Tag: haggis

James Macsween Addresses the Haggis at Gyle M&S

James Macsween, Managing Director at Macsween and guardian of our national dish, put on a Burns Night performance as he addressed the haggis in M&S’s store at The Gyle shopping centre.

Customers were treated to this one-of-a-kind shopping experience which saw the haggis piped into the foodhall and highland dancers put on a show. Lots of tasters of M&S’s Burns Night range were on offer for all as locals celebrated Scotland’s age-old tradition.

Macsween makes an exclusive recipe of their sensationally popular haggis especially for M&S.

With new delicious additions such as Haggis, Neeps and Tatties en Croute, as well as traditional favourites, including the signature haggis especially made by James Macsween, M&S has everything you need for a Burns Night feast to remember.

Macsween has been supplying M&S with phenomenally tasty and succulent Haggis and Vegetarian Haggis products since 2012. As the innovators behind the first ever Vegetarian Haggis 35 years ago, there is now a Haggis for everyone to devour on Burns Night with M&S Food.

M&S serves two million customers a week across Scotland and has served Scottish customers for over 100 years – the first store opened in Dundee in 1918.

M&S has a network of over 40 food suppliers based in Scotland, who work with more than 4,000 farms and supply fantastic products across the while of the UK.

Over 2,500 of their products are made from raw materials sourced from Scottish producers.

M&S first began sourcing from Scottish food producers in the 1930s and the supply base has gone from strength to strength.

DON’T FORGET there’s another opportunity to enjoy a Burns Supper this weekend at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre:

 

World shows big appetite for Burns Night haggis

This Burns Night people across the world will be reaching for a forkful of Scotland’s finest, with haggis now enjoyed in countries including Greece, Hong Kong, and Ghana and exports booming.

Haggis has risen in global prominence over the past ten years, with the total export value of haggis over the past decade at £8.8 million and a 136% increase in tonnage of haggis shipped across the world.

Appetite for the iconic savoury pudding has spread to 20 countries, including Iceland, Malta, and the Czech Republic. Hong Kong has become the fourth-most popular market for haggis, closely following the Republic of Ireland, Spain and France.

The other stars of the Burns Night plate – neeps and tatties– have also increased in popularity across the globe. Potato exports have increased by 32% over the past ten years to be worth £108 million in 2019 – with the Republic of Ireland, Spain, and Egypt making the top three markets. Turnip exports also increased to a value of £11 million last year.

Burns Night is often also celebrated with a dram of Scotch whisky, which continues to be exported to markets across the world. A burgeoning thirst for Scotch whisky in Asia has seen 23 Asian markets including Taiwan, Singapore, and China grow in the last decade.

Environment Secretary, Theresa Villiers said: “Robert Burns was so enamoured with haggis that he dedicated an entire poem to the delicacy and it’s wonderful that it continues to be enjoyed around the world – more than 200 years later.

“This Burns Night I encourage everyone to sample some haggis and pour a wee dram to celebrate Scotland’s iconic food and drink and growing presence on the world’s culinary stage.”

Minister for Scotland, Douglas Ross said: “The life and work of Robert Burns is rightly celebrated around the world.

“Another Scottish global success story is our iconic food and drink sector and it’s so pleasing to see products such as haggis and whisky enjoying an exports boom. The future is very bright.”

Macsween of Edinburgh, a third-generation haggis making business, has witnessed the world’s change in appetite for the iconic Scottish meat product. In 2018, Macsween began exporting haggis to locations such as Canada and Singapore. It is are now looking to take a bigger bite out of markets in the Middle East and Asia, with a particular focus on the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan.

James Macsween, Managing Director and Owner of Macsween said: “Macsween now exports haggis to 7 international markets, and we expect to see that demand continue to grow as more people around the world come to love our traditional Scottish delicacy.

“We are proud to grow through innovation, and are dedicated to introducing our award-winning products to people around the world who are yet to discover haggis.”

In 2018 total exports of UK food and drink reached a record £22.5 billion. As part of the government’s ongoing Food is GREAT campaign government and British industry are aiming to boost UK trade in food and drink exports and government will continue to work with exporters to help them tap into new markets.

