Obviously encouraged by the feedback the new alliance continued developing the product packaging, labeling etc and began trial sales throughout the US with awe-inspiring response. Fuelled with newfound enthusiasm, in November 2004 WA Bean's CEO David Bean visited McKean's plant in Scotland to learn first hand the art of Scottish haggis making (the picture above shows the historic moment when David made his first haggis on Scottish soil!). On hearing of the visit the Beans and Thurstons were invited to the Scottish Food Trades Association Dinner in Glasgow at which they were the Toast of the Town! Word was clearly spreading amongst those in the know - "Real Haggis comes in a skin - not in a tin...and is now available in North America"!
Company Profile
John Robertson McLay, as part of his successful meat business in Glasgow, John now manages the McKean name throughout the world. The McLay family have been established Master Butchers for over 70 years and know the value of great tradition and quality. John makes a personal guarantee of complete satisfaction or your money back.
It was not long before McKean's Haggis was being sent all over Europe and into the Supermarkets in the Far East but our principal desire, that of bringing McKean's Haggis to the States , continued to be hindered by USDA regulations which prevented his haggis from being imported. Whilst we respected and understood the barriers that prevented our product from entering the States we began to look upon the trade barrier as an opportunity.
The opportunity crystallized following an email we received from Ron Thurston (pictured) of Maine (a descendant of the Clan Grant and beloved husband of his dear wife Issie who was born and educated in Glasgow) who wanted to purchase a haggis for a good friend. On hearing that he was not allowed to import our product he emailed us back letting us know of his frustration and asking him what he was going to do about it! We replied by asking " No Ron...what are WE going to do about it!" and so began the inspiration behind McKeans North America LLC . Before too long, Ron and Mclays had sourced a manufacturer, Messrs WA Bean and Sons in Bangor, Maine (a company that, rather coincidentally, began in 1860 - the same year the first McKean started plying his trade in Glasgow!). A company that was founded by descendents of John McBain who came to America from Inverness Scotland in 1612 as an indentured servant.
In November of 2003 Mclays came to the States with a suitcase full of Scottish oatmeal, barley, and spices and met up with David Bean ( pictured )....and so set about making a test batch of haggis using Scottish Cereals and prime US Lamb. That test batch was then offered as samples all over the US and among those to test our product was the Robert Burns Night supper in Greenville South Carolina. Here is what Thomas Mitchell who was in charge of the event said afterward: "How I wish that you could have been present during our Burns Night. You would have been proud for all those people involved in bringing your product to fruition. In my years as a member of the St. Andrews Society I have never heard such positive comments about haggis." Other comments from different groups around the country were equally positive. One of our favorite responses was from someone who said he "went back for seconds five times!!!"
