A SCOTTISH ice cream maker has scooped a contract to supply nearly 300 Co-op shops across the country.

Equi’s Ice Cream – which is soon set to mark its centenary after opening its first cafe in Hamilton in 1922 – will supply two if its flavours to 270 of the community retailer’s branches.

The family-owned firm will supply its double cream vanilla and Isle of Skye sea salt and caramel ice cream – which use locally sourced ingredients, including milk and cream from its home town. It estimates that sales could exceed more than 70,000 units in the first 12 months.

Chris Law, head of sales and marketing at Equi’s Ice Cream, said: “This is great news, and we have been delighted with the response from Co-op’s customers. We are proud of our Scottish roots, with the centenary of our first ice-cream parlour opening in Hamilton just a few years away.

“We are delighted to work with the Co-op, operating in local communities across Scotland, this is our largest such contract.”