Business Scotland: McCaskie's refuses major supermarket offer and chooses independent route to beef up sales
McCaskie’s from Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde, has decided to supply and support small to medium size like-minded businesses in an effort to support the independent sector and boost sales.
The move comes despite an approach to stock McCaskie’s products in a major multiple’s stores throughout Scotland.
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Hide AdAs part of the independent push, McCaskie’s is now supplying many butchers shops in Scotland and England as well as retailers and restaurants with its products.
Nigel Ovens, shop owner and butcher, said: “Consumers go to independent butchers for high quality produce and service, so while a tie-up with the supermarket would have brought our products to a wider market, we are delighted to hold firm with our philosophy and instead drive sales through the independent sector”
The potential deal with the supermarket would have seen McCaskie’s supply their haggis, black pudding, bacon and pies to many stores.
McCaskie’s has invested more than £1.5million in the business in recent years.
This includes a state-of-the-art production unit opened by HRH Princess Anne in 2018. The unit now produces up to 1000 lbs of black pudding and up to 2,000 lbs of haggis per week.
The new production unit behind the main store in Wemyss Bay has allowed McCaskie's to significantly increase production by around 300% versus before, whilst still making all products in small batches.
The butcher has also used the new production unit to drive e-commerce sales via its website – these have risen by 60% over the last two years.
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