This year is an extra special one for us; we’re celebrating our 50th anniversary of making simply clever food at our base in Glenbervie.
Aberdeenshire has been our manufacturing headquarters since 1973 but before this, our business operated out of Glasgow as a bakery ingredients distributor.
It was in the early 70s that Stewart Macphie (pictured above) began formulating plans to fundamentally change the company and greatly expand our activities. These plans soon came to fruition and a small factory was built on a field at the centre of the Glenbervie Estate which had been in the family for over 750 years. The change from being a distributor to a manufacturer had begun!
Now, our business employees employs over 250 people, selling products to over 30 countries and while many things have moved on from 1973, what we stand for has stayed the same.
Giving back to the community
To give back to the communities in which we operate, we’ve committed to donate £50,000 to local charities and community groups this year.
CEO Andy Stapley said: “This pledge is about celebrating our wider Macphie family, those in our communities who have helped us over decades to build the firm up to what it is today.
“Although the decision to move our base out of Glasgow to the north-east estate in the seventies intrigued many, establishing operations at our Glenbervie home gave us unique roots for growth, which have been instrumental in our success.
“It was a pioneering move at the time. Operating a global company from a rural base has not always been easy but it’s important to recognise Glenbervie and the communities around it as absolutely vital to our business. We’re proud to be making the important commitment to supporting worthy local causes.”
Decades of deliciousness
At Macphie, we’re all about food and over the next few months, we plan to look back at some of the key food trends of the last five decades and how these have shaped the food we eat today. For nostalgic foodie inspiration to whet your appetite, head to our recipe hub.