Mackie’s of Scotland is a fifth generation family business that has grown from its origins as a dairy farm in 1912 at Westertown Farm in Aberdeenshire into one of Scotland’s best known food brands.

The company produces all its ice cream and chocolate on the family farm using fresh milk from its own herd, which has helped establish its traditional ice cream as Scotland’s favourite. 

Sustainability

Sustainability is central to the way Mackie’s operates. The farm generates more than twice the energy it consumes through a combination of wind turbines, solar power and biomass heating systems. This approach supports the company’s ambition to become the greenest food manufacturer in Britain. 

Curious and Collaborative

Mackie’s brings together a team of around ninety people across production, development, marketing and farm operations. New team members join a workplace built on craftsmanship, curiosity and genuine collaboration, where people are encouraged to share ideas and take pride in the products they help create.

Mackie’s of Scotland approaches sustainability with the same enthusiasm it puts into making ice cream, treating environmental responsibility as a natural part of farm life rather than a corporate box-ticking exercise. 

At the heart of the business is a long-held mission to become a Scottish global brand from the greenest company in Britain, created by people who genuinely enjoy what they do. This ethos runs through daily life on the Aberdeenshire farm, where the team takes pride in producing as much as possible themselves, from ice cream and chocolate to the packaging that holds them. 

Their approach, often described as “sky to scoop”, blends traditional farming values with modern, imaginative thinking. Renewable energy, home-grown innovation and a commitment to leaving the land in a better state for the next generation guide the decisions the family makes. 

Whether developing low-carbon technology, experimenting with greener ways of working or nurturing the farm environment, the team sees sustainability as an ongoing, creative challenge.

What truly defines Mackie’s is the joy threaded through their efforts. They treat sustainability not as a burden but as an opportunity to have fun solving problems, celebrate their land and shape a future that is both delicious and environmentally responsible.