One of Scotland’s best-known family baking businesses is growing its global footprint, as consumers around the world develop an increasing appetite for authentic Scottish treats.
Dean's, the Huntly-based producer of premium shortbread, biscuits and savoury cheese bites, is seeing rising demand in markets including Australia, China, Japan, the United States of America and across Europe, with consumers increasingly willing to pay more for quality ingredients, traditional recipes and genuine Scottish baking traditions.
Founded by Helen Dean in 1975, the family-owned company has spent the past 50 years building a reputation for quality Scottish baking from its home in Huntly, on the edge of the Speyside whisky trail. Today, Dean's products are enjoyed in countries around the globe, helping bring a taste of Aberdeenshire to international customers.
To support its next phase of growth, Dean's has secured a £4.9million funding package from Bank of Scotland comprising trade finance solutions and an invoice finance facility. The funding will help the business increase production capacity, develop new customer relationships and manage cash flow as it continues to grow its export operations.
Huntly Pipe Band
The success of the business has been built on Helen Dean's original shortbread recipe, first baked in her kitchen to raise funds for the local Huntly Pipe Band.
What started as a community fundraising effort quickly became a local success story. Demand soon outgrew the family home, leading to a move into a converted grocer's shop before the company relocated to its purpose-built Huntly bakery in 1992.
Over the following decades, Dean's grew into one of Scotland's most recognisable food brands. The business welcomed the-then Prince Charles to officially open its bakery in 1994, launched Scotland's first visitor attraction dedicated to shortbread in 2007 and expanded its facilities to 80,000 sq ft in 2025 as sales continued to rise.
Earlier this year, Dean's celebrated its 50th anniversary and acquired fellow north-east bakery Duncan's of Deeside, helping increase the scale of the business as it looks to capitalise on growing export opportunities.
Helen Dean
Bill Dean, managing director of Dean's, said: “It's incredibly rewarding to see products that started with my mother's shortbread recipe being enjoyed by customers all over the world. Scotland has a fantastic reputation for food and drink, and shortbread remains one of the country's most recognisable exports, valued for its tradition and craftsmanship.
"This year has been particularly special for us, celebrating 50 years of Dean's and acquiring Duncan's of Deeside, both important milestones that strengthen our position in the market while ensuring we remain a family-owned business rooted in the values my mother established five decades ago.
"Exports are a hugely important part of our business and represent one of our biggest opportunities for future growth and the support from Bank of Scotland will help us meet that demand while continuing to invest in our business and create jobs here in Aberdeenshire."
Bill Dean, managing director of Dean's
Michael Thomson, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said: "Dean's is a fantastic Aberdeenshire success story. From Helen Dean's kitchen in Huntly to exporting to customers around the world, the business has shown how a strong Scottish brand can succeed on the global stage.
"We're proud to support Dean's as it expands internationally, helping the business seize new opportunities in overseas markets while continuing to invest in its operations and people here in Scotland. It's that ambition, resilience and commitment to quality that have helped Dean's build a brand that resonates far beyond its home market, and we're excited to support the business in its next chapter of growth."