The running of Scottish food and drink shop Macdonalds of Alford is a real family affair.
Felicity Macdonald opened the doors to her store on Alford’s Main Street in 2019.
It provides a range of products including larder basics such as flour, pasta, caster
sugar and rice, sold by weight rather than packaged, local coffee, pick and mix
sweets, a variety of cheese and refill household plastic-free products.
Ms Macdonald describes herself and youngest son William, 15, as the product development team and chief tasters, husband Rory, an air ambulance pilot, fixes the chocolate machine and eldest son Hamish, 17, is a “whizz” with numbers.
Award winning store
Macdonalds of Alford was recently crowned best new business in the Scottish Business Awards.
Running a shop is a far cry from Ms Macdonald’s previous job as a nurse within the NHS. She quit the profession in 2010 to look after her two children.
The 54-year-old said: “Running a shop was never anticipated.
“Move forward about 10 years and I was actively seeking employment with the NHS again, then fate intervened and I was going down a completely different path when the opportunity of renting the shop presented itself.
“In the previous 10 years I had learnt how to temper chocolate and make chocolate products which were sold at various events, which can be very hard work!
“I had always thought how nice, and much less work it would be, if I had a shop to sell my products in. The rent was reasonable so, after a family discussion, it was decided that we should give it a go.
“I now call the shop my ‘happy place!’ and never in my wildest dreams thought
that I would win the award. It is extra special as it is customers and secret shoppers that nominate your business.”
Customers could buy essentials
Luckily for Ms Macdonald she was able to remain open during Covid-19 with her shop being classes as an “essential”.
She said: “We had diversified just before the first lock down and the pandemic actually put us on the map.
“We were able to provide basics such as toilet rolls, rice, pasta,
sugar, flour and lots more because we are not reliant on the pre-packed
500 gm, 1 kg bag plus as the larger, well known supermarkets rely on.
“This has meant that customers have needed to come in for essentials when
they would not have done otherwise as our shelves were well stocked and
not empty.”
Plans are now underway for expansion with the opening of a new business unit.
Ms Macdonald said: “We are also near completion for moving into our new build house and new purpose-built business unit.
“I have received my first booking for the biscuit decorating workshop and we will be providing our products wholesale to two other businesses.
“We will also be offering truffle making workshops, chocolate bar making
workshops, biscuit decorating workshops and a seasonal Haggis Hunt.”
Ms Macdonald has shown her support for the North East Now campaign, which has made it easy for people to support local firms from a wide range of industries during the pandemic.
The initiative is driven by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce and backed by creative agency Hampton and Aberdeen Journals.
She said: “It is very clear, concise, user friendly and informative.
“Definitely a welcome addition because the information is easily accessible to inform the north-east public of the services and products we provide.”
For further information on Macdonalds of Alford visit www.macdonaldsofalford.co.uk
To find out more about North-East Now, visit www.northeastnow.scot
To share your positive business story, email stories@northeastnow.scot