Food Processing/Agriculture

Aberdeen City and Shire has the greatest concentration of food and drink companies in the country (approximately 20 percent) and is known as Scotland's Larder. 27% of Scotland's food and drink exports are from the region and are valued at £110.7m (excluding whisky).

Aberdeenshire accounts for 9% of Scotland's total agricultural area. Agricultural output averages £235m per annum, representing 16% of Scotland's total.

Maitland Mackie, Chairman, Mackie's Ice Cream

"Real proud of my 300 years Aberdeenshire heritage.  It's people and workforce are second to none, and a major reason for any business success we have had."

The Mackie family has been farming in Aberdeenshire for four generations. In 1986 Maitland Mackie branched out into making and selling ice cream.

Brand Leader

Mackie's Ice cream is now well established as brand leader of the luxury ice cream market in Scotland, and has received more than 20 awards for innovation and quality.

Exports

Mackies continue to grow with an increasing market share in the UK and export includes Norway and 35 Mackie's of Scotland branded ice cream parlours in Korea.

Recent Investment

The ice cream is made on the farm from the herd of 500 Jersey cows and Holstein milking cows. Recent investment means that the herd is milked by robots in Europe's largest voluntary access milking system and the ice cream dairy has tripled production capacity. The company has its own wind turbine which powers the whole enterprise and means that this is ice cream "made with renewable energy".