Walker's Shortbread Ltd.
TypePrivate
IndustryBaked goods
Founded1898 (1898) in Torphins, Scotland
FounderJoseph Walker
HeadquartersAberlour, Scotland
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsShortbread, biscuits, cookies, and crackers
Websitewalkersshortbread.com

Walker's Shortbread Ltd. (formerly Walkers) is a Scottish manufacturer of shortbread, biscuits, cookies, and crackers. The company's well-known shortbread is baked in the Moray village of Aberlour, following a recipe developed by Joseph Walker in 1898.[1] Walker's Shortbread operates four factories in Aberlour, where the company is also headquartered, and two in nearby Elgin, Scotland.[2]

The company is one of Scotland's biggest exporters of food,[3][4] and employs over 1,200 people.[5] It is sold in tartan packaging all over the world.[6]

History

The business was founded by Joseph Walker in the village of Aberlour, Speyside, in 1898. It quickly started producing shortbread.[7]

In 1992, Walker's Shortbread started producing oaten biscuits for Duchy Originals, having been approached the previous year.[8]

In 2006, Walker's announced that the bakery in Aberlour would be closing and turning into a research facility for the company.[9]

The company has received the Queen's Award for Export achievement three times.[10] Walker's Shortbread is also still owned and managed by the Walker family.[11]

In 2017, Walker's Shortbread was granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment from Her Majesty the Queen for the supply of shortbread to the royal household.[12]

In 2018, the company's profits were diminished by a global increase in the price of butter by around 50%[13] due to supply shortages and demand increases, resulting in the company seeing a 60% drop in operating profit.[14]

In 2020, the company rebranded, changing their name to Walker's Shortbread Ltd.[15] The company's name was previously written without an apostrophe and was known as "Walkers Shortbread Limited".

In 2023, the company announced it was exploring how to create a vegan version of the butter-based biscuit.[16]

Locations

Walker's Shortbread have their headquarters at Aberlour House in Aberlour and have a production site in Elgin.[17] The company operates at a total of 15 locations.[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About us". Archived from the original on 6 January 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
  2. ↑ "Walker's Shortbread". BiscuitPeople.com. 11 January 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  3. ↑ Reid, Scott (7 October 2020). "Iconic shortbread maker Walker's slims product range and pays back £1.3m to government". The Scotsman. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  4. ↑ Williams, Martin. "Complaints over Walkers' shortbread sold under a Union Flag". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Banks, Alex (3 October 2023). "Profits plunge at Walker's Shortbread takes shine off higher sales". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Searle, Maddy (6 October 2017). "All you need to know about Walker's Shortbread". The Scotsman. Retrieved 18 October 2021.
  7. ↑ Kay, Emma (2020). A History of British Baking: From Blood Bread to Bake-off. Pen & Sword. pp. 113–114.
  8. ↑ McCrea, Diane (2007). The Handbook of Organic and Fair Trade Food Marketing. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 176–180. ISBN 9780470996089.
  9. ↑ "Walker's Shortbread closing village bakery" - PoliticalGateway.com 13 June 2006
  10. ↑ "History". WalkersShortbread.com.
  11. ↑ Bindrim, Kira (2 July 2007). "Walkers Shortbread names new CEO". NewYorkBusiness.com. Crain Communications. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "Her Majesty the Queen Grants Royal Warrant to Walker's for Shortbread". WalkersShortbread.com. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  13. ↑ Williams-Grut, Oscar. "The butter market is going crazy". Business Insider. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  14. ↑ "Shortbread firm hit by butter price surge". BBC News. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
  15. ↑ Symon, Ken (7 October 2020). "Walker's Shortbread returns furlough payments as it reports increased turnover and marginally reduced profits". Business Insider. Insider Publications. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  16. ↑ Woolfson, Daniel (3 March 2023). "Royal shortbread maker poised to go vegan". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  17. ↑ "History & Heritage". WalkersShortbread.com. 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "History of Walker's Shortbread". EnglishTeaStore.com. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
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