The Incredible Expansion of Bells Food Group: A £250,000 Investment in Scotland's Most Popular Pie Maker
Key Highlights :
Bells Food Group, a famous Scottish pie and pastry maker, is set to increase its pie manufacturing capacity with a £250,000 investment. The company, based in Shotts, is installing a new state-of-the-art oven this weekend, allowing it to bake an additional 100,000 pies per week.
The bakery, which began as a converted washhouse, currently produces around 16 million Scotch pies annually. Bells Food Group has maintained its fourth spot as Scotland’s most chosen brand in the 2023 Kantar Scotland Brand Footprint report. The report reveals the ranking of shoppers’ most chosen food and drink brands over the past year.
Ronnie Miles, managing director at Bells Food Group, said: “We’re really proud to be in Scotland’s top five, alongside esteemed brands such as Irn-Bru, Graham’s, Tunnock’s and Mackie’s. “Continued investment, innovation and brand relevance has helped us attract and retain shoppers to maintain this position but ultimately it’s down to the talents and dedication of our team.”
The company’s investment programme is set to provide more than just increased capacity. This year, Bells launched a new range of frozen bake-at-home pies, a first for the company, which includes three variants - the iconic Bells Scotch Pie, Macaroni Cheese Pie and new Scotch Chilli Pie. The company also won a major contract to supply five and a half million packs of own-label pastry to 862 UK-wide Tesco stores.
With an annual turnover of around £26 million, Bells Food Group currently employs around 220 people and has a 60% share of the hot pie market in Scotland. It operates two bakeries and a distribution centre in Shotts.
Lesley Ann Gray, of Kantar, said: “The enduring stability of the Scottish top five brands reminds us that brand-building is a long-term game. “The growth stories behind the brands all reflect the same theme – winning more shoppers by giving them more reasons and opportunities to buy. Creating that virtuous circle of rising shopper engagement, sales, and in-store presence takes time, clarity of direction and investment.”
The Bells Food Group story began in 1931 when, fearing his son Donald would be out of work after completing an apprenticeship at a local bakery, David Bell converted the family washhouse into a small bakery. Donald started the business selling scones and pancakes in the early hours of the morning door-to-door. As the business grew, Donald’s four brothers and two sisters joined.
In 1955, the introduction and success of Bells “Special” Puff Pastry allowed the company to expand into other savoury products such as Bells Scotch Pies, bridies, sausage rolls and Bells Steak Pies, all produced from Bells recipes dating back to the 1930s.
The £250,000 investment in Bells Food Group is set to help the company meet projected increased demand for the years ahead. With the new state-of-the-art oven, the company will be able to produce an additional 100,000 pies per week, allowing it to continue its success as Scotland’s most popular pie maker.
