Mackie’s looks local for UK-wide ice cream launches
Mackie’s of Scotland has revealed two new flavour combinations set to hit freezer aisles this month – with both representing a celebration of locally-grown summer fruits.
White Chocolate and Raspberry becomes the latest addition to its Indulgent range, while Strawberry Swirl will become an immediate part of the classic range.
A positive stockist response means that both flavours will be available UK-wide, with White Chocolate and Raspberry initially available in Tesco in Scotland and Ocado in England and Wales.
Strawberry Swirl will be in Scottish Tesco stores along with an extended listing in Sainsbury’s stores throughout the UK.
All the fruit used has been sourced from a fellow Aberdeenshire family farming business, Castleton Farm – with sauces created in-house by Mackie’s, using a recently added saucing machine with gentle processing technology for the whole fruit. The machines are a further investment towards being able to make even more ingredients on the farm – from flavouring like jam compotes or salted caramel to small batches of chocolate.
Kirstin McNutt, development director with Mackie’s, oversaw the intensive new product development behind both flavours, a process that included several innovations for the brand.
She said: “We want to constantly surprise and delight ice cream lovers and these two new flavours will offer something very new and different.
“For the white chocolate sauce, we worked to create something ourselves that would stay soft and luxurious in the ice cream. To do that we had to make our own base white chocolate, before turning it into a ganache with cream and golden syrup, before swirling it through the ice cream along with the zingy raspberry.
“Strawberry Swirl is a refresh of our strawberry ice cream, the big difference being our new hand-made 100% fruit compote ‘swirl’ – giving the strawberry ice cream a double hit of summer fruit.
“We’re delighted to be working with local fruit farm Castleton in creating this new flavour. Mackie’s and Castleton are two companies with similar ethos: both are family businesses, aim to be self-sufficient in renewable energy and, of course, have a love of desserts!”
Established in 1992, by the Mitchell family, now headed up by Ross and Anna Mitchell, Castleton Farm grows and produces traditional Scottish food and fruit, all grown, picked and processed on its family farm. Like Mackie’s it was an early-adopter of renewable energy and prides itself on being a blend of both innovation and tradition. The successful family-run business also manufactures food products and runs a café and farm shop with an aim to farm profitably, in an environmentally and ethically sustainable way. The business is carbon positive and self-sustainable, with energy generated in a variety of ways, through solar panels, biomass boilers, CHP (combined heat & power) units and a heat pump.
On trying the final product for the first time, Aileen MacDonald, packing manager from Castleton Farm, said: “ The ’White Chocolate and Raspberry’ ice cream is delicious, it’s sweet with the chocolate, yet has a refreshing tang of our raspberries , I’d call it a grown up version of Raspberry Ripple!
“Enabled by a mix of polytunnels and biomass heat, our growing season runs from March to December, meaning we have plenty of fresh local fruit on hand to supply throughout the year. The fruit is picked and graded by hand to ensure best quality whether delivered fresh or frozen.
“Mackie’s uses our top-grade raspberries and strawberries, frozen on the day they are picked to protect their quality. The entire fruit goes into the compote, adding taste, texture and colour.”
Scotland’s fruit is famed for its flavour as the temperate climate allows the berries to ripen slowly, creating a particularly sweet flavour.
Key to the development of White Chocolate and Raspberry were the ‘Friends of Mackie’s’ – a newsletter club of more than 50,000 fans of the business, who voted for the new flavour combination to become Mackie’s next launch. Variations of the recipe were then trialled in Mackie’s 19.2, the company’s ice cream parlour in central Aberdeen. The name reflects the 19.2 miles distance to the family farm where it has made ice cream since 1986. Mackie’s experiments with new flavours in the parlour and visitors can enjoy various seasonal specials in addition to being able to try new products destined for the retail range.
Ice cream and chocolate lovers can also get all the latest updates from the farm by joining the Friends of Mackie’s newsletter https://www.mackies.co.uk/ and subscribers can enjoy exclusive offers and tasting opportunities to play a key part in new product creations.
To find out more about Mackie’s, visit: www.mackies.co.uk.
To find out more about Castelton, visit: www.castletonfarm.co.uk
