Partick Thistle Football Club

A new 40% reduced fat Scotch pie was officially unveiled by Partick Thistle sponsors McGhee's Bakery this week to be sold to at this weekend’s Scottish Cup Final - and it is expected to generate 500,000 sales in the year ahead.

Developed in partnership by McGhee’s Bakery and Pars Foods, the pie - which was sold as the "Skinny Scotch" at Firhill during season 2009/10 - contains a secret ingredient and at least 40% less fat, 50% less saturated fat and 37% less salt than the traditional Scotch pie, meaning it falls within Scottish Government Healthy Living guidelines.

The reduced fat snack – branded for retail as McGhee’s ‘Wi’oot the greeze’ – was unveiled recently at Hampden Park (pictured above), where it will be on sale on Saturday, making Scottish football’s national stadium the biggest venue in the country to date where all Scotch pies are now reduced fat. McGhee’s, which this year celebrates its 75th birthday, and Pars supply Scotch pies to all but one SPL football ground as well as Hampden Park, selling 1.2 million Scotch pies to football fans each year.

Ross Hamilton, Sales Manager of McGhee’s Bakery, said: “McGhee’s Bakery and Pars Foods are delighted to officially launch our reduced fat Scotch pie which is the result of more than a year of investment, testing and successful trialling.

“The Scotch pie is arguably Scotland’s favourite snack and this reduced fat version means people can continue to enjoy it within Scottish Government Healthy Living food guidelines.

“While it has already been well received at many sports venues, schools, universities and hospitals, Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final will be the reduced fat pie’s biggest audience to date. We hope it adds to a memorable day for the Ross County and Dundee United fans and we are delighted Hampden Park has become the biggest venue in the country where all Scotch pies will now be reduced fat.”

Brian Sarafilovic, managing director, Pars Foods, said: “We have spent 18 months developing this product to ensure we got it exactly right. Thanks to making the necessary changes as well as including a secret ingredient, the feedback to date during trials has been overwhelmingly positive with the majority of people vowing to remain loyal to the reduced fat option. This time last year it was introduced at our first local authority school and they are still selling it today.

“The reduced fat content is something we will look to replicate with other savoury snacks although again the required investment and attention to detail will be made rather than rushing anything out. It is that quality mark that is behind McGhee’s Bakery and Pars Foods longstanding position at the forefront of Scotland’s food service market.”

David Beattie, Partick Thistle Director and Chairman of McGhee's bakery added: "Football and the Scotch pie have always been synonymous with each other. We at Partick Thistle welcome the lower fat pie as it not only keeps a tradition alive, it also ties in with the desire to bring healthier eating choices to our fans, particularly the younger ones. Being in the forefront of bringing the modern touch to an old tradition is nothing new to Firhill, as we proved with our highly successful "Under-16s go free" to all our home league games initiative. This was effectively the modern equivalent of the old "lift over", and will be carried on to season 2010-2011."