering how much it’s been up to this year, that’s little surprise. Kicking off with the re-launch of Purple Majesty potatoes in March and sponsorship of Sirens Netball, activity continued with an Easter promo in April, filling Easter egg boxes with foil-wrapped Rooster potatoes. In September Albert Bartlett created new foil packaging for its Apache potato variety, launching into Sainsbury. In October, it created spooky Halloween packaging for Purple Majesty, displaying recipes for Wiches Finger Fries and Vampire Sausage & Mash. In the same month, Albert Bartlett premium frozen Rooster roast potatoes basted in goose fat were launched into all Costco stores nationwide.

The firm rounded out the year with a new television campaign for autumn, starring its award-winning branded Rooster potatoes and Frozen Rooster Homestyle Chips. Albert Bartlett’s portfolio encompasses both fresh and frozen products so it was decided to include fresh and frozen in the same campaign. Head of Marketing Michael Jarvis said: “This new approach plays on the emotions and emphasizes our family heritage, passion for quality and care for the environment. “The mouth-watering product shots demonstrate the versatility of our fresh potatoes and the meticulous care we take over our frozen products.” Albert Bartlett has invested over £140m in infrastructure since 2003 and over £40m in creating a brand, helping it to become a household name.

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We delighted to have climbed one place to number 14 in the We’re Ka Kantar World Panel 2017 Scottish take-home brands. Whether it’s our commitment to a growing range of Scottish produce and fo foods – including our frozen Garden Peas and Chippy Chips, or delicious Scottish Fancy Cakes – or Scotty’s hard work and ca canine charm, it’s a result that’s not to be sniffed at.

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We’re delighted to have climbed two places to reach number 12 in the 2017 Kantar table of Scottish takehome brands. We have been a family-run business since 1948 and and are now the UK market leading supplier of fresh potatoes. Our varieties include our award-winning Rooster potato and the creamy, buttery Elfe. We apply the same expertise to our frozen range which now includes Chunky and Homestyle Chips, Fries, Wedges, as well as Roast Potatoes. All the convenience of frozen, all the quality of Albert Bartlett.

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Scottish brands 2017

13 Barr

THE Barr range of carbonates from AG Barr may not be as well-known as Irn-Bru, but it remains a major Scottish brand in its home market – especially for convenience retailers. The brand has seen sales growth of 2% according to IRI figures quoted by commercial director Jonathan Kemp. “It’s good to have that growth on Barr,” he said. “People tend to forget how big a brand it is in Scotland.It remains very popular, particularly in the 2L bottles and single cans.” The Barr range offers 14 flavours including Barr Cola and Lemonade as well as Cherryade, Bubblegum, Limeade

and Cream Soda. Among these, Kemp said the most popular was Barr Cola. This year, AG Barr completed its process of reformulating the Barr range to reduce sugar content and ensure all will escape the Sugar Levy. “Some of our drinks are down to less than one teaspoon of sugar, some have none, but Barr is already levyfree as a brand. I think Cola in particular is going to offer great value for money, going forward, compared to some other brands.” Marketing for 2017 has been focussed mainly around digital and events sponsorship, most prominently with the use of the ‘talking cans’.

Scotty Brand 14 The addition of new products like asparagus and attentions of the likes of chef Andrew Fairlie (below) helped establish the reputation of Scotty Brand in 2017, said Michael Jarvis (right).

2017 was an exciting, and busy, year for Scotty Brand, which moved up a place to number 14. In Spring, it welcomed tomatoes back to its product range and, to celebrate, double Michelin-starred chef Andrew Fairlie was invited to sample the fruit and prepare some tasters at a special Scottish media launch. The tomatoes also attracted the attention of BBC Landward, which visited the farm for National Tomato Week, and of HRH The Princess Royal who officially opened the Glasshouse in September. With the launch of its chip shop-style Chippy Chips earlier this year, Scotty Brand commissioned a survey to find out what the nation liked to top their chips with. In May, asparagus was introduced to the growing prod-

uct range and, during its short season, chef Albert Roux OBE, came to sample it. And at the Royal Highland Show, Scotty Brand teamed up with supermarket Lidl to challenge children to come up with an eye-catching design for the Scotty Brand Highland Baby Potatoes. Michael Jarvis, head of marketing, said: “We are continually working on category expansion for Scotty Brand and are delighted that the company now has an established reputation for delivering Scottish food that is good value, low in food miles and high on taste. We are now listed in virtually every major retailer in Scotland and Scotty Brand being listed at number 14 in the top 50 best-selling Scottish brands is testament to the quality and expertise behind our Scottish offerings.”

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Scottish brands 2017

15 Rowan Glen

ONE of Scotland’s largest yogurt producers, Rowan Glen takes the number 15 spot in the Top 50 Scottish Food and Drink brands for 2017. Located on the edge of Dumfries and Galloway National Park, Rowan Glen uses locally-sourced Scottish milk to produce a wide range of yogurts and yogurt drinks. The brand also extends to a range of cheeses, butter, spreads, and desserts.

