Ritson Smith client profile - Chalmers Bakery

For over fifty years, Chalmers Bakery has baked bread, iced buns and sugared doughnuts for the people of Aberdeen.  In order to support his siblings and widowed mother, 14-year-old Ronald Chalmers took an apprenticeship and learnt a trade which he still practises today as a sprightly octogenarian.

Established in 1956, Chalmers Bakery began with one shop and three staff and the company slowly grew with new shops and four expansions to the production base at Bucksburn.

Today, Ronald and Sheila are still very actively involved in the business, which now employs over 200 people.  Son John Chalmers  became managing director in 1986: “We have seen many changes over the last five decades, but my family has always been keen to move with the times.

“We have invested heavily in replacing equipment with state-of-the-art facilities, and refitted all our shops. We are dedicated to preserving our high-quality image, so we work hard to stay ahead of the stringent environmental health regulations which have affected so many within our industry.”

John says it is not just regulations and trading conditions which have changed:  “Our product range varies enormously according to the season and changes in taste – although the old favourites like pineapple tarts and empire biscuits are still extremely popular.”

There has also been a growing demand for the company’s world famous “Balmoral Bread” (the family has a long and trusted connection with the Royal Family): “We are proud of our Royal Warrants – they are issued personally by the members of the Royal Family.  We have supplied regular orders for many years and still today provide a variety of products to the Queen and Prince Charles when they visit Scotland.”

Chalmers Bakery has been working with Ritson Smith for over 25 years, John says:  “We did defect for a few years, but we soon decided to come back to Ritson Smith due to our lengthy relationship with them.”

John is very positive about the future for the bakery: “We know we have an excellent product – our name is well known and is synonymous with good quality.”

Ronald Chalmers puts the success of the business down to hard work, his son says: “It can take years to be a truly good baker.  The hours are long and we work 24 hours a day at Bucksburn.  Bread, rolls and butteries need to be baked and ready to go before most people switch off their alarms in the morning.”

So, with an increasingly sophisticated clientele and a wider choice available to the consumer, what is the city’s favourite bake?  “Butteries – without a doubt”, John says. “Aberdeen “rowies” are still a firm favourite – and not just in Aberdeen! We have a thriving business fulfilling regular orders from homesick Aberdonians right across the UK.”

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