Mackie’s of Scotland has announced operating profits increasing 61% to £3.4m and revenue rising by 1% to £16.7m.
The food producer's annual report - for the year ended 31 May 2020 - showed that chocolate sales increased by 46%, after recipe refinements helped secure further supermarket listings.
As the family firm began construction of a £4.5m low-carbon refrigeration system, it also saw net assets increase by 18% to £18.59m.
Mac Mackie, managing director of the business, said: “These stellar results are made all the more impressive when we consider that we were ‘competing’ against the previous financial year, which accounted for the record heatwave summer of 2018.
“We broke all our own records then – and thought it would be very difficult to match that in the following year," he continued.
“With the first lockdown period in March, and the last quarter of the financial year, we initially witnessed a panic buying rush as the public filled freezers and baskets with staples - and not ice cream.
“For a few weeks, demand for take-home tubs of ice cream fell and our foodservice accounts sadly ground to a near halt, including temporary closure of our own parlour in Aberdeen.
“However, we are very fortunate that ice cream sales quickly recovered, with increased demand as consumers seek a little luxury or pick me up treat while in lockdown at home,” Mackie added.
Mackie’s staff numbers increased to 91 from 83 during the year, with 10 additional staff recruited for ice cream production.
The Aberdeenshire brand has had a strong start to 2021, with a recent study from Kantar Worldpanel showing that UK demand for premium ice cream has surged during the last year.
Mackie’s reported a 37% growth in sales, second only to one other premium ice cream brand.
The fourth-generation farm in North East Scotland still produces all its ice cream using fresh milk and cream from its own dairy herd.
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