Famous Grouse Experience Feature | McLeish Brothers Feature

Dundee, City of Discovery and Delis… Dundee, famed worldwide for the Three J’s – jute, jam and journalism, is now the city of the Two Ds – Discovery and delis. It was here, 60-odd years ago, that the McLeish family set up shop as purveyors of fresh foods and is now, in the 21st century, home base for a rapidly-growing chain of delicatessens that is expanding nationwide, bringing jobs and economic benefits to the area. McLeish Brothers, joint sponsors of the three-day Dundee Flower and Food Festival at Camperdown Park, decided on Dundee as headquarters for their Scotland-wide operation when laying down their expansion plans last year, quadrupling their workforce in the city. From a launchpad staff of about 40, that number will rise to above 600 across Scotland over the coming months, and from four stores in Dundee, Broughty Ferry and Glenrothes, to two dozen New York-style delis nationally. And all that before the incursion south of the Border, to the Midlands, London and the South-east. All part of an ambitious, £11 million expansion from the established Dundee base. A new deli opened for business in Whitehall Street and state-of-the-art kitchens – a £750,000 investment – were built at Wester Gourdie, just off the Kingsway, where the number of chefs and assistants producing specialist ready-to-cook meals seven days a week for distribution to the McLeish chain will increase steadily to 50 by the end of next year. Next door, the new administration offices house 20 staff, which will rise to 30 by the end of 2009. Each store has its own kitchen for take-away preparation. Trading and marketing director Scott Milne says: “When it came to deciding where to base McLeish Brothers, it really was no contest. Dundee was where the whole concept was born, it was where the workforce and expertise was, so, for us, it was a no-brainer. It had to be Dundee.” A few months ago, McLeish Brothers acquired the award-winning butcher’s business Robertson’s in Broughty Ferry in a £1.2 million deal. The Robertson’s outlet has been refitted and now bears the McLeish title. The butchery side was granted Food Standards Agency approval to distribute pre-packed meat products – including mince, sausages and their world-famous pies – not just throughout the chain, but across Europe as well as demand grows. In under two years, in addition to the expansions on Tayside, McLeish Brothers have opened new delis in Aberdeen, Inverurie, Edinburgh, with others to follow in Glasgow and its suburbs, St. Andrews, Stirling and Perth. As well as a huge range of freshly-prepared international cuisine, take-away meals, a McLeish-branded grocery range, tobacconist, newsagents and off-licence, most stores will also have Coffee Republic and Thornton’s confectionery franchises. McLeish, which has already won national awards for excellence, sources as much of its produce and products in Scotland, a policy that brought praise from Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond when he declared the first Edinburgh store officially open two months ago. “…if we are looking for the best and the best is here, why go elsewhere…?” Mr Milne explains: “We get our meats and vegetables from Scottish farms, our fish from Arbroath and Peterhead and our bread, cakes, biscuits, relishes, soups, whiskies etc from suppliers around the country. 'More than 70 per cent of the products we sell are sourced in Scotland. Our policy is simple – if we are looking for the best and the best is here, why go elsewhere?” “The McLeish name has been associated with the Dundee and Tayside area for more than half-a-century – we see that relationship going on for a very long time to come. We at McLeish Brothers are delighted to be associated with such an auspicious weekend event as the Dundee Flower and Food Festival.” Colin Bussey, McLeish Brothers Ltd Colin Bussey is the Scottish Chairman of the Master Chefs of Great Britain. He recently joined McLeish Brothers Ltd on a consultancy basis. Colin has vast experience including recent work at Cameron House at Loch Lomond, Gleneagles Hotel, Oranmor in Glasgow, Scotbrae and Simon Howie Foods. Colin will be demonstrating his cookery skills throughout the Festival.