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Families have been spreading its preserves on their morning toast for generations.

Now, Mackays have been named the fastest-growing marmalade brand in the United Kingdom.

The Arbroath business, which employs more than 125 people, has been making jam and marmalade since 1938.

While competitors have seen a decline in recent years, Mackays appears to have bucked the trend.

Now retail details shows Mackays is the No. 1 marmalade brand in Scotland, with a 19% market share.  It is also the second-largest marmalade brand across the UK  and the fastest-growing – with a 26% increase in customer spend last year.

The data shows the £60 million UK marmalade sector has a experienced a decline of 2.6% over the past year due to rising inflation, lower penetration and the cost of living.

The brand’s signature use of steam-heated, copper bottomed pans and traditional small-batch production techniques sets it apart, the owners believe.

Martin Grant, CEO of Mackays, said: “To become the UK’s fastest-growing marmalade brand, and now the second largest overall, isn’t just a win for us as a business.

“It shows that genuine, trusted and traditional brands are still winning over consumers.

“We’ve long believed that heritage doesn’t mean standing still.  For us, it means holding on to quality while continuing to evolve, and that approach is clearly resonating in households across the UK and internationally.

“Notably, this growth has been achieved by adding additional customers to the category who are choosing our marmalade.

“There’s a misconception traditional categories are flat and growth-starved.

“Our experience proves that when you combine craft, consistency and innovation, you can win a larger market share, increased listings and shift consumer expectations.”

The brand has link’s with Dundee’s historic association to marmalade, when Janet Keiller turned bitter Seville oranges from a storm-struck ship into the first commercial marmalade in 1797.

The original Mackays factory in Carnoustie, a former carrot processing facility, was taken over by the Mackay brothers in 1938.  In 1970, Mackays was sold to United Biscuits, who made jam for their famous Jam Rings.

Paul Grant, a former employee of United Biscuits, took over in 1995 and began growing the Mackay brand again.

In 2008, Mackays moved from the factory in Carnoustie to a much larger facility in Arbroath, opened by Princess Anne.

Internationally, Mackays’ handmade marmalade has a strong and growing presence, with products now sold in more than 70 countries worldwide, from Japan to Peru.

This article appeared in The Courier on 25 September 2025