Iconic 100-year-old Scottish sweeties and tablet maker cooks up growth plan

Gordon & Durward, based in Crieff, has provided the House of Lords with its prized confectionery, which includes famous sugar mice, and produces more than three tonnes of sweets every week. The company still uses mid-20th century copper steam boilers and original recipes.

Now, a century after it was established by grocers Nora Gordon and John Durward, current owners Graham and Caroline Donaldson are about to introduce a new generation to the family business.

Daughter Kim is returning after 13 years in the RAF to take up a permanent role, building on the growth which has seen the firm’s sweets stocked in shops the length of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and in key outlets such as House of Bruar.

They are also assessing options to meet growing demand with the current shop and premises in the town approaching capacity.

The expanded Donaldson team, who have owned the business for 35 years, will look to increase capacity to meet demand for the firm’s tablet, fudge and traditional boiled sweets.

Co-owner Graham said: “When we took over the business the previous owners were looking to retire and gave me a huge amount of support. Now, the distribution is right across the whole of the UK and when people are going abroad to visit family and friends they get requests to bring our hand made Scottish treats.

“In terms of the future, we have a slight issue in that we are beginning to get to capacity at our present unit but it is not insurmountable. You don’t want two or three sites because it becomes difficult but there are options we can look at.”

Graham’s wife and co-owner Caroline, a former pastry chef, added: “Over the years we have seen a variety of different flavours becoming popular and then falling away again. Chocolate and chilli was a big thing for about 18 months then dropped again. That said, the Isle of Skye sea salt tablet is not far behind sales of our traditional butter tablet now.”