Stockan's Oatcakes
As a fourth generation, family-owned, award-winning business, Stockan's Oatcakes is built on heritage, tracing its origins all the way back to the 1890s. Famous for its handmade triangular oatcakes, which are made with high fibre wholegrain oats and fresh Orkney water, Stockan's is based in the picturesque coastal town of Stromness, where the local community has been vital for the company's continued success.
In this Q&A, we speak to Stockan's Director Irené Archer, the great granddaughter of original founder Gilbert Archer, to discover the traditional methods behind every delicious oatcake.
Scottish Food & Drink September 2026
Tell us a little bit about the story behind Stockan's Oatcakes – what makes your product so special?
Based in the picturesque harbour town of Stromness, we are a fourth generation, family-owned, award-winning business and very proud of our Orkney heritage. As one of the leading oatcake brands in the UK, we are particularly famous for our great tasting triangle (sector) shaped oatcakes. This shape is a throwback to when oats, water and salt were rolled out into a round pancake shape, cooked over an open fire and then divided into quarters.
How is the landscape around you, from the local community to land, sea and hills, reflected in your oatcakes?
Our focus has always been on quality and the success this has brought can be largely attributed to the support of the local community and our loyal workforce, many with well over 25 years’ service.
Location is also key as the bakery is surrounded by a beautiful island landscape including The Old Man of Hoy. Since 1952 the Old Man has been part of our brand as many of our packaging features an image of this magnificent sea stack that towers some 450 feet above sea level, near the entrance to Scapa Flow.
The bere barley we use in some of our products is an ancient, six-rowed native barley still grown in Orkney. Bere can be traced back to being used on the Islands more than 4,000 years ago and is commonly referred to as 90-day barley, as it is sown later and harvested earlier than other crops. A key factor for its survival on Orkney has been the traditional water powered Barony Mill in Birsay which has continued to mill and sell the ‘meal’.
When someone takes a bite of a Stockan's Oatcake, what story do you want it to tell them?
With their iconic shape, distinctive crunchy texture and clean snap, our oatcakes leave a lovely sensation of baked oats, and this wholegrain taste is complemented by beremeal, cheese or pepper in our flavoured varieties. We hope that the enjoyment of each bite can be linked to the care and consistency shown by our team throughout the baking process, as well of course as the fresh Orkney Islands water.
What makes Scottish produce so special, and why is it important for shoppers to support local producers?
Environment, landscape and history, with our lands and seas farmed and harvested for thousands of years.
A very rewarding aspect of our business is being able to produce a traditional Scottish product that is still loved today and enjoyed by millions around the globe. Our oatcakes are found in many of our local stores and restaurants and without the grass roots support of buying local it would be much more difficult to promote the Orkney/Scotland brand further afield. This support also helps boost the wider Scottish economy and make us more competitive.
What does ‘Scottish food and drink’ mean to you, beyond geography?
Quality, tradition and a proud heritage of ownership by the people who live here. Businesses face constant challenges, especially in today’s economic and political climate including increasing prices of ingredients, packaging, tariffs and transport. Without the force that is the collaboration of the Scottish food and drink sector and the opportunities it brings to find solutions to operational issues or a competitive edge in global markets, the situation would be even more difficult to navigate.
