Dean's of Huntly

The decision three years ago to start employing migrant workers has paid dividends for Dean's of Huntly in terms of labour supply and staff loyalty.

The Aberdeenshire maker of hand-baked shortbread and oatcakes employs around 140 staff at its Huntly site, including 40 to 50 workers from Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.

Sylvia Grant, Sales & Marketing Co-ordinator, says: "Most of them have come in and started on standard production line positions, but with experience and ability, have moved up and some of them are now key operatives responsible for the production lines."

The non-UK nationals work in roles spanning the whole production process, from mixing the ingredients for the shortbread dough to cutting, baking and packing a range of products including shortbread, biscuits and oatcakes.

As well as selling to major UK retailers including Tesco, Asda, Co-op, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Somerfield, Dean's exports to a number of countries with key distributors appointed in the USA, Canada, Russia, France, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and China.

"We're finding the migrant workers are coming in dependable, reliable and willing to do the work," Miss Grant says. "They're dedicated to coming here and are prepared to work. Some of them will stay for a couple of years, build up some money and go home. But there are others who will stick around longer and they're the ones getting the experience to move up into different roles."

All employees receive regular employment training, while the non-UK nationals also have the opportunity to attend classes in English as a second language. "Obviously that improves their ability to integrate in the workplace but also in the community, because they can speak the language," Miss Grant explains.

The company used to source migrant workers through recruitment agencies but now employs a dedicated people manager to employ direct.

"I think life would be more difficult without the migrant workers," Miss Grant says. "They come and do a very necessary job. They're filling a gap."

The Dean's of Huntly story began in 1975 in the kitchen of local resident Helen Dean, whose original shortbread recipe was so delicious that her husband, Bill, a drum major, decided to use her baking to raise money for the Huntly pipe band.

Her 'melt in the mouth' shortbread was so popular that Helen decided to establish her own small bakery in the town to meet with demand.

Although now based at a purpose built bakery on the outskirts of Huntly, the business continues to use traditional methods wherever possible to maintain the ‘home baked’ feel of its products.

Case study:2008

Contact

Sylvia Grant
Deans of Huntly
Huntly
Aberdeenshire
AB54 8JX
Tel: 01466 792086
Email: Sylvia Grant
Web: Dean's of Huntly