A treat for Tunnock’s as sales hit a new high

SALES at biscuit maker Tunnock’s have soared to a record high of £61.4million.

The confectionery firm’s sales broke the £60million barrier for the first time as customers at home and abroad continue to enjoy its teacakes, snowballs and caramel wafers.

Tunnock’s turnover rose from £58.1million to £61.4million and it also saw its pre-tax profits rise by almost £2million to £5.7million, according to annual accounts filed at Companies House.

The family company is led by Sir Boyd Tunnock, 86, who was knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace last month for services to business and charity.

His grandfather, Thomas Tunnock, founded the business in 1890 as a bakery shop in Uddingston, Lanarkshire, and it now employs more than 600 people in the town and exports to more

Exports to more than 30 countries

than 30 countries, including Saudi Arabia and Australia.

The accounts, which cover the 12-month period to February 23 this year, show sales in the UK rose by more than £2.6million to £50.8million. International sales were up by more than £600,000 to £10.6million.

A extension to its factory allowed the firm to increase production, churning out 525million biscuits during the year.

After receiving his knighthood, Sir Boyd let slip that the Queen had told him she was a fan of the company’s teacakes, which he invented in 1956, and prefers it to the caramel wafer, which was created by his father.

He said: ‘The Queen is so nice and makes you feel very relaxed.

‘She said she prefers the teacakes so I said I’ll send her some over. I prefer the caramel wafers, but only because we make more money from them.’