Mackie’s vision is to be “a global brand from the greenest company in Britain created by people having fun”.

Mac Mackie, Managing Director (41) is our champion for renewable energy at Mackie’s. Last night he collected the winner trophy for Mackie’s environmental performance.

The inaugural environmental FT awards were presented to companies who have demonstrated the greatest improvement in carbon efficiency in their respective categories. Mackie’s is regional winner for Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Mackie’s have dramatically reduced their carbon emissions from an estimated CO2 usage of 341 tonnes in 2004 and in 2006 the dramatic change to a surplus of 113 tonnes and the forecast for 2007/8 is to be 305 tonnes.

Mac Mackie ..“Going green is a trend which will necessarily grow in urgent response to climate change. It is part of a continuous improvement programme at Mackie’s farm fuelled by a desire to cut waste and costs, care for the land and wildlife, increase alternative energy production and expand recycling. It makes good sense for the planet, but also makes good financial and marketing sense”

FT.com/environmentalawards

September 20, 2007

Mackies Chairman Maitland and wife Halldis inadvertently created a "Raspberry Ripple" in the news recently. Maitland rushed to airport to return from holidaying in Norway and realised that he (or he says his wife) had forgotten his passport. Norwegian authorities allowed them to get on the plane and mentioned that he would have to be subject to some checks in Aberdeen. He was unprepared for the sombre faced immigration official who began with "So, you are the man claiming to be Maitland Mackie.." and then held up two sheets of paper saying "I have a print out from your website here and need you to confirm your latest ice cream flavour." Maitland was so surprised that he got it wrong - suggesting Chocolate Mint. Halldis fortunately kept her cool and corrected him with Raspberry Ripple - so he was allowed to come home. We thought it was a great touch of humour from Aberdeen Immigration and Maitland is going to make sure he travels with ice cream at the ready next time.

Two new wind turbines are now in the final phase of construction - they have been built and should be running and connected to the grid this week. See the report on STV news for a look at the third tower arriving. The two new turbines (Ice and Cream) will join the existing (Mackies) wind turbine and make green electricity to produce every tub of award winning ice-cream - with enough surplus for about 1000 homes.

Good Energy sources its electricity from over 300 independent renewable generators like Mackies and have been working with us since 2005.

To celebrate the increase in renewable energy production, a limited edition tub of Mackies ice-cream will soon be in stores. In addition to the nice windmill pictures, the tubs introduce our new offer to win a years supply of 100% renewable electricity from Good Energy. You can enter now

Staff here celebrated with a BBQ and party in a tent on the hill to view construction on Friday night - and the building team soon stopped work to join in. We have also all been issued with a few low energy light bulbs like the competition runner up prizes. The compact fluorescent light bulb uses five times less energy than the traditional incandescent and last up to twelve times longer.

July 03, 2007

Thank you to all who completed our questionnaire on tub designs. We are now working on the update and will show you the result as soon as it is completed.
May 22, 2007

This year a new environmental category was added to the prestigious Scottish Food and Drink Awards - for companies who are achieving sustainable economic growth and show outstanding commitment to environmental management in their business. In a ceremony held at Kelvingrove museum in Glasgow, on 19th May, Mackies were announced winners of this environmental award.

Judges felt that the Mackies company vision “to be a global brand from the greenest company in Britain created by people having fun” demonstrates that environmental management is at the heart of the business. Significant investment in wind turbines has been made to achieve self sufficiency in renewable energy. “What could be better than to see an ice cream company doing its bit for the battle against global warming! We will be proud to add this award to our packs alongside the wind turbine logo ‘made with renewable energy’ ”.

Picture: Karin Hayhow receives award from Lena Wilson, Chief Operating Officer, Scottish Enterprise

May 22, 2007

The perfect environmentally friendly gift! Send a gift voucher for a tub of Mackies ice cream and add a wild tub advert to our website page in support of the John Muir Trust. Only £5. See wild tub page
December 22, 2006

Mackies are a fourth generation family ice cream company looking forward to a bigger future as declared in the revised company vision “to be a global brand from the greenest company in Britain created by people having fun”.

The companys private wind turbine means that the latest ingredient shown on pack is “made with renewable energy”.

This summer has seen further investment of over £1m in production equipment which adds new capacity to fill different types of packaging and has increased overall volume capacity and speed of production. Mackies can now make 6000 litres per hour and have some of the latest technology to assist in the mixing and filling process.

Work on the final phase of improvement has begun in the freezing area which will further enhance the product and production capacity.

October 26, 2006

This is our 20th year of making ice cream, 1986 – 2006 and our latest 3 year business plan for 2006 – 2009 was accompanied by a special Cow Oscar ceremony to thank staff for their performance over the last 20 years.

The inaugural Cow Oscar ceremony included 20 awards for a variety of performances including Calm Seugh and Adversity Award , One Step ahead, The Extra Mile, Most Helpful Employee, Moving with the Times, Money Saving, Best Humoured and Best Party Animal.

