Nice work ... if you can get it ... and
I did! A year ago I was approached by a charming young-ish man with an irresistible
offer. "We need to have the company's history updated, is that something
you might be interested in?" he enquired. Considering who the company was
and that it was Fergus who was asking, who could refuse.
Now in its fifth generation of family
ownership and management, the company actually celebrated its centenary in 1990
and had produced a book back then recording its first hundred years. With
stocks of that original booklet all but gone and so much having changed in the
most recent quarter of a century, 'The Boss' felt a new book was needed.
The odd thing is, 'MullMurmurs' may have
had something to do with it. A few years back a conversation took place aboard
the MV 'Isle of Mull' on the homeward bound trip from yet another memorable
Tunnock's Mull Rally between the author of this scurrilous series of news and
information sheets and Mr Boyd Tunnock himself.
The Boss was very interested in how the
information was gathered and then produced and typed up and distributed around
the rally route and the island so quickly. He actually used the word 'marvellous'
to describe this collection of rally trivia and scuttlebuttitis, and then
mentioned that he was missing a couple of issues - but I had some spares!
Anyway, fast forward a few years and
Fergus asked if I would be interested in producing a new book to celebrate the
achievements of Scotland's best and biggest biscuit baker and the final result
was delivered to the Tunnock's factory last week. An 11,000 word 'tome' on the
origins, background and progress of Scotland's best loved biscuiteers.
Unfortunately, none of youse lot will be
able to buy it. The book is intended primarily for customers and factory
visitors and local schools. But then again, Tunnock's has a merchandising
section on its website and if the demand
is there then you never know what might happen.
Over the most recent 25 years Tunnock's
has undergone massive change and now produces 6 million Caramel Wafers every
week and 3.5m Tea Cakes, although rumours abound that on certain weeks over the
past 12 months only 5,999,998 Caramel Wafers were produced - usually coinciding
with my factory visits. Very odd. Add to that the Caramel Log and Snowball production
plus other lines -and they still can't keep up with demand hence the new
extension currently underway.
Whatever, this was surely one of the
bestest research and writing jobs ever, and I'm just so chuffed to have been
asked.
