After 13 years running a delicatessen in Aberdeen, Isabella Massie and her husband Alastair, decided to convert an outbuilding at their Aberdeenshire Farm into a factory kitchen to make Isabella's traditional mustard relish. She celebrated her first year of trading by winning honours at the 1996 Grampian Innovation Food Awards and the Scottish Food Awards. From that small beginning, Isabella's product list now includes numerous other relishes along with luxury jams and marmalades, all homemade and using the best Scottish produce.

I first met Alastair at University in Aberdeen where he was a lecturer. There he asked me if I could help on their stand at the Royal Highland Show. This led to me assisting at other shows, and after graduating I also helped in the kitchen during my holidays, and so it all began.....

In 2005 I took over Isabella's wooden jam spoon when I purchased the now growing business which was building up outlets all across Scotland.

As a farmers daughter from Edzell, I decided it was more practical to move the kitchen down to my current base on the Aberdeenshire Angus border. I intend to continue Isabella and Alastair's hard work producing high quality hand made preserves made with the best Scottish produce and will continue to support the agricultural shows and events around Scotland as well as my local Angus Farmers Markets.

I am now nearly into my 4th year of running Isabella's and still learning something new everyday. Isabella and Alastair were a very hard act to follow and I am very grateful for all their kind support. Although we sadly lost Alastair in 2006 his infectous enthusiasm will live on within the business.

Looking forward to meeting many of you at the shows and don't forget to enjoy the preserves!

Louise