A cutting-edge culinary facility has officially opened in Dubai, offering chefs and bakers across the Middle East a chance to see first-hand how ingredients perform under real-world conditions.
The new Customer Centre from Macphie, the family-owned Scottish food ingredients manufacturer, marks a pivotal step in its global growth strategy, helping it better serve international customers while accelerating expansion in the region.
Located in the heart of the UAE, the bespoke hub will host live demonstrations, collaborative workshops and tailored menu trials, all within a 175-square-metre space designed to mimic the pressures of a working kitchen or bakery.
It offers Macphie the chance to move beyond supply and into deeper partnerships with chefs, bakers and foodservice professionals, helping them solve complex culinary and operational challenges.
James Parker, Food Applications Manager at Macphie, said: “The Dubai Customer Centre is all about partnership. It’s a space where we can connect with our customers on a one-to-one basis, better understand their challenges, and demonstrate how our ingredients and products can provide solutions to those challenges, while continuing to deliver on quality and innovation.
“Already we’ve had a fantastic response. We’ve welcomed numerous customers through the doors and shown them exactly what’s possible when we collaborate on solutions. For chefs and bakers facing extended high humidity conditions, long service windows or fluctuating costs, the ability to test our products in a like-for-like setting is a game changer.”
Visits are by appointment only to ensure a fully bespoke experience, allowing Macphie’s team to tailor demonstrations to the specific needs of each client.
The facility also serves as a base for innovation sessions, training and the development of new menu concepts using Macphie’s suite of ambient UHT sauces and sweet bakery solutions.
Crucially, the facility reinforces Macphie’s relationship with key regional partners, while creating a direct link to the end users of its products.
Modern Bakery has been a long-term partner in the region. Dr Fawaz Al Bahri, CEO of Modern Bakery, said: “Our partnership with Macphie spans nearly three decades, built on shared values of quality, consistency and innovation.
“Their investment in a dedicated base in the Middle East is a welcome development and a clear sign of their long-term commitment to the region. We’re excited about the opportunities this creates for deeper collaboration and mutual growth.”
Macphie has maintained a presence in the Middle East for more than 30 years and now aims to more than double its sales in the region over the next three years. The Dubai investment, worth over £100,000, is a cornerstone of that plan.
The business already operates Customer Centres in the UK, including Coventry, which have proven successful in supporting sales growth by giving customers hands-on access to the product range and technical expertise.
James added: “Having our own space in Dubai helps us better understand the nuances of the market. We’re not just supplying product, we’re solving problems, sharing insight and building relationships that last.”
Founded in 1928, Macphie now employs more than 300 people across its UK sites and supplies some of the world’s most recognisable food brands. Its portfolio is trusted by chefs and bakers to deliver consistency, reduce prep time, and tackle the pressures of modern service.
In 2015, Macphie became one of the first businesses in Scotland to achieve B Corp certification and continues to lead on sustainability – generating more renewable energy than it consumes at its Glenbervie HQ thanks to wind turbines and an on-site biomass plant.
As the Dubai Customer Centre opens its doors to more chefs and bakers, Macphie is cementing its status as a global food solutions partner – one with a proven ability to blend innovation, performance and personal service.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is today launching a Winter Series of four limited-edition single malt whiskies, each inspired by a defining moment from October to January.
The series features four bottles with specially designed labels that celebrate the mischief of Hallowe’en, the warmth of Christmas, the sparkle of Hogmanay and the tradition of Burns Night. Each label is marked with one of the letters ‘S’, ‘M’, ‘W’, or ‘S’, and adorned with original artwork to embody the spirit of these celebrations.
The full Winter Series (£325)will be available on the Society’s website from 17 October, with the individual bottles then released each month through the winter. The first bottling to be released, Spirit of Hallowe’en, will be available on the website on Friday, 17 October.
Each bottle in the Winter Series is a limited edition, with fewer than 300 bottles available of each release. The Series features:
- Halloween Bottle: Spirit of Hallowe’en (Cask No. 29.300) £89
- Bold & Peaty whisky aged 11 years in a second fill American oak PX hogshead.
- Smoky and slightly medicinal character with notes including pastrami, smoked cheese and eucalyptus lozenges.
- Christmas Bottle: Mistletoe and Whisky (Cask No. 1.296) £98
- Ripe Fruits & Honey flavour profile, aged 13 years in second fill Spanish oak.
- Evocative of cigars and martinis alongside sweeter notes of fruit cake and a bourbon Manhattan.
- Hogmanay Bottle: We’ll take a cup of kindness yet (Cask No. 59.85) £73.50
- A Toasted Oak & Vanilla flavour profile, aged 13 years in a first fill bourbon hogshead.
- An unexpected opening of lino cuts and putty develops into sugared almonds, cinnamon toast and jammy dodgers, with a slightly spicy finish.
- Burns Night Bottle: Sing thy name! (Cask No. 39.318)£73.50
- Toasted Oak & Vanilla, aged 13 years in a first fill bourbon barrel.
- Lemon curd, vanilla custard and sweet nutmeg and cardamon make this a lively whisky, with a contrasting finish of bitter orange marmalade and sandalwood.
Euan Campbell, Head of Whisky Creation at SMWS, said: “Winter is when whisky truly comes to life, and our Winter Series features specially selected bottles that each capture those special occasions that bring people together to enjoy a dram. We hope each whisky will take you on a flavour adventure through the colder months.”
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is also hosting a series of Hallowe’en events on Thursday, 30 and Friday, 31 October, with a spooky five-dram blind tasting at the Society’s Bath Street venue in Glasgow; a night of poetry and whisky with Robin Laing at The Vaults in Edinburgh on All Hallow’s Eve; a screening of The Shining with a three-dram tasting and cinema snack at The Dominion cinema in Edinburgh; a haunted five-dram tasting with a Witch’s brew and Society supper, served with hair-raising storytelling at the Queen Street Members’ Room in Edinburgh; and a “Treat & Sweet” tasting at Bath Street, including three drams with a trio of desserts.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is an international whisky club known for its unique approach to single cask whiskies, providing limited edition bottlings to its members. Founded in 1983, the SMWS now has more than 40,000 members worldwide, with branches in over 20 countries including the UK, the United States, Australia, and several across Europe and Asia.
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The Winter Series is available to buy here: https://smws.com/the-winter-series-2025.
The SMWS Winter Shop is also launching today.
