Mortons Rolls investors talks about saving iconic Glasgow brand

John McIlvogue has worked tirelessly with a consortium of local businesspeople for the last two weeks on a masterplan to revive the Drumchapel-based firm.

So far he has managed to secure 110 posts - but says he won't rest until he gets every one of the 250 people who were made redundant back on the payroll.

John says it will be a ‘bittersweet moment' when the production belts start rolling again on Sunday and insists he will continue to seek the financial support required to reinstate the entire workforce, as well as modernising and futureproofing the run-down factory itself.

The entrepreneur exclusively told the Glasgow Times: “For me it was very simple, Mortons Roll is an iconic name and an institution that the city should never be without.

“The most important thing for all of the investors is saving the jobs - all of them. The thought of generations of families facing unemployment in the local community just doesn't sit right with any of us.

“We know the impact the closure had on people's lives and the worry and stress it has caused staff not knowing how they are going to pay their bills.

“None of us wanted the past couple of weeks to unfold in the way that they have, but it has been entirely out of our control.

“I would have liked all of the staff back where they belong for the factory reopening on Sunday, but that's just not been possible from the off."

John McIlvogue (Image: Colin Mearns)

Mortons Rolls were bought out by investors PVL after talks with HMRC, administrators and the Scottish Government. The company is known for its crispy rolls and its fleet of “We built this city on Mortons Rolls” vehicles

John added: "In the short term we’ve managed to secure positions for around half of the workforce, but longer term we aim to see each and every person brought back.

“This is the first step in getting Mortons Rolls back to where it belongs and we’re ready to start producing our famous rolls that the good people of Glasgow have been crying out for.”

 Established in 1965, the firm became a much-loved breakfast staple across Glasgow and the west. In recent years, financial difficulties brought on by the Covid pandemic and the rise in energy prices, exacerbated by contractual obligations to large supermarkets, saw the business cease production at the beginning of March.

READ MORE: Mortons Rolls: 'All is not lost' says Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney
PVL now has control of the company’s assets and is confident that it will be able to turn its fortunes around.

However, John admits the company still faces significant challenges and will focus on delivering to small independent retailers instead of supplying supermarket chains such as Lidl and Aldi.

He explained: “We’re going back to basics and focusing on local shops, burger vans, cafes and restaurants across the city.

“From now on, if you want a Mortons roll, you’ll need to visit your local shop. While the supermarket contracts looked very lucrative on paper, in reality, it wasn’t making a profit and that’s why we are changing our approach and building the business back to what it does best.

“Right now, our plan is to focus on crispy and soft rolls and potato scones. Cakes and confectionery will be looked at further down the line.

“We want to be as honest and upfront with people as we possibly can be, and the truth is that we are going to need help moving forward.

"The business is undoubtedly viable - we have a world-class product and an exceptionally experienced workforce - but the factory itself is antiquated and in need of a serious overhaul. That’s where we need the help of the Scottish Government and its agencies, something we are hopeful we can iron out in the coming weeks.”

We previously told how Mortons Rolls ceased operations after 58 years on March 3 as the firm teetered on the brink of collapse, with redundancy notices issued to staff. It has reported a loss of £262,000 on a turnover of more than £11.8m for 2021.

John added: “It’s going to take a lot of work to get but we know we can create a much-loved product that will continue to do well.

“I’m hopeful that each and every staff member will return - and everything is being done to ensure that happens.

“It’s been a very stressful l couple of weeks with a lot of negotiation going on in the background with HMRC administrators and the Scottish Government.

“In an ideal world, these things would have all been sorted out before we restarted production, but the reality is we couldn’t leave the workforce in limbo any longer. They needed us to unlock the gates and let them get back to what they know, and we knew that was the right and proper thing to do. The love and support shown to Mortons in the past couple of weeks has been overwhelming, it has been incredible.

“Only in Glasgow would a morning roll solicit such affection, but it shows the power of this brand and it proves the potential of what we can achieve in the years ahead. We are absolutely committed to getting this right, to putting Morton’s on a sustainable footing and an upward trajectory, but will need the Scottish Government's support to do so.”

READ MORE: Mortons Rolls in Glasgow set to 'restart production'

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, who supported the takeover negotiations, said: “It is with a sense of relief that after almost two weeks of intense, detailed discussions, production will now restart at Mortons Rolls and over 100 jobs have been saved.

“These circumstances are by no means perfect, and there is still work to be done to make sure Mortons is a sustainable business that can thrive for generations to come.

“There is a commitment from the Government to make sure they do everything in their power to make sure that is the case, and I will do everything in my power to hold them to that commitment.”