Business Minister gets food for thought - Macphie

Scotland’s Business Minister Jamie Hepburn was in the Mearns today (Friday) visiting Macphie.

He was welcomed to Macphie by its chairman Alastair Macphie as part of a trip to the north-east of Scotland.

Accompanied by local MSP – and Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment – Mairi Gougeon, the Holyrood delegation was keen to find out about Macphie’s aspirations, both economic and environmental.

As well as a tour of one of Macphie’s manufacturing facilities, the politicians discussed issues such as growth in global markets, apprenticeships and developments in food technology.

Growth

Alastair said: “As a food manufacturer, Macphie welcomes the Scottish Government’s acknowledgement that manufacturing is a key contributor to the country’s inclusive economic growth ambitions.

“We are constantly looking to advance our research, develop new products, improve productivity and upskill our workforce.

“We are delighted with this opportunity to talk about these subjects, including our significant investment in developing plant-based products.

“Using food technology to develop more sustainable products will help reduce the pressure on the world’s natural resources and is an integral part of the company’s ethos.”

Carbon goals

Mairi Gougeon was also particularly interested in the business’s ongoing work in preserving its natural environment.

Headquartered on the Glenbervie estate in south Aberdeenshire, Macphie is a member of B Corporation, a global community of businesses committed to hitting social and environmental goals, alongside financial ones.

B Corporation members have pledged to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030, but chairman Alastair Macphie has high hopes of reaching this target a number of years earlier.

“Macphie is committed to acting as a force for good in the business world,” said Alastair.

“We were the first company in the UK to use an industrial biomass plant to generate power to produce food.

“At the moment, all the electricity used on our Glenbervie site is sourced from renewable sources – the majority from our on-site wind turbines – and the company is continuously working to improve its environmental sustainability.”