Scottish baker celebrates major milestone in growth journey with latest supermarket deal

14/06/2023
Paul Allan, Managing Director of Murdoch Allan (left) and Eric Falconer, Asda Peterhead Store Manager with some of the new product range.

AWARD-winning Scottish bakery, Murdoch Allan, is celebrating a major milestone in its ambitious growth trajectory after securing a £1 million contract to expand the number of products that it supplies to Asda across Scotland.  

The Aberdeenshire-based family firm already supplies the major supermarket chain with its sought-after Aberdeen butteries and morning rolls. In response to their popularity, the supermarket is now adding 11 more Murdoch Allan baked goods to its shelves across 57 stores. The items will include tattie scones, muffins, Scotch crumpets, Scotch pancakes, burger rolls, flake topped rolls, skinny rolls, Strawberry tarts, caramel yum yums, all butter shortbread rounds, and choc chip shortbread rounds.

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The expanded partnership with Asda has created five new jobs at the bakery’s factory in Hatton – home of The Aberdeen Buttery and award-winning Aberdeen Pie which earned them the title of diamond award for their steak pie at the World Scotch Pie Champions 2022.

Paul Allan, Managing Director of Murdoch Allan, said: “The team is proud to be building on our relationship with Asda. This agreement will see an extra £20,000 in sales per week from the additional lines of products sold across the supermarket’s Scottish stores. This isn’t just a boost to our team but is it also helping support our suppliers across the rural economy.

“The partnership further demonstrates our commitment to serving our locally produced, high-quality products across Scotland and our drive to become the leading provider of baked Scottish goods to national supermarkets. We strive to create innovative new products, like our ‘skinny rolls’, made using enzyme technology with no added sugar or fats making them a healthier choice for customers.”

Ashley Connolly, Local Buying Manager for Scotland at Asda, added: “We are pleased to stock Murdoch Allan produce here at Asda, echoing our pledge to supply our customers with top-quality goods. We’re proud to source the very best in Scottish food and drink, and we are always looking to expand the range from quality Scottish suppliers. Murdoch Allan has a rich history and continues to be a very popular choice for households across Scotland, making its traditional Scottish range a perfect fit for us.”

Murdoch Allan has experienced exceptional growth in the last five years seeing turnover more than triple from £3 million to expected revenues of £10 million in 2023, despite the challenges of COVID and huge rises in the cost of ingredients, utilities, and transport.  

The company employs over 150 members of staff at its bakeries in Fraserburgh, Turriff, Hatton, Peterhead, and Mintlaw. Local favourite Aberdeen bakery, Thains, became part of the Murdoch Allan family portfolio. As well as supplying supermarkets and independent shops, they have been supplying the beloved Pittodrie Pie for fans to enjoy during football matches for five years.

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