Aberdeenshire firm makes triple talent scoop to meet growing UK demand
THE UK’S fastest growing premium ice-cream brand1 has strengthened its sales team in a bid to meet demand for its products across the UK and abroad.
The family business, which has seen more than 1,000 additional UK stores stock new flavours in this calendar year alone, has brought in three new members to its sales team, aiming to draw on their experience and continue the company’s growth journey.
One of the three new starts is Will Dixon, 35, who will lead Mackie’s of Scotland’s sales team as the company’s Head of Sales.
Dixon joins Mackie’s with a wealth of food and drink sales experience – most notably from stints at global spirits brand, Pernod Ricard, and craft beer brand Northern Monk. During his time at Northern Monk, Dixon played a role in helping increase its UK retail distribution by almost 50%, growing it from the fifth-largest craft beer brand in the UK to the fourth.
Based in Warrington, Cheshire, Dixon becomes one of the Scottish farm-based business’ only England-based employees, emphasising the company’s drive and ambition to expand sales south of the border.
Will said: “I’ve been following Mackie’s progress over the past few years and when I learned of the role, I leapt at the opportunity to be a part of their next chapter of growth and success. It also helps that I have been a huge fan of Mackie’s products since learning about them from my father-in-law, who won’t eat any other kind of ice cream.
“I plan to blend what I have learned from my experience of sales strategy at both a global brand and a challenger brand in order to further improve Mackie’s strength in its Scottish heartland, while winning new listings and consumers south of the border.
“Fundamentally, my focus is to help replicate Scotland’s love for Mackie’s ice cream across the rest of the UK, helping the business achieve its ambitious growth plans – and helping consumers get their hands on better ice cream!”
Mackie’s has also appointed two new National Account Managers, Kirsten Blockley and Iain Thomas who bring a combined 20 years’ experience in the food and drink sector to the farm.
Thomas spent years at Froneri, Europe’s biggest ice cream manufacturer, which will stand him in fantastic stead in the sales team’s pursuit of growth.
Stuart Common, Mackie’s of Scotland’s Managing Director, said: “We’ve seen some incredible growth over the last 18 months, and we’re excited to see our delicious products reach more consumers than ever.
“Appointing Will to the Head of Sales role comes at a really important time for Mackie’s, as we reach more consumers south of the border than we ever have, while we strive to reach more.
“I’m confident that Will’s clear focus on our company goals, and the support he will find from Kirsten and Iain in our achieving them heralds the beginning of a very exciting period at Mackie’s.”
As the UK’s largest independently owned ice cream manufacturers and one of the country’s top ice cream brands, Mackie’s ice cream is made using fresh milk and cream from their fifth-generation family dairy farm, Westertown, near Inverurie in Aberdeenshire.
Mackie’s places great emphasis on its employee engagement with several employees working at the farm for more than 40 years.
To find out more about Mackie’s, please visit: www.mackies.co.uk
