Celebrating our centenary...
Baking in Fife, Scotland, since 1919, Fisher & Donaldson is a Royal Warrant-holding institution. Known for its traditional baking, most notably the 'world famous' fudge doughnut, the bakery's delights are handmade in Fife and enjoyed by people from all over the world.
Now in its fifth generation, Fisher & Donaldson has been in the Milne family since the beginning. Taking its name from Willie Fisher and Davie Donaldson, the brothers-in-law returned to Cupar from World War I looking to launch a venture of their own, buying a small premises in Cupar, Fife, just around the corner from where the business remains still. Fisher’s nephew Alexander Milne assisted in the bakery for a number of its first years, before leaving to gain experience at other bakeries, returning in 1942 and later buying the business from his uncle. 1977 saw Alexander’s only son, Grant Milne, take full ownership of the firm, after he had expanded it into St Andrews and Dundee. Grant and his wife Audrey had five sons, two of which, Sandy and Eric, joined the business in 1975, four years before the company’s 60th anniversary. Eric’s eldest son Ben began working at the bakery aged just 10, and he has since gone on to manage the company with his father and uncle, overseeing further expansion and the awarding of a Royal Warrant in 2011. The family business currently has seven shops and cafes in St.Andrews, Cupar and Dundee, Scotland, and 2019 sees the family celebrate the bakery’s centenary.
Business owners Sandy and Eric Milne said,
“It is an honour to be at the helm as our family celebrates 100 years in business. We have always prided ourselves on the quality of our products and believe that the reason we are still a success a century down the line is down to our authentic traditional baking. All of our products are made in Fife, by hand, and we feel strongly that we provide what our customers want - authentic and traditional products, baked daily. We would like to thank our staff and customers, past and present, as without them we wouldn’t be here on your high streets 100 years later. Here’s to 100 more!”
Next generation manager Ben Milne said,
“As the business moves down to the fifth generation, myself and my sisters are very grateful to our Uncle Sandy, Dad Eric and grandad, and indeed all the staff that have put in the hours to get us where we are today. We have a great sense of pride and also a weight of responsibility to carry on their life’s work and ensure that the business continues for another 100 years. My hope is that when it’s our turn to retire, we can pass on an exciting prospect down to the sixth generation.”
To celebrate its extra special birthday, Fisher & Donaldson set a Guinness World Record for the world's biggest doughnut wall on St Andrews Day at The Big Hoolie in St Andrews. The wall of 1,234 doughnuts was given away to visitors in exchange for a donation to TCCL (Tayside Children with Cancer and Leukaemia) raising over £400 for St Andrews Lodge, a holiday house for children with cancer and their families.