Further information:

  • All data provided (unless otherwise specified) compares UK 2009 and 2018 export statistics sourced from Defra analysis of HMRC Overseas Trade Data
  • According to Defra analysis of HMRC Overseas Trade Data, in 2018 haggis was exported to 20 countries across the globe: Republic of Ireland; France; Spain; Hong Kong; Cyprus; Germany; Malta; Denmark; Netherlands; Sweden; Belgium; Czech Republic; Luxembourg; Portugal; Italy; Iceland; Finland; Greece; Austria; Ghana
  • According to Defra analysis of HMRC Overseas Trade Data, in 2018 Scotch whisky was exported to 23 countries in Asia: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Aldi addresses the haggis with Simon Howie this Burns Night

Aldi customers can now pick up their Burns Night favourites produced by one Scotland’s top meat suppliers, Simon Howie, in all 91 stores across Scotland. Continue reading Aldi addresses the haggis with Simon Howie this Burns Night

Vegetarian haggis launches in US for Burns Night

  • Macsween of Edinburgh is celebrating its first export to the US in half a century with the launch of its vegetarian haggis in time for Burns Night
  • Branded as “Scottish Veggie Crumble” in the US, the vegetarian haggis will be available in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
  • Latest figures show Scottish goods exports to the United States were worth £4.3 billion, an increase of 8% on the previous year

Macsween of Edinburgh has launched its vegetarian haggis for the US market in time for Burns Night, making this the company’s first export to America in nearly 50 years.

Branded in the US as “Scottish Veggie Crumble”, Macsween’s haggis is available in 14 Fairway Market stores across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Despite there still being a US import ban on traditional haggis, Macsween decided to export its award-winning vegetarian haggis for the free-from, planted-based and vegan market. The launch of the “Scottish Veggie Crumble” means there’s a seat at the table for everyone this Burns Night no matter your dietary requirements.

James Macsween, Managing Director of Macsween of Edinburgh, said: “We at Macsween are delighted to be exporting again to the USA after 49 years!  

“Finally, Americans and the expat community can enjoy the UK’s most loved haggis brand known for its award-winning taste and texture. This is a huge milestone for Macsween to be expanding internationally and leading the way in plant-based food exports.

 “My grandfather, Charlie, would be very proud to see how far we’ve come from his original butcher’s shop in Bruntsfield which he opened back in 1953. My father John Macsween would also be proud as he invented the world’s first vegetarian haggis in 1984.”

Macsween has already sent 360 cases of “Scottish Veggie Crumble” to the US this month, and the iconic haggis producer is currently in the process of appointing a sales agent in the US to support its international expansion.

The US remains the top destination for Scottish goods, and in the year to September 2019 Scottish goods exports to the country were worth £4.3 billion. This was an increase of 8% on the previous year, with food and drink accounting for 30% of exports.

Meanwhile in the UK, Macsween is the most loved haggis and vegetarian haggis brand with a 60% share of the vegan haggis market according to a ScotPulse survey in November 2019.

International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss said: “It’s great to see Macsween enter the US market for the first time, giving Scots in America a taste of home this Burns Night. 

“The US is the second biggest export market for Scotland, and a new free trade agreement will make it easier for businesses to sell their goods in the US, which will encourage growth and create jobs for people in Scotland.”

In 2017, Macsween made history when it became the first company to export haggis to Canada since 1971, after developing a new recipe that meets the country’s food safety regulations.

From Scotland to Canada: Burns night boost for haggis exports

Scots around the world celebrate Burns Night

Tonight, Scots in Canada will be celebrating Burns Night with a hearty serving of haggis, thanks to the rise in exports from Scotland’s largest producer of the iconic meat pudding. Continue reading From Scotland to Canada: Burns night boost for haggis exports

The Power of the Haggis!

SCOTTISH FEAST USES ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER STIRLING HOMES FOR THREE WEEKS!

  • Energy used across Scotland to cook St Andrews Day feast could power Stirling homes for three weeks
  • Preparing one dinner uses the same amount of energy as powering an LCD TV for six weeks
  • Haggis is the most energy-intensive ingredient to cook, using enough energy to power a games console for almost four days

Continue reading The Power of the Haggis!