Anticipating continued growth over the next five years for low sugar, high-protein onthe-go snacking solutions, the farmer-owned dairy company has powered its entrance into the nutrition market through the launch of its Pots of Goodness range. The Greek-style yogurt, available as ‘Little Pots of Goodness’ (4x120g) and a ‘Big Pot of Goodness’ (450g), has 0% added sugar, 0% fat and is enriched with vitamin D. One of the biggest pieces of news for the brand in 2017 came in October, when it was announced as official sponsor of the King’s Theatre Edinburgh pantomime, Cinderella. Rowan Glen commercial

manager Donny Gillies said: “The pantomime brings so much enjoyment to families from across Scotland and is

an annual festive highlight for many children and adults alike. We are proud to now be a part of that tradition.”

backbone of the company’s marketing activity. “We had lots of activity on social media with our ‘Year of the Ginger’, which culminates at the end of the ear with our very own ginger calendar. “Ginger-haired customers have been sending in their lovely traditional family photographs and we have a competition every month to pick the best one. Our mascot, George the biscuiteer, has also been out doing lots of events.” In August, Border Biscuits boosted its portfolio with the introduction of Strawberry Drizzle Melts, joining the brand’s Lemon Drizzle Melts as part of its Classic Recipes collection, which is up 63%

year on year in Scotland. Growth has also been spurred on by the company’s re-branding in early 2016, with an 18% increase in distribution points in the period since. “We really have moved the dial,” said Gray. “We are facing the toughest year we’ve had in terms of commodity increases, especially on butter. We’ve not had easy trading terms, but we’re a premium product and we have to use the very best ingredients. “We don’t make own-label, we don’t supply the discounters, we’re 100% produced in Lanark. It’s important for us that we continue to protect the equity we have in the brand.”

16 Border

LANARK-based Border Biscuits continued its ascent in 2017, moving up a place to number 16. With a turnover of £16.5m, the company says it enjoyed a 12.8% boost in Scotland for 2017, which brand and innovation director Lesley Ann Gray said was “fantastic”. “We over-index in Scotland,” she said.

“41% of our turnover comes from Scotland, even though it’s only 10% of the UK population. It’s still really crucial for us and our volume and value sales are both up 12.8%.” Key to its success has been the Dark Chocolate Ginger – still the number one special treat biscuit in Scotland – which marked its 30th anniversary this year, forming the

Border Biscuits brand and innovation director Lesley Ann Gray said 2017 had been an especially good year for the brand in Scotland – with sales up 12.8%. 48 · Scottish Grocer · December 2017

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Scottish brands 2017

17 Galloway CHEDDAR brand Galloway has moved up two places in our list for 2017. Known as ‘the family’s favourite Scottish cheddar’, it appears to have had another good year, cementing its position as the number two cheddar brand in Scotland, with growth across both value and volume (1.6% and 1.9% respectively). Launched in 1959, Galloway is today owned by Lactalis McLelland, the UK subsidiary

of Groupe Lactalis, the world’s largest cheese manufacturer, but still produced in Scotland with 100% Scottish milk. The brand’s performance has been driven by improved awareness brought about by ongoing support for the brand. Marketing activity was spearheaded by the brand’s sponsorship of STV – synonymous with family entertainment shows – digital marketing campaigns and experiential activity.

JG Ross 18 BREAKING into the top 20 for 2017 is Aberdeenshire craft baker JG Ross, shooting up a very impressive six places. For the company, its chart success comes at the end of an incredibly productive year. With sales up year on year, it has reinvested in the business at every opportunity by refitting its own shops, renewing its dual-temperature vans and looking at new equipment. Shelf-edge stripping, headerboards and POS for wholesale customers and company shops have all been rebranded

– part of a marketing push that has included a competition on local radio station Original 106 (called ‘the Rowie Run’ for six months) and the introduction of a ‘Savoury & Cake of the Month’. Sales and marketing manager Dianne Smith said: “This allows us to try new products and create seasonal products. “For example, we recently did a red velvet muffin wrap with a poppy decoration and donated 25p from every one sold to the Remembrance Sunday appeal. Some prod-

ucts have sold so well that we have had to bring them back as a permanent product. “In August we employed a new member of staff dedicated to new product development, Ellen Shand, who recently graduated from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, with a degree in nutrition and dietetics. “This allows us a direct channel to review our existing product range, look at how we can enhance it and remain innovative. Ellen has already made a huge impact and will continue to do so as she looks at the nutritional value in a range of products which is becoming far more prevalent today. “Watch this space! 2018 is going to be extremely exciting.” The company has opened two new bakery counters within McColls stores in the north east and is keen to add more. It has also been a busy year for events with Taste of Grampian and Royal Highland show both featuring appearances by the brand.

Smith said: “We were part of the Aberdeenshire village within the RHS this year, selling our products at the farm shop, with local food suppliers using our products to serve and local celebrities like The Kilted Chef being brand ambassadors and using our products in cooking demos. “RHS was a great way to promote the north east and our craft baking message. We sold 700 packets of butteries in the Aberdeenshire Village and could have probably sold the same again. “We regularly support our wholesale customers sampling at their local events and our fantastic sales rep Sharon Howieson regularly visits our customers to ensure they have everything they need, ensure POS is up to date and renew if dated or damaged. “We are always looking at ways to increase sales, what opportunities are available and generally support the customers. We believe looking after our customers is paramount and retains business.”

