This visit was part of a press trip I ‘attended’ on behalf of Visit Aberdeen for FoodFest15 (www.foodfest15.com). FoodFest15 is Aberdeenshire’s take on ‘The Year Of Food & Drink Scotland’ 2015 – and if it’s anything like the experience I had, a grand old time it shall be for anyone who goes. It runs all the way through January to December, though I only showed up for a few days at the end of June. As far as I’m concerned, it’s ALWAYS the year of food and drink – I don’t care where I am, or what year it is. Anyway, I shall now talk about the place you can see before you…
We had the exciting and fortuitous opportunity to drop in on Mackie’s Of Scotland and meet the current owner, Mac. That’s him standing by the sign. Coincidentally (or not?) we showed up on a day when the factory was ‘off’ – so I didn’t manage to get killed by any chocolate making machinery. Founded in 1907, Mackie’s is a family held business in Aberdeenshire that makes, amongst other things – dairy ice cream, chocolate, ice cubes (yup) and crisps. Extremely Scottish sounding crisps such as ‘Haggis and Cracked Pepper Potato’ and Flamegrilled Aberdeen Angus. They started making ice cream in 2012 – which is also the end of the Mayan Calendar. Coincidence? I think not *shifty eyes*
Thus what you see before you is a chocolate, ice-cream, crisp and ice factory. Yeah, I know right? Willy Wonka doesn’t have anything on this (OK, maybe he does – since Mackie’s staff do not APPEAR to be Oompa Loompas and there were no musical recitals during my time there). Aaaanyway, Mackie’s describe what they create as ‘everyday indulgences’, and having now eaten flame grilled Aberdeen Angus flavoured crisps I am inclined to agree. Not that I eat them crisps every day, but I could…theoretically. Maybe ‘occasional indulgences’ would be a better way of putting it? OK, I’ll stop now.
What else to say? They’ve won awards aplenty for being green and stuff. Mackie’s are almost entirely self sustained