McVitie & Price

History

Robert McVitie was born in Dumfries in 1809 and served an apprenticeship with a baker. In 1834 he moved to Edinburgh, initially living and working at 130 Rose Street. The following year he moved to 129 Rose Street, which was called a provision shop. In 1843 he opened a second shop at 14 Charlotte Place.

By 1856 the business was described as a baker and confectioner at 5 Charlotte Place, with the bakery in the basement. The bakery moved to 47 London Street by 1865. In 1870 McVitie was listed as a baker at 12 Antigua Street and 2 East London Street. The business expanded to 23 and 24 Queensferry Street in 1875.

Robert McVitie's eldest son, also Robert, took charge of the Queensferry Street business in 1881. In 1887 the younger Robert employed Alexander Grant, an experienced biscuit maker from Forres, as foreman. Grant later left to set up his own bakery in Inverness but failed and returned. In 1888 the company became McVitie & Price after Charles Edward Price joined as a partner.

That year they built the St Andrews Biscuit Works on Robertson Avenue in Edinburgh. In 1898 the company rebranded as McVities, Guest and Co after joining with Edward Graham Guest. A tearoom was built at 135/136 Princes Street in 1903. Price left in 1910 following the death of Robert McVitie.

Wedding cakes

In 1893 McVitie & Price created a wedding cake for the royal wedding of the Duke of York and Princess Mary, later King George V and Queen Mary. The cake was over 7 feet high, cost 140 guineas, and was viewed by 14,000 people. In 1947 the company made the principal wedding cake for Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten. For the 2011 wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, McVitie's made a chocolate biscuit cake as a groom's cake.