James Macsween Email & Phone Number

I operate the world’s first purpose built Haggis Kitchen in Edinburgh I designed it with my dad in 1994 with the help of a ball of string and some kebab sticks. We marked it out in back garden prior to construction so we knew the layout would work.Over the last twenty years we have expanded the market for haggis and black pudding through on-going product and management innovation, building on the work of my father and remaining true to the our family values.We introduced the first commercial vegetarian haggis in 1984, now the standard for such products and in the last three years launched microwavable versions of traditional haggis, vegetarian haggis and black pudding. The company is also respected for its approach to community and environment, exemplified by its annual sustainability reports.I was born and educated in Scotland and after training as a physical education instructor, realising it was never going to be a well-paid job and taking my father’s advice to keep my hobbies as a hobby and not make them a career I decided to join the family butchery business. In the early day I worked in every department from van driver to pie maker and shop assistant to haggis maker.It wasn’t till 1992 that I started fulltime in the business but I always knew I was going to join at some point. As a young lad I had a fascination with manufacturing and would always stick my nose round the door to see what was going on. So when I was given a full time job in production I jumped at it.We left Bruntsfield Place in 1996 to move to our shiny new kitchen in Bilston Glen in Loanhead. At that time we were making about 230 tonnes of haggis a year, we now make over 1000 tonnes a year which is about 5 million portions.

Listed skills include Product Development, Food, Meat, Business Strategy, and 34 others.