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19 Highland Spring MOVING up one place on our list is bottled water brand Highland Spring. Showing strong growth in the Scottish market with increases of 16.2% value and 18.8% volume in the last year, according to figures quoted by parent company Highland Spring Group, no-one can accuse the brand of not keeping active. 2017 saw the launch of it’s largest brand marketing campaign to date, ‘Brave By Nature’. Part of a £5m marketing investment to drive further growth in bottled water, the campaign was reported to reach 77% of UK adults through a national TV advert, digital media advertising, VOD, social media, PR and Sky TV Sponsorship. It recently unveiled a new festive campaign titled ‘Escape to a Sparkling Moment’, focusing on the role of the brand’s sparkling offering. Highland Spring has also been making the most of its provenance by launching a new bottle design inspired by Scotland’s scenic landscape. Introduced earlier this year,

the main features of the integrated bottle and label design include a distinct main image featuring silhouettes of the Ochil Hills. Further elements on the bottle act as both a visual and written representation of the geography and typography of Highland Spring’s privately owned catchment area. Initial customer research into the new-look bottles indicated an increase in purchase intent from 45% to 76% compared to previous packaging design. Carol Saunders, head of customer marketing for Highland Spring Group, said the brand’s success was testament to the demand for Scottish products amongst consumers, both at home and on the go. “Highland Spring is bottled at source from a privately owned 2,000 hectare catchment area in the Ochil Hills, Pe r t h s h i re , ”

she said. “There is no farming of any sort permitted in the catchment site to ensure the water is as pure as it can be, with nothing but nature touching it. Highland Spring was the first British bottled water brand to have its land certified organic by the Soil Association and recognising, in part, this dedication to preserving its catchment area, has been ranked the most ethical bottled water brand for the 10th year running in The Good Shopping Guide’s ethical rankings for bottled water companies. “The UK Bottled Water in-

dustry points to a long tradition of quality brands (Zenith Bottled Water Report, 2017), showing that provenance continues to be an important selling point. This is why Highland Spring’s Scottish roots play such a key role in all communications, which has helped it to become the number one UK-produced plain bottled water brand (Zenith International Bottled Water Report, 2017). “Many consumers wish to support local brands in order to champion Scottish business and look for a quality, pure and local product.”

20 Macb FLAVOURED spring water brand Macb had a busy year in 2017, launching its biggest ever multi-media campaign ‘Find Your Bottle’. The campaign, about everyday situations that resonate with teens, utilised TV advertising, a social media brand advocacy programme and advertising in the streets of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Clare Hooley, Macb brand

manager, said: “Our success is due to offering our consumers quality and provenance at an affordable price. “Plus we understand our core teen consumer, who is seeking a credible brand to support their health and wellbeing needs. “Macb fruit flavoured Scottish spring water delivers the balance between hydration and taste.”

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22 Hall’s 21 Scottish Blend TEA is a very different drink north and south of the border. The brand leaders in England are not necessarily big sellers in Scotland, and while this may partly be down to taste, it almost certainly has a lot to do with Scottish water. The “soft” water of Scotland tastes quite different from the “hard” water down south. This has an impact on tea and is why there is a market for products specifically produced to suit Scottish water’s particular characteristics. Of these, Unilever-owned Scottish Blend is by far the most popular, claiming the number 21 spot in our list.

SITTING comfortably inside the top 30 for the third year in a row, Scottish meat specialist Hall’s continues to be a stalwart of the chilled section and the brand has big ambitions for the future. Hall’s director Warren Godfrey wants to see the brand continue to climb the rankings to one day take the top spot as Scotland’s Number one food brand and, although there’s a way to go, the growing importance of chilled to convenience retailers can’t do it any harm. This year marked something of an anniversary, with the firm celebrating its 85th year. When it comes to community outreach, Hall’s hasn’t slowed down with age and the brand continues to support a whole host of worthy causes and events across Scotland. Over the last year Hall’s has

sponsored the Great Scot Awards 2017 and the Ayrshire Hospice colour dash as well as sending child friendly mascots Hamish the Haggis and Wee Willie Winkie out on the road to drum up support for, among other things, Children in Need.

Hall’s also continues to engage with Scottish consumers through its social media activity and budding chefs are invited to head over to the brand’s website where a range of recipes can be found. Heading into 2018, Hall’s will continue to offer a bumper range of chilled produce for retailers with dishes ranging from Chicken Balmoral, Minced Beef & Mash, and Macaroni Cheese & Ham Hock, to Sliced Ham, Vegetarian Haggis and kids favourite Wee Willie Winkie’s sausages. Frozen food will also continue to form an integral part of Hall’s offer with the brand stocking a range of Scottish staples including Beef Olives, Black Pudding Sliced, Stovies and Sausage Kilties.

