Tayside food firms in top Scottish 10

Production: McIntosh, Mackie’s and Graham’s move up the table

Ready meal maker McIntosh of Strathmore has celebrated another year of success by moving up the league table of the country’s take-home food and drink brands.

The Forfar-based food manufacturer has risen from eighth to seventh in the Scottish Brand Review 2016 category, compiled by Kantar WorldPanel for Scottish Grocer.

Strathmore’s McIntosh macaroni cheese is the biggest selling version of the meal sold in Scotland, accounting for 60% of all macaroni cheese sold north of the Border and 16% in the UK.

In the year to June 2016 the company sold more than 9.6 million McIntosh ready meals and pies across Scotland, a rise of 6.1% on the previous year.

The figure excludes sales of the brand in the foodservice and food-to-go sectors, two areas on which it will be focusing in 2017.

Julie Nisbet, managing director of Strathmore Foods, said: “We were delighted to hear of the ranking success of our best-selling ready meal brand.

“Our McIntosh of Strathmore brand has gone from strength to strength over the years and another rise in this review reflects a development of the brand and its year-on-year growth”

“This year has been yet another successful year for Strathmore Foods from the launch of our new Cone Bakes brand and the release of new McIntosh products.”

More new products will be launched next year by the firm which bought the McIntosh of Dyce brand out of liquidation in 2003.

Mackie’s of Scotland, whose crisps are produced by its Mackie’s of Taypack division at Errol, has risen from 10th to ninth in the take-home food and drink brands category.

The Aberdeenshire-based dairy company best known for its ice cream, has bucked the trend of producers in its sector by achieving year-on-year sales rises which this year amounted to £30m in the domestic market.

Its crisps operation has also prospered with increasing exports, most recently to Russia.

Just over the Tayside border, Graham’s The Family Dairy of Bridge of Allan in Stirlingshire was awarded the title of number one Scottish food brand and number two take-home food and drink brand overall, rising one place from their 2015 position.

Carol Graham, marketing director, said; “We are devoted to delivering high quality locally produced products, working in partnership with over 100 farmers.”

The No 1 Scottish take-home food and drink brand in the category that excludes alcohol continued to be AG Barr owned soft drinks giant Irn-Bru.

Julie Nisbet, managing director of Strathmore Foods.