Mackies 500 cows are obviously vital for our production process, we want to remind people that we use fresh milk and cream to make our ice cream – that makes it different to many of our competitors but they also look good and can provide us with some fun! We find that many people like cows and we have begun to introduce more of a cow theme to our offers and website. For example you can still enter the “Win a Cow” offer, with prize trip to Aberdeen to adopt a cow made in association with Visit Scotland, and download real cow recordings free as ringtones or enter the new Barnyard pack offer to win a party (no cows at the party, but the film has lots).

October 26, 2006

Recent news reports say that language experts have confirmed Cows have regional accents just like humans. Somerset farmers noticed that their cows have regional twangs and you can enjoy listening to the English examples by clicking here

We recorded some of our holstein cows recently to provide the ringtones in the win a cow competition. It was quite difficult to catch them because they are generally quiet when contented. You can hear the recordings (and claim one as a free ringtone) just by entering our competition - click here

Let us know if you think they have a north east scottish accent!

August 28, 2006

We are pleased to announce that our New Iced Fruit Smoothies won best retail product in the fruit category at the Scottish Food and Drink Excellence Awards ceremony in Edinburgh last night. Iced Fruit Smoothies are a refreshing alternative way to enjoy a 100% fruit smoothie and we will announce arrival in stores soon. We hope you will enjoy them !
May 12, 2006

Mackies ice cream is 20 year this year, pilot trials began in 1986 with surplus cream from sales of semi-skimmed milk. We now supply over 7 million litres per annum and your favourite flavour remains the Traditional. This years new flavour is Raspberry Ripple and has our first birthday offer on pack to enter our draw to win 20 tubs of ice cream and top prize of £2006. Good luck!

May 02, 2006

We were delighted to receive four awards at the Grampian Food Forum
Innovation awards - an annual event in Aberdeenshire celebrated on 15th
March this year. The judging panel included Bruno Deschamps, Chairman from Brakes, Julian Hunt from the Grocer, Claire Smith from CJ Lang and Ceri Ritchie from Scottish Agricultural College. The judges taste all the products, view our marketing plans and hear a presentation from our sales director Denis Emslie. Mackies new iced fruit smoothies won the award for a new healthy product for children which was collected by Kirstin (Mackie, our Development Director). Other awards were for Dairy sorbet, Icy Glen ice cubes and ice cream for Korea.

March 21, 2006

Another innovation from Mackies - 100% pure fruit smoothies, frozen for added refreshment. Available in two fantastic flavours.
A new treat from Mackies for summer of 2006, 100% FRUIT and nothing else. The great taste of a fruit smoothie iced for extra cool refreshment. A PERFECT HEALTHY SNACK click here for more info

March 21, 2006

Twelve year old Lucy Durno, won a fun Scottish Word competition set by Maitland Mackie, our Chairman with her correct use of the word “forfochan” - she said that “My dad is aye fair forfochan when he jumps on the trampoline with me because he smokes”.

In addition to her ice cream tub prize, Lucy received a further challenge from Maitland who wrote to her saying that what a terrible thing this was and that if she could persuade her dad to stop smoking for a year they would win a year supply of ice cream.

Her father, George Durno has just completed a year of non smoking. And George, despite his professed addiction to Mackies Ice cream, asked that their prize delivery of 52 tubs of ice cream be donated to the Raeden Centre in Aberdeen. The Raeden Centre is an assessment and developmental centre for pre-school children with suspected or known physical disability, developmental delay or behavioral problems.

Staff and children at the centre were delighted to accept Georges donation.

(Note, the Verb is forfecht - to exhaust, to wear ones self out )
January 10, 2006

Mackies have sponsored a band for the first time! We were delighted to sponsor the launch of Katie Targatt Adams new band at the tartan day in Aberdeen on the 6th August.

Hailed as “the next crossover music star” (Scotsman, October 2004), Katie Targett-Adams is a leading singer/songwriter and solo Celtic harpist. Katies contemporary interpretations of Scottish music and tradition are so good we heartily recommend you go along and enjoy the music! The cows enjoyed it on the bands visit to the farm.
Katies four piece band has been hand-picked from Aberdeen and features Andy Watt on percussion, Steve Donaldson on bass guitar, Robbie Petrie on guitar and vocals and Doug Ford on keyboard.
The new band are going on to perform at Edinburgh fringe with the first set of concerts in the Castle, 2.30pm each day for week beginning 8th August.
Visit katieharpvoice.com for more information or tickets

August 05, 2005

This week Mackie’s featured on the local North Tonight News. To see the clip click here

Picture courtesy of Grampian TV

July 15, 2005

Our new sycamore boardroom table has been specially crafted by Edward Lloyd (Macs father in law). The table includes as a centrepiece our logo of the milkmaid and dairy cow.

The logo is made from five different types of wood which alone took 60 hours of work to complete.

Mr Lloyd also crafted 10 large oak chairs of which 9 hide the initials of Chairman Maitland’s grandchildren under the cushions.

Edward Lloyd specialises in bespoke furniture from his home workshop in Banchory, for further information contact him on 01330 822930

December 01, 2004