23 Mothers Pride MOTHERS Pride bread, which has been in production for 80 years, is made in Glasgow by the only batch plant left in the UK. For a time in the 1970s and 80s it was one of the UK’s best-selling white breads – and it is still well-loved by many consumers in Scotland, as its number 23 placing in our chart can attest.

Sales may even have been boosted by a social media stir at the start of the year, when Glasgow DJ Kodie Blak posted that the loaf was under threat and called on followers to “save this loaf”. A spokeswoman for brand owner Hovis said there were no plans to stop producing it, adding: “We do love and appreciate the strong response.” December 2017 · Scottish Grocer · 53

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Scottish brands 2017

28 Paterson’s 24 Nairn’s

OATCAKE and biscuit brand Nairn’s has moved up one place for 2017 – a year in which gluten-free NPD was an area of critical importance. The Edinburgh-based manufacturer also opened the doors of its new gluten-free factory in Newtongrange following an investment of over £6.5m.

WITH a 49% market share, Paterson’s moved up an impressive six places in our list for 2017. Livingston-based brand owner Paterson Arran, which produces a range of shortbread, biscuits and oatcake products as well as a variety of mustard, chutney and jam, appears to have had another good year. As well as picking up an Environmental Sustainability award at the 2017 Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards and playing host to Hans Strohmaier, chairman of the Sweets Global Network (pictured), it reached a landmark goal for charity.

29 Marshalls The biscuit maker formed a partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support in 2016, and pledging to donate a percentage of proceeds from the sale of special promotional packs. This year it announced it had already accomplished its goal of raising £100,000.

WITH so many consumers looking to cut back on carbs, 2017 can’t have been an easy year for pasta producers. Nevertheless, Marshalls is once again in our top 30. The brand is very well known for Marshalls Macaroni, launched in Scotland in 1953.

30 Tarbert Fine Foods COOKED meat specialist Tarbert Fine Foods clearly had a fantastic year for sales in 2017, climbing seven places. The brand portfolio boasts a range of luxury Scottish sliced cooked meats including hams, pork, beef and pastrami, and can be found in all major mults across Scotland. Discussing the range, managing director Lee Godfey said: “Our hams are slow matured from select cuts of specially-selected Scottish pork. Each ham has its own unique finish. The Honey Ham is cured in a natural brine and matured with a blossom honey giving a lovely sweet taste, but if you prefer something a bit different our Mustard Ham is coated in a delicious wholegrain Arran mustard and matured. All of the Tarbert Fine Foods hams are slow cooked to give outstanding traditional ham products with their own

complementary finishes. “The Scottish Roast Pork is a really traditional product that never disappoints, it is also produced from specially-selected Scottish pork leg, hand boned and lightly seasoned, slow cooked and roasted for succulence. “But let’s not forget about the beef. Scotch beef is known across the globe for quality and our Topside of Beef products certainly live up to this. Our tender topsides are seasoned and slow cooked offering a finished product that tastes as good as any roast dinner. “Finally we cure Scotch beef Silversides before rolling in cracked black pepper for a truly tantalising Scotch Beef Peppered Pastrami. “We are proud to only use Quality Meat Scotland Approved meats in all our Tarbert cooked meats.”

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Scottish brands 2017

Mackays 31 2017 may have been a good year for Mackays, but the Angus-based company is much more excited about its plans for 2018, says managing director Martin Grant.

WHILE other brands have risen and fallen through the ranks, Mackays has preserved its place at 31, and MD Martin Grant said 2017 had been a “fantastic year” for the jams and marmalade brand. “With our business turnover up 7%, which includes an increase of 35% in export, we are in great shape and looking forward with excitement to the

year ahead,” he said. In January 2018, the company will begin construction on a £3.8m expansion at its factory, allowing it to introduce new product lines. Grant said: “In 1995 we were filling just 10,000 jars a year which – compared to today’s 25m – demonstrates the demand for Mackays Dundee Marmalade and jams.”

32 Mrs Tilly’s MUCH like whisky, shortbread and haggis, tablet is a product dear to Scottish consumers hearts – which goes some way to explaining the terrific success of Mrs Tilly’s. The family business, which began in Tillicoultry in the late 1990’s, is owned and run by two generations of the Paterson family – Peter and Elisabeth and their sons, Blair and Keir. Initially operating from the Paterson household, Mrs Tilly’s quickly grew a reputation for excellent quality products and service. Early successes saw the business expand and move to a more suitable pro-

duction facility in 1997. Business was originally developed directly with independent retailers and local shops. However, over the next few years Mrs Tilly’s was approached by major supermarket chains, which began to introduce the range of Scottish confectionery to customers. 2017 saw continued growth, as the company benefited from increased distribution in a number of channels – coupled with the operational investments made in the previous year. Branded sales grew significantly in Scotland, elevating Mrs Tilly’s to the number one

Elisabeth Paterson appeared on US television to promote Mrs Tilly’s abroad.

