Ritchies of Aultbea pudding-maker 'proud' to have met late Queen

Every Monday, we ask small businesses key questions. Here we speak to West Highland pudding-maker John-Eric Ritchie, of Ritchies of Aultbea.

He told us spiralling costs had “made life really tough” and that more support to mitigate rocketing energy bills would “help enormously”.

How and why did you start in business?

I’m from Aultbea, on Loch Ewe in Wester Ross, and on leaving Gairloch High School I alternated between fishing and farming, ending up spending three-and-a-half years working at Buchan Meat’s abattoir in Turriff.

I then worked offshore as an industrial cleaner in places like Kazakhstan and Norway, latterly with Stork Aqua-Dyne.

But the work wasn’t steady and I wanted something different.

I’m very proud of the fact that today the whole of the north of Scotland has access to black puddings made from my granny’s old family recipe.”

I had always planned to set up and run my own business, and 21 years ago the time was right.

My father had made black puddings when he had a butcher-grocery business in Mellon Charles, near Aultbea.

We decided to create a new business making both black and white puddings.

Everyone goes on about Stornoway black pudding, but it's got nothing on Ritchies Aultbea Black pudding. #TeamRitchie

— Andrew MacRae (@dinkydooncie) April 2, 2014

I’m very proud of the fact the whole of the north of Scotland today has access to black puddings made from my granny’s old family recipe, which was handed down through countless generations to her.

The white pudding is made to my father’s recipe, and more recently we started making haggis to my recipe.

I continued working offshore for another two years while we got the business up and running. I then decided to join my father full time.

How did you get to where you are today?

We worked long and hard hours, making and preparing everything by hand, using ingredients from various suppliers across the north.

We then had to market our puddings to shops and hotels from John o’ Groats to Aberdeen on the east coast, and Durness to Dornie in the west.

Without the support of these small, independent shops and hotels the business would never have worked.

We used to go to Inverness Farmers’ Market, the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, in Portsoy, and Turriff Show, giving out hot pudding samples.

This kind of promotion won us many new orders.

It also allowed me to tell the late Queen all about our puddings when she visited Turriff Show a few years ago.

Who helped you?

Friends, family and former work colleagues couldn’t have been more supportive – they really wanted us to succeed.

We also owe a debt to people who have helped with the business over the years.

And the Federation of Small Businesses has always been there as a safety net, providing useful advice when needed.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?

Don’t rely on others, free yourself by starting your own business and make sure you have a good accountant.

What is your biggest mistake?

Not pushing myself to seize more of the opportunities that came my way. It’s all too easy to find reasons for not doing things but if you don’t try, you don’t win.

What is your greatest achievement?

My son, Scott, is my greatest achievement and pleasure – he’s a great boy.

I’m also very proud to have spoken to the late Queen at Turriff Show, and that I’m a retained fire fighter with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service locally – they need our support.

Mr Ritchie meets the late Queen at the 150th Turriff Show in 2014. Image: Morag Martin/Ceamara Photography

How is your business managing rapidly rising costs and what should government do to help?

The recent cost increases have made life really tough for us. Trying to absorb the electricity, ingredient and fuel costs without passing them on to customers has been extremely difficult, as it has been for so many businesses throughout the country.

Helping businesses like ours out financially after the electricity price cap ends at the end of March would help enormously.