Bill Hazeldean and Stewart McLelland launch Macallan Food Group, enhancing their portfolio with the acquisition of Malcolm Allan and Macsween of Edinburgh.
Veteran Food Industry Executives Establish New Scottish Meat Enterprise
Two seasoned professionals in the food industry, Bill Hazeldean and Stewart McLelland, have inaugurated a new Scottish meat business under the name Macallan Food Group. This initiative has been bolstered by the acquisition of two prominent family-owned companies: Scottish meat supplier Malcolm Allan and haggis and black pudding manufacturer Macsween of Edinburgh.
Hazeldean and McLelland both hail from illustrious careers within the food sector, having held senior positions at seafood firm Macrae Food Group and biscuit maker Northumbrian Fine Foods respectively. James Macsween, the managing director of Macsween of Edinburgh, will also join them on the board of Macallan Food Group.
In a recent statement, Hazeldean explained the strategic vision behind these acquisitions. “Acquiring the Malcolm Allan business, alongside our investment in Macsween of Edinburgh, brings together two excellent businesses, both having product quality and customer service as their key priorities and core values,” he said.
He emphasised that the Macallan Food Group is supported by a family trust focused on long-term investments, ensuring that the foundational ethos of the enterprise would remain unaltered. He added, “We will continue to run both businesses as separate entities, utilising synergies where appropriate but retaining the individual identities and strengths of each organisation. It will be business as usual in the coming months as we implement our 200-day plan and develop our strategy for the future.”
Malcolm Allan has long been a supplier to the retail sector, offering products such as lorne sausage, steak pies, sausages, black pudding, and burgers, along with other traditional butcher meat lines. Conversely, Macsween of Edinburgh is renowned for its traditional and vegetarian haggis, alongside black pudding.
James Macsween welcomed the new venture, stating, “The Macsween family are delighted that the business is part of an ambitious new venture, which will enable us to fulfil our strategic growth plans in the future. Both businesses have strong brands in particular sectors of the meat category, and we look forward to working together with the Malcolm Allan team.”
Gordon Allan, whose family has helmed Malcolm Allan since its founding by his father in 1954, expressed confidence and optimism in the transition. “Having decided to retire, my brother and I wanted to ensure that the new owners would maintain the values, ethos and reputation of our family business after our departure,” he said. He underscored the importance of looking after long-standing customers and employees, many of whom have been part of the company for extensive periods.
He concluded with a positive outlook on the new ownership, stating, “We believe the new owners will maintain our values, and we are confident that we are leaving the business in safe hands. We will help in the handover process to ensure a smooth transition.”
With these acquisitions, Macallan Food Group is poised to make a significant impact in the Scottish meat industry, continuing the legacy of Malcolm Allan and Macsween of Edinburgh while charting new paths for growth and innovation.