Ice cream maker Mackie's reports record sales

Ice cream and chocolate brand Mackie's of Scotland has passed £20m in annual sales for the first time.

The firm sold 13.3 million litres of ice cream in 2022/23 - enough to fill more than five Olympic swimming pools.

It attributed an 11% increase in revenues to sales growth south of the border and investment in its production facilities and workforce.

Last year it landed nationwide deals with major retailers for its second most popular flavour, Honeycomb.

The company, which began making ice cream in 1986 from its family-owned farm, has more than doubled its sales in the last 10 years.

It currently has a 21% share of the ice cream market in Scotland.

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Mackie's managing director Stuart Common said: "While the cost of living crisis has pushed up the prices for our raw materials, we've taken every effort to limit price rises that are passed onto our customers, which has been reflected in reduced profits.

"However, our increase in both sales and market share demonstrates that consumers reward companies like Mackie's for leaving more in their pocket without compromising product flavour, sustainability or quality."

The company produces all of its ice cream on its fifth-generation family dairy farm near Inverurie.

Last year, it sold its share in Perthshire crisp producer Mackie's at Taypack to the Taylor family.

The company rebranded to Taylors after the buyout.