Scottish confectionery spot for the first time. International sales development remained strong as the company continued to invest in its core export markets of Central Europe and Canada while also establishing new distribution in Japan and launching on US Home Shopping Channel QVC. Plus, in May, the brand secured new listings with Scottish delivered wholesale specialists J W Filshill. The partnership has seen Mrs Tilly’s Famous Tablet, Fudge and Macaroon bars distributed across Filshill’s KeyStore estate as well as to its independent retailer accounts.

Early 2018 heralds the beginning of the next stage of the company’s international strategy as it takes the Mrs Tilly’s brand to Dubai, to exhibit at Gulfood’s in February. Managing director Blair Paterson said: “This has been another great year for Mrs Tilly’s. We’re delighted and extremely proud to have become Scotland’s leading confectionery business and we’re also making significant progress in growing our business internationally. “The next year will see additional investment in NPD as we try to capitalize on our current strengths and introduce some exciting new concepts to the market.”

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Scottish brands 2017

33 Mrs Unis ASIAN foods brand Mrs Unis was the highest new entry in our list last year, coming in at 41. This year, it has stormed up the list another eight places. This tops off a very positive year for the company which, as well as achieving remarkable sales growth, won the Food Manufacturer of the Year award at the Food Awards Scotland in Glasgow. Sales and marketing manager Kenny Laughlan said: “This year we have seen a very positive performance by the Mrs Unis brand and we are delighted to see our continued growth. “The key is to keep your space on shelf by delivering the best quality, a good service level and delivering the correct price for the product. “It’s no use having quality products at a price and supplying a poor service. You lose

ONE of the longest-established brands on this list, Buchanan’s of Scotland has been around since 1856. Now owned by Golden Cas-

out on the sale and will lose your SKU on the shelf. “We have, over the past two years, delivered good quality and good service levels. This has generated the repeat and new purchases, creating a loyal band of customers across Scotland.”

On sales, Laughlan said there had been a steady and positive performance by the brand with a 10% uplift in the first six months, with August, September and October sales up 20% like for like on 2016. “As we are a small company we have not launched any new

products over the past year,” he said. “Due to the space restraints we have at our factory, all our growth has been through our core pakora range. “The good news is that in October we managed to obtain the two units next to us which will help us greatly on our next steps, taking the existing pakora products to new and exciting levels. “In the background, we have been developing new products and working in partnership with another reputable manufacturer to launch these in Autumn 2018. “This will give us time to kit out the new units, giving us the space, machinery and technical requirements for the future working towards BRC approval. “We see marketing as a key to 2018 and expanding our growth. Plans are already un-

Founder Mrs Shaneen Unis.

derway to take this forward. “We should never forget – and all our team are still proud of – the one person who in 1998 had the vision and the will to start up the Mrs Unis spicy food company, Mrs Shaneen Unis, who still plays a key part in our day-to-day operations.”

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ket, over 50 Buchanan’s brand lines are produced in the factory in Greenock. Although old-fashioned sweetie jars remain an important part of the

business, shelf-ready hanging bags have now eclipsed them in sales and are available in all the leading multiple groups. The range has many original

The design of the Buchanan’s hanging bags is set to change for 2018, along with the introduction of some new varieties.

recipes, including its exclusive award-winning Italian Creams and Russian Caramels. The packs have mirrored the jar label designs for many years but 2018 will see a big face-lift for the brand and the introduction of some new varieties too. Golden Casket Group sales and marketing director Sandra Fisher said: “In 2016 we completed the installation of our gum plant at Greenock. “We can now add mouthwatering deluxe fruit jellies and pastilles to our range which already includes boiled sweets, crumble mints, mints, fudges, toffees, chocolate peppermint creams and chocolate-dipped fudge.”

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Spice up your sales! At Mrs Unis Spicy Foods we have been creating traditional Indian recipes to excite the Scottish palate for over 30 years.

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Scottish brands 2017

36 Highland Game

SPECIALIST venison producer Highland Game was founded in 1997 with the aim of placing high-quality venison into mainstream retail outlets and traditional butchers as well as catering and hospitality outlets. Two decades on, its products are stocked in Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Asda and Co-op stores in Scotland, as well as Morrisons stores across the UK. It also markets venison products in conjunction with Scottish Slimmers.

38 Big and Scottish 2017 has been a headlinegrabbing year for eggs – and not for the best of reasons. Supermarkets came under attack for their egg buying policies when eggs contaminated with the insecticide Fipronil (banned for use around food-producing animals in the EU) were brought into the UK from the Netherlands. In the midst of this, home-grown egg brand Big and Scottish has moved two places up our list. Its eggs are produced at Glenrath Farms in Peeblesshire and are stamped with the red lion logo, assuring consumers they are purchasing British eggs produced to the highest standards.

37 We Hae Meat

CLAIMING the number 37 spot in this year’s list is Ayrshire-based family butcher business We Hae Meat. Founded in 2007 by husband and wife team Alex and Carlyn Patron, the company

has come a long way in just 10 years and is still going strong. The business is based on the family farm at Cairnhill in the Girvan Valley, operating from a purpose-built site which recently benefited from a £2m

investment in the business. In addition to expanding facilities at Cairnhill, We Hae Meat also recently supported 11 employees in completing a Modern Apprentice qualification in Meat Management and Butchery Skills. Its range includes a variety of breakfast foods, familysize pie range, individual pies, burgers, beef olives, frozen foods and more. In 2017 it won the Ayrshire Food and Drink Award at the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce Business Awards and introduced further lines to Morrisons, Asda, The Co-op and discounter Aldi.

