AN Aberdeen construction company has landed a £200k contract to fit out Mackie’s first ice cream parlour at the Marischal Square development in the city centre.
Burns Construction (Aberdeen) Ltd has now started work to transform the site and give it the "sophistication dipped in fun" revealed recently in Mackie’s eye-catching concept designs.
A team of Burns operatives have started work on the site before staff get their first look at the completed premises, called 19.2 because it is 19.2 miles from Mackie's Rothienorman farm base, and begin training in November.
Keith McPhee, director at Burns Construction said: “We are delighted to be carrying out this project for such a renowned local company as Mackie’s and is one of the reasons we were very keen to obtain this project. The Mackie’s team have been absolutely fantastic and we are very much looking forward to carrying out this exciting project.
“It’s not often that our work brings us such an unusual mix of design and construction process so close to home.”
Founded in 2000, Burns has previously worked on many prestigious projects in and around the Aberdeen area utilising a large portion of its works to local labour, sub-contractors and suppliers.
Karin Mackie, marketing director with Mackie’s of Scotland, said: “As our first parlour, 19.2 will be a huge milestone for us moving forward and we’re delighted to be working with another Aberdeenshire company to realise our vision.
“We are first and foremost a local family business and we try to reflect that in everything we do.”
Mackie’s announced last year that it will open its first branded retail unit at the £107 million Marischal Square development – signing a 15-year lease and joining All Bar One, Marriott Hotels and Aberdeen Journals as an early "scoop" on the developer’s client list.
With opening scheduled for December, the venture will provide customers with a choice of more than 20 new flavours of ice cream, Ice cream lollies, crepes and waffles as well as a growing range of chocolate now produced in the £600,000 chocolate factory at the family’s Westertown Farm near Inverurie.
The firm hopes the combination of its produce from the farm, paired with artisan coffee and fresh local foods will eventually become a familiar fixture in many of Scotland’s towns and cities.
Mackie’s of Scotland produces milk and cream used to make its famous ice cream. In keeping with its "sky to scoop" philosophy, the Aberdeenshire firm also produces everything from renewable energy to its own packaging.
Firmly established as one of the UK’s most popular take-home ice creams, Mackie’s diversified into making crisps in 2009.
Adding a dedicated £600,000 chocolate factory to its Aberdeenshire home farm in 2014, Mackie’s has since achieved substantial new contracts for its chocolate, including initial deals with Tesco and Sainsbury’s, with new domestic contracts including the Co-op coming on board in 2016.
The £107 million Marischal Square development has the potential to be one of the most important new city centre locations in Aberdeen and will be a key element of Aberdeen City Council’s long-term city centre masterplan regeneration project.
The Marischal Square project is being delivered as a partnership by the council, Aviva Investors and Muse Developments.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here