Bakeries win £275,000 supply deals with Asda

Paul Allan, left, managing director of baker Murdoch Allan, with Asda's Brian O'Shea. Picture: Ian Georgeson

Aberdeenshire firm Murdoch Allan is celebrating the biggest contract with the supermarket chain, worth more than £150,000, and has taken on ten extra staff to deal with the increased production and distribution.

The family-run baker, based in Hatton near Peterhead, has been supplying Asda for more than ten years and its products – including pancakes and rolls – will now be stocked in 47 of the retailer’s stores north of the Border.

Managing director Paul Allan said: “Sales and profit have increased since we started supplying the supermarket, and we really appreciate the support the supermarket gives to local suppliers in Scotland.

“Asda really embraces the local supply part of their business and have a dedicated buyer based in Scotland, who knows the market well which provides real added support. It’s great to see Asda continuing to invest in providing a range of our products full of Scottish provenance and taste.”

Fellow Aberdeenshire baker JG Ross will also see its produce stocked across 12 stores in the north of the Scotland, while Perthshire-based Tower Bakery has landed a deal covering ten branches in Fife.

In total, the three firms will be supplying Asda with 25 new product lines, from butteries to brioche.

Brian O’Shea, Asda’s regional buying manager for Scotland, said: “Murdoch Allan, JG Ross and Tower Bakery products are premium quality and will give customers a new and local choice, particularly with the trend for bakery goods continuing to boom and those with a local and traditional offer proving most popular with customers.

“Feedback from everyone who has tried the new lines has been incredibly positive so we look forward to working with the businesses closely and hopefully increasing the range of products available in stores in due course.”