Macsween 39 ONCE again, Edinburghbased haggis specialist Macsween is at number 39 on our list, holding its position for the third year in a row. The third-generation family company has been at the forefront of haggis and black pudding making for 60 years, producing award-winning products handcrafted to unique family recipes. 2017 saw the company expand its range with the introduction of Gluten Free Haggis, stocked in over 500 stores nationwide. Macsween managing director, James Macsween, said: “We’ve been providing the nation with Scotland’s national dish for over 60 years and pride ourselves on delivering the very best haggis there is. Whilst developing this new product it was incredibly important to me that our consumers could enjoy a gluten

free version without compromising on taste and I’m proud to say we’ve done that. I’m confident haggis fans across the country will love it.” This year also saw Macsween make history for the haggis, developing a new recipe that allowed it to go on sale

in Canada for the first time in almost 50 years. The company, which has been selling haggis since 1953, said the recipe used lamb hearts instead of the traditional lamb lungs, which are deemed unfit for consumption in Canada.

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Scottish brands 2017

Orkney 40 AFTER Seriously and Galloway, Orkney is the third cheese brand from Lactalis Mclelland to appear in our list. Orkney cheddar is produced with locally-sourced milk from the Orkney Isles and the brand has been granted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status – the only UK cheddar that can make that claim. Orkney cheddar was first

produced after the Second World War with a strong Scottish family heritage. Since then, the cheddarmaking tradition has been passed down through the generations. Production is now managed by 17 dairy farming families. The cheese is naturally matured in wooden boxes which delivers a slower maturation than most cheddars.

trade sectors, coupled with a wide range of consumer promotions, designed to increase profile and create demand for the brand. Key promotional activities include an on-pack short break competition with Forest Holidays, which features on 750g

bags of Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats and 1kg packs of Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal. Hamlyns are currently finalising a schedule of consumer competitions in a wide range of media and on social media with the opportunity to win exclusive Hamlyns textiles and ceramics from Scottish designer, Gillian Kyle. Consumer advertising spend over the winter months will see the brand in a range of publications with a strong Scottish flavour. Hamlyns will also continue to invest in sampling promotions, as well as sponsorship of the World Porridge Making Championships, which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2018.

41 Hamlyns HAMLYNS of Scotland continues to grow steadily, moving up to number 41. The company says this is partly fuelled by the continued success of the hot cereals sector overall. While the rest of the breakfast cereal market is declining, hot cereals (mainly porridge) are bucking the trend with 2.2% volume growth last year. Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal is Scotland’s best-selling oatmeal by far, and is part of a range which also includes Hamlyns steadily-growing Scottish Porridge Oats brand, along with Scottish Porridge Oats & Bran, all now available in block-bottom packaging, and Hamlyns Pinhead Oatmeal in re-sealable aluminium tins. Porridge pots and micro-

wave sachets in original and golden syrup varieties cater for the on-the-go market. Alan Meikle, managing director of Hamlyns of Scotland, said: “Porridge has always been the favourite breakfast choice for healthy eaters, but the growing trend for breakfast on-the-go, and the huge interest in making overnight oats mean that porridge really is an all-year-round breakfast favourite. “We used to ramp up production at our mill in Banffshire over the build-up to winter and through the winter months, but we’re now working 24/7 all year-round to cope with demand.” 2017 has also seen a programme of tailor-made promotional activity across all

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Top Scottish take-home non alcoholic brands in Scotland* *Kantar Worldpanel to 21 May 2017

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Scottish brands 2017

42 Grant’s A new entry on the list in 2016, tinned food specialist Grant’s returns for 2017, moving up three places. The product for which the brand is best known is Grant’s Haggis.

However, it has many other products in its portfolio and in 2017 unveiled a new range of chilli products. The range consists of Mexican Chicken Chilli, Spanish Chilli and Italian Chilli.

Lee’s 45 44 Dean’s IT’S over 40 years since Helen Dean first baked her melt-in-the-mouth shortbread in her Huntly kitchen to raise funds for the local pipe band. Dean’s, the brand she created, has since grown to become a household name across Scotland, employing around 130 people and exporting its products to 28 countries across the world. Taking the 44th spot on our list,the brand has spent 2017 reaping the rewards of a major brand re-fresh, with packs emphasising the heritage of the business with a small illustration of Helen Dean in her kitchen, and a quote from her about her recipes.

