Dean's
Founded in 1975 when Helen Dean started baking shortbread in her kitchen in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, to raise money for the local pipe band, Dean's has grown into one of the country's most recognisable brands. The family-owned business produces premium shortbread, biscuits and savoury cheese bites, and prides itself on using time honoured, handcrafted baking methods to craft the perfect taste and flavour.
Here, as part of our Scottish Food & Drink September 2026 celebrations, we discover more about the history behind Dean's, how the business has grown and changed over the decades, and why Helen's original recipe is still the secret to its success.
Scottish Food & Drink September 2026
Dean's started in Helen Dean's kitchen 50 years ago – what does it mean to have marked that milestone last year?
Reaching 50 years was an incredibly proud milestone for everyone at Dean’s. What began with Helen Dean baking in her kitchen to raise funds for the Huntly Pipe Band has grown into a much-loved Scottish brand, while remaining closely connected to those humble beginnings.
Celebrating the anniversary gave us an opportunity to thank our employees, customers and local community, all of whom have helped shape the Dean’s story.
What do you believe makes Scottish baking, and shortbread in particular, so special?
For us, Scottish baking is about creating something simple, honest and made with care. Shortbread has always been at the heart of that tradition, built on generations of craftsmanship, high-quality ingredients and an unwavering commitment to authenticity. It's why shortbread remains such a beloved symbol of Scotland and why we're proud to continue that tradition today.
From a converted grocer's shop to your purpose-built bakery today, how has the spirit of those early days stayed part of the business as you've grown?
Although the bakery and the scale of the business have changed considerably, the values behind Dean’s remain familiar; quality, hard work and pride in what we make.
We want every product to feel as though it has been made with the same attention and generosity as those first batches baked at home in our own scaled-up kitchen.
In 2025 you brought Duncan's of Deeside under the Dean's roof. What does bringing two shortbread brands together mean for how you tell your story going forward?
Bringing the two brands together marks an exciting new chapter for two Aberdeenshire businesses with a shared passion for high-quality Scottish shortbread. Each has its own identity, heritage and loyal following, and our ambition is to honour those individual stories while using our combined knowledge and expertise and unique manufacturing processes to create a stronger future and adds greater value and spread of customer product options.
It also allows us to celebrate more of Scotland’s baking heritage while reaching new customers at home and internationally.
Is there a technique, recipe, or process you've kept true to since the start, and why does it matter to you?
While automation has helped us to grow, one of the things we're most proud of is that our shortbread is made using time-honoured handcrafted baking methods. Even though the business has grown significantly over the years, the principles behind that recipe haven't changed; simple ingredients, careful baking and an uncompromising focus on quality.
How important has your local community and workforce in Huntly been to the Dean's story over the decades?
Our local community and workforce have been fundamental to every chapter of the Dean’s story. Behind every biscuit are the people who mix, process, bake and pack our products. The community has helped shape who we are as a business and that's a story we're proud to convey.
For 2026, Scotland Food & Drink September is focused on how 'Every Bite Tells a Story' – what’s the story you want people to taste in every piece of Dean's shortbread?
We want our products to communicate our journey of Scottish heritage and 50 years of dedication to quality. It is the story of a recipe that began in a Huntly kitchen for a different purpose of fundraising, a community that helped a small idea grow, and generations of people who have grown with the business and continue to love our shortbread.
