Fourth generation takes the helm
A LEADING Aberdeenshire food manufacturer has named Ed Widdowson as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a significant milestone as the company transitions to fourth-generation family leadership.
Macphie has appointed Widdowson, nephew of former Chairman Alastair Macphie as part of a long-term succession plan to grow the company’s 97-year family leadership tradition, while positioning it for international expansion.
Prior to joining Macphie in 2017, Widdowson built an impressive career in strategy, sales and marketing, spending eight years at Procter & Gamble in the UK and Switzerland, working across global brands including Gillette, Pampers, and Oral-B before becoming Head of Sales for Duracell UK.
Widdowson said: “It’s an honour to take on this role and lead Macphie into its next phase of evolution. This company has an incredible heritage, and as a family business, we have a deep-rooted practice of investing in our people, our products and our sustainability efforts.
“Looking forward, my time will be dedicated to building stronger customer partnerships and driving projects that reduce our carbon output whilst delivering operational efficiencies.”
Since joining the family company, Ed has progressed through key leadership roles, beginning as Head of Sales where he drove significant growth within the bakery and on-the-go sector.
In 2022, Ed was promoted to Site Director at the company’s manufacturing headquarters in Aberdeenshire before moving into the most recent role of Strategy, People & Sustainability Director. This was a newly created position designed to give greater weight to these three key business areas.
Ed adds: “The business is at an exciting stage as we continue our capital investment programme into improving the infrastructure of our factories, creating capacity and building more sustainable methods of production.
“The UK will always be our core market, and we are proud of our Scottish roots, but I am equally excited to be taking our products and service further afield. Our ambition is to expand Macphie’s global footprint, particularly in high-growth markets and we have already made significant progress in several regions including the Middle East.
“This year we will be opening our first facility outside the UK in Dubai, as we look to build on the exciting vision and ambition of the region.”
Norman Soutar, Chairman of Macphie said: “Facing into the challenging market conditions of the last five years, the Macphie business showed great resilience and concurrently, most impressive sales growth. This success was underpinned by the certainty and long-term view of our family ownership; which, allowed us to establish our strong commercial relationships, support our commitment to innovation, and helped build our reputation for producing fantastic-tasting food ingredients that delight our customers.
“We have a long-term strategy for the business and Ed’s appointment is a key element in aligning the organisation to deliver our next phase of growth. As an experienced business leader, Ed embodies the culture of Macphie. He cares deeply about our people and seeks to create initiatives that will improve the lives of our colleagues, their families and the communities where we operate.
“Ed is rightly proud of his role in achieving and retaining Macphie’s B Corp status over the last decade. He has ensured that we all remain committed to maintaining high standards of social and environmental performance while delivering profitable growth.”
Widdowson’s appointment is effective from 1 April 2025.
The company plans to strengthen its position as the UK’s leading independent food ingredients manufacturer, focusing on delivering premium ready-to-use sauces, inclusions and bakery products to its restaurant, bakery, retail and food-to-go customers.
Founded in 1928, Macphie remains one of Scotland’s most respected family-owned businesses. It has held B Corp certification since 2015, reinforcing its commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
To find out more about Macphie, please visit: https://www.macphie.com/