It’s almost as simple as “creating the world you want to live in” – but not quite that easy! Long story short, I had responsibility for a small shop on Dunfermline High Street that was sat unoccupied, and finding a tenant was proving difficult. In the end I figured, I can always rely on myself, I want a cheese shop, there’s nothing like this for miles around, I have buckets of retail/management experience, and I knew I would give it everything I’ve got to make it a success!
Introducing Aileen Wright ~ Must Be Crackers
What makes Must Be Crackers unique, and how has the business evolved since you first opened?
Oh, I have learned so many lessons! For the most part, there haven’t been many major hiccups (other than a very temperamental freezer which resulted in lost stock). But we did start out with all sorts of ideas about the many ways we could serve different customers, and we very quickly realised that the shop is incredibly busy and that doing things that slow things down (like making sandwiches, snack boxes etc.) just weren’t feasible. Often keeping things simple is the best approach.
Must Be Crackers is a family-run business, and you also own the craft shop next door. How do you manage running them side by side?
Sometimes I really don’t know! It’s a lot to handle for sure, because I don’t just sit on the sidelines, I like to know my customers and respond to their needs. I remarked recently that “for a woman who has a lot to remember, I have an incredible capacity to remember things” and I’d say the same is true for any task for me. However, the truth is, I don’t hold up the ceiling alone – I have a great team who are so good to me, and very good to our customers too. I try my best to empower them to get fun and satisfaction from their jobs and together we work hard to make great things happen.
What are the core values behind Must Be Crackers, and what do you hope to offer customers beyond great food?
Customers love the atmosphere in the shop – it’s friendly and informative, it feels very ‘local’. While we sell premium products, we aim to do that without a superior attitude. That wouldn’t be very me, or very Dunfermline! And with our products, we always think “fancy, but not too fancy” because again, that fits best with our customer demographic.
What challenges have you faced as an independent deli, and how have you dealt with them?
The constant rising costs are an obvious one, and how we deal with that? Well, to be honest, we just work with the pricing, increase the retail prices as needed and then don’t talk about it! I think customers are very aware that this is part of life, they don’t need us to remind them. If we want producers to be paid better, then that hits the prices on the shelves. Likewise, if we want carefully grown and sourced products, there’s a cost to that. We give people the choice, but we don’t complain about the challenges because that attitude isn’t going get us anywhere!
How do you decide what products to stock? Do you have a set process for listing new lines?
“Great food, thoughtfully sourced” is our tagline – and how that works is that we begin with Fife and Scotland first, then British and Irish produce followed of course by delicious food from further afield that simply wouldn’t grow here! I am a sucker for a hard-working independent producer, and I love to see their products succeed on our shelves. I look after all the buying, but I listen to my team and our customers for any gaps that we need to fill. And I keep my eyes peeled for what organisations (like Food From Fife) and trade awards are getting excited about. Occasionally, if we’re lucky, a business chases us with samples of their produce and it’s fun to try those and be inspired by a new taste or idea!
You support many local producers throughout the shop, how important is that to your business and which products have surprised you the most?
I love that one of the best things we can do is support other businesses. We all work hard to do whatever it is we do, and if anyone understands that, it’s a fellow independent business. And yes, there are surprises! I remember when Megan from Nakey Bakey hustled me in the early days with enthusiasm about her granola range that was free from so many allergens and low sugar. I was sceptical for sure. I remember thinking, then “where is the joy” (because I have a sweet tooth am lucky enough to have no allergies). But I tell you what, her product stopped me in my tracks! It’s SO GOOD, it’s now our family ‘go-to’ cereal product and one that I recommend endlessly to customers.
How do you engage with your customer base, and what methods have you found most effective for connecting with them?
We have a presence on both Facebook and Instagram, but we’ve also invited in-store customers to opt-in to our email list. In this way, we are not solely dependent on social media, as often we find customers who choose not to have online profiles. Saying that, putting our personality on our social media pages by creating informal video reviews and product updates has been really well received and a great talking point in the shop when a customer calls in having seen us talk about a product or just having a giggle at our own expense!
What kind of customers do you attract, and what do you think keeps them coming back?
We have such a broad range of customers from locals who grab something nice for lunch, to families that want to spend their food budget on great produce. And while not a “health food” shop, we also have a lot of customers who shop for vegan and gluten-free produce. I think we have set a standard for them that they can expect from us in terms of quality and choice to keep them returning. And of course, the craic with myself and the team!
Food trends are always evolving—how do you stay up to date with what’s popular, and have you noticed any significant shifts in what customers are looking for?
Social media is absolutely key to this. The doom-scroll when I wind down after a busy day often leads to a new item appearing in the shop! Or I’ll see a product tagged in something and I end up down a rabbit hole trying to find out more. And at the same time, pinning our ears back to what customers are asking for. We always have to filter out the random requests from the repeated ones, and assess for ourselves which might actually work. But there is a definite lean toward gluten-free and vegan choices.
Sustainability is an increasing focus in the food industry. Do you take any specific steps to reduce waste or support more sustainable practices in your business?
Creating food waste is one of the biggest responsibilities to deal with, and it took me by complete surprise as my other retail shop, selling yarn and fabric, generally only creates packaging waste, not product waste. Over time, we’ve found that the best way for us is to dedicate time and resources to monitor best before and use by dates as products arrive, and when the time comes, we create ‘discount bags’ where food is still safe to eat, but needs to be sold quickly. On the plus side, it allows customers to try discounted items where it might have been cost-prohibitive to do so in the past. We also keep a close eye on what hasn’t worked for any reason, so that we don’t keep making the same mistakes! That’s definitely a whole-team challenge for us.
Why did you decide to join Food from Fife, and how do you see regional food networks supporting businesses like yours?
I wanted to be part of a local trade organisation that would keep me in tune with local producers. But what I discovered was way more than that! The support and encouragement I’ve received has been incredible. Sometimes I have a business question that I just think, “who could I ask, who could I chat to”, and Food from Fife has been a great sounding board. Running your own business can be very lonely at times, and you don’t always have an immediate person close to you that will understand. So, while ‘networking’ takes effort to make time for, it has been very important to the growth of my business in unseen ways.
As one of the first businesses to receive the new Food from Fife POS, have you found it useful and has it helped raise awareness of Fife produce?
We have a surprisingly busy tourism trade in Dunfermline, and the signage helps enormously. Even at Christmas, our regulars will want to send foodie treats as gifts, and will specifically look for local. So, the fresh and clear POS materials have been a great help and it’s something I would happily see expanded.
What’s your favourite thing about the food and drink scene in Fife right now?
I think Fife is pretty fantastic as far as our food offering is concerned! We have every meal covered, from breakfast/lunch/dinner to midnight snacks, each with amazing accompaniments, the best seasonal fruit and veg and of course the perfect cheeseboard. And that’s speaking from a retail perspective, before I even look at eating out at the countless brilliant places there are to eat out, right from one end of Fife to the other.
www.mustbecrackers.co.uk
Email: contact@mustbecrackers.co.uk
