Seven tons of haggis has been exported to Canada since ban lifted

Macsween has shifted enough haggis to feed 40,000 Canadians since an export ban was lifted.

Haggis can now be exported to Canada

The company has exported seven tons, or 17,500 packs, of haggis to Canada since the ban on the product being sold was removed in August 2017.

James Macsween said: “This is a huge milestone for Macsween to be expanding internationally and leading the way in an increasingly competitive market.

“My grandfather, Charlie, would be very proud to see how far we’ve come from his original butcher’s shop in Bruntsfield, which he opened back in 1953.”

The Edinburgh firm announced it would begin selling the product in Canada after developing a new recipe that met Canadian regulations.

Canada imposed a ban on red meat from Europe in 1996 in the wake of the BSE scare affecting beef cattle. It was only lifted in 2015.

Scottish economy secretary Keith Brown said: “As a government, we have supported Macsween to grow their business and in 2018, we will continue to support Scottish companies to unlock the significant trade opportunities to be found in this fast-growing market.

“I hope to see this mutual trade increase in 2018, while always remaining hopeful that exports of haggis to the USA may be made possible in the near future.”