ANOTHER Scottish brand with a long history behind it, Lees of Scotland comes in at 45 on our list. One of the UK’s leading independent confectionery manufacturers, Lees of Scotland has been in operation since 1931, with the creation of the Lees Macaroon Bar. Today it has a broad range of confectionery, teacakes, snowballs and meringues. The latest product to be introduced, in August of this year, was the Caramel Teacake, once again growing the teacake family following the launch of the Lees Mint Teacake in 2015 and the Lees Jaffa Teacake in 2013. The new creation is made from caramel flavoured mallow on a biscuit base and covered in a smooth chocolateflavoured coating. Packaging for the Lees Caramel Teacake has been de-

Lees extended its Teacake range again with its new Caramel Teacake in September. Earlier innovations include the Mint Teacake and Jaffa Teacake.

signed to complement the rest of the Lees range which highlights the product, with a large image of the Caramel Teacake featured on the pack. Each pack contains 14 individual teacakes, designed to be perfect for sharing with friends and family. But even without the launch of a new teacake, 2017 would still have been a busy year for Lees. The brand returned to TV for the first time in over 19 years, with an advertising campaign running on STV over the spring and summer. The 20-second animated commercial featured Lees snowballs, under the “Part of Life” campaign.

The ad was expected to be seen by over 1.5m adults In Central Scotland. Lees Macaringues – the first Lees product to be both gluten free and nut free – experienced strong sales following their launch late in 2016. The low-calorie almond-flavour meringue shells were reported to have been a massive hit with people hosting summer parties and celebrations. And in November, the company launched brand new packaging for the Lees 14 pack of Snowballs, highlighting that the snowballs are in fact gluten free – something it’s hoped will help to attract a few new customers to the brand in 2018.

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Scottish brands 2017

46 Stockan’s THE final oatcakes brand on our list for 2017 is Stockan’s, moving up two places. Based in the harbour town of Stromness, Stockan’s has been baking in the

Orkney Islands for over 100 years and is one of the main employers in the area. It supplies oatcakes to all the major multiples in Scotland, plus independents.

47 Swankies MOVING up two places on the top Scottish brands for 2017 list, the Swankies brand belongs to fourth generation family-owned Scottish business Joseph Robertson. The Aberdeen-based company has one of the most modern fish manufacturing

sites in the UK and is one of the largest independent value added seafood manufacturers. Its core product lines include Swankies coated fillets of sole, whiting and haddock, as well as traditional fishcakes and melting centre fishcakes.

48 Calder Millerfield A new entry for 2017, Calder Millerfield, founded in 1961, is a manufacturer of premium quality meat products, supplying the retail and wholesale markets. Based in Glasgow, with its own fleet of sales vans and numerous agents, the company covers the majority of Scotland and into the north of England. A variety of its products – both branded and own label – can be found in The Co-op and Scotmid.

50 £One Pounders 49 Brownings THE brand behind the famous Killie Pie, Brownings the Bakers moves up one place to 49. The craft bakery business supplies a wide variety of firms with pies, tarts, bread and pastries and also has eight of its own shops. Stockists include every Scottish Aldi store, some selected Scotmids, Spar, Tesco and Waitrose. And in 2017 it was announced that the Killie pie would be available in Sainsbury’s. The company also did well at the 2017 World Scotch Pie Championships where it was crowned World Scotch Pie Champion.

£ONE POUNDERS is the second brand from Golden Casket to feature on our list and a new entry for 2017. With over 65 lines including toffees, fudges, chews, chocolates, mints, jellies and boiled sweets – all prices at £1 – it is one of the biggest confectionery ranges in the UK, with distribution exclusively in the convenience channel. Golden Casket Group sales and marketing director Sandra Fisher said: “Although we are a traditional company with sugar boilers, hand stripers and open copper pans, we also have a lot of technology with high-speed baggers and our new plant up and running. “Our other brand – possibly our best known – is Millions, and although it is worth £13m in the market it is not in the Scottish top 50 yet. “Maybe next year we will have a hat trick!”

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Delighting consumers since 1991. All pricemarked £1 – great value for the consumer. Over 65 varieties – Boilings, fudges, toffees, caramels, mints, chews, jellies and gums – one for everyone!! 45 Vegetarian Society Approved Lines. 50 varieties with Halal Trust Certification. Proven National sales with over 12.5 million bags sold in 2016. Manufactured in Scotland to the highest quality in our BRC Accredited Factory. Free 24 Hook stand with your first order of 30 cases.

Fort Matilda Industrial Estate, Greenock, Scotland, PA16 7QF Phone: 01475 721099 • Fax: 01475 784644 www.goldencasket.co.uk www.millionssweets.co.uk • enquiries@goldencasket.co.uk

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Scottish brands 2017

Taking beer all the way to the top Scotland’s favourite lager brand, Tennent’s, takes the top spot for the first time THE diverse, exciting and innovative drinks sector in Scotland continues to grow and while whisky brands still dominate, for the first time we have seen Scotland’s favourite pint, Tennent’s, take over the number one spot from Glen’s. Tennent’s has been a huge player in the Scottish drinks sector for generations and it is great to see that the brand still resonates with new cohorts of Scottish drinkers through clever and relevant marketing, driving sales through a variety of pack formats. Whilst gin continues its meteoric rise and popularity with drinkers, helped by a plethora of new brands as well as variants, no Scottish gin fea-

tures in the top 25 this year, although Edinburgh Gin is knocking on the door and sits at number 26. In recent weeks we have seen Aldi launch their first Scottish gin festival featuring 10 gins from across Scotland alongside premium tonics and accompaniments and while we have seen a growing interest in gin, the impact is muted and sales growth in Scotland is slower when compared to the UK. The biggest mover in the Top 25 is Brewdog, moving up an impressive 14 places to number 10. This means there’s now three beers in the top 10, the other being McEwan’s, another stalwart of the Scot-

Amanda’s overview AMANDA Brown, strategic insight director for Scotland for market research company Kantar Worldpanel, looks at Scottish drinks brands in Scottish stores. Whisky brands maintain many top 25 spots but other spirits and beers are of great importance.

tish drinks industry. Brewdog has almost doubled its sales in the last year, driven mainly by growth in the multiples and I would anticipate that the brand will move further up the list next year as it continues to grow in popularity through its disruptive marketing. Other movers include Isle of Jura, which moves up four places, and OVD (up eight) – benefitting from the resurgence of the rum sector. We also see a number of new entries, including some which have not been listed in the Top 25 before such as Cardhu which has achieved 13th place by driving sales through attracting new shoppers, Auchentoshan, which is driving presence through new listings, and The Singleton. Both Aldi and Lidl have been strong supporters of the Scottish craft beer sector with both retailers hosting Beer Festivals in 2017, and together they now account for almost 9% of al-

cohol sales in Scotland, up 20% in the last year. The independent sector remains more important for alcohol sales in Scotland than UK-wide and is growing just ahead of the total alcohol market. Looking towards 2018, we will continue to see the sector grow with new entrants continuing to add diversity and established players strengthening their depth both at home and overseas. The Top 25 is a rich list of some of the great alcohol brands in Scotland both old and young. With economic uncertainty ahead, the take home drinks sector is likely to continue to do well as shoppers manage their purse strings with a bit more prudence. However, we do also need to be aware of the growing interest in health and how this might impact alcohol sales as well as seeing how minimum pricing will be implemented in Scottish stores.

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Top 25 Scottish take-home alcoholic drinks brands in Scotland Brand

Rank 2017

Rank 2016

Moving up

Tennent’s

Glen’s Vodka

Famous Grouse

Whyte & Mackay

Bell’s

Grant’s

McEwan’s

Drambuie

Isle of Jura

Brewdog

Aberlour

Glenlivet

Cardhu

OVD

Highland Park

Innis & Gunn

Laphroaig

Glenfiddich

Belhaven

Auchentoshan

Glen Moray

Dalwhinnie

Talisker

The Singleton

Glenmorangie

V NE V

NE 21

Source: Kantar Worldpanel take-home sales in Scotland 52 weeks to 21 May 2017 v 52 weeks to 22 May 2016. NE = New entry.

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Scottish brands 2017

Top of the drinks and here to serve TENNENT’S has been Scotland’s favourite beer brand for a number of years, successfully staying a step ahead of the competition from homegrown alternatives and the multinationals. However, 2017 is the year it became Scotland’s best-loved Scottish alcohol brand overall, taking the number one spot in our chart ahead of all Scottish beers and spirits. Central to its year has been the ‘Here to Serve’ summer campaign, which saw the brand promising to service Scotland in highly visible and unusual ways (for example, created a Currency Exchange giving English football fans a chance to change their cash into Scottish notes). The integrated campaign saw activity take place throughout the year at various consumer touch points, through on-premise experiential events, PR and social

2017 has been an outstanding year for Tennent’s in the off-trade and what a way to round it off by becoming Scotland’s top-selling alcohol brand. media campaigns, as well as out of home advertising and in-store promotions – all designed to raise increase brand awareness and drive footfall through the doors of retailers. Claire Arnott, head of UK

customer marketing at Tennent’s, said: “2017 has been an outstanding year for Tennent’s in the off-trade and what a way to round it off by becoming Scotland’s top-selling alcohol brand.

“Tennent’s Lager is a brand that consumers know, love and will always look out for, on the shelves or fridges in takehome retailers. Tennent’s Lager is available in a wide range of SKUs, ensuring there is a format that meets every customer need and drinker occasion. “We have some exciting plans for Tennent’s Lager in the off-trade for the year ahead, so we look forward to 2018 and growing on the success from 2017.” The success of Tennent’s means that Glen’s vodka has been dethroned, but is still holding strong for 2017 at number two on our list. Another brand to have seen a lot of activity this year, Glen’s partnered with some of the UK’s most popular outdoor events including Glen’s Party at the Palace and the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in Inverness.

Tennent’s ‘Here to Serve’ campaign saw Scotland’s biggest brewer act like a public utility, in typical Tennent’s Lager fashion, with activity taking place throughout the summer months in both the on and off trade. Rounding out our top three for 2017 are Glen’s, which also had a busy marketing year, and The Famous Grouse whisky. 72 · Scottish Grocer · December 2017

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Wishing all of our customers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year WWW.TENNENTCALEDONIAN.COM

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