McCowan's
McCowan's was a Scottish confectionery company and brand best known for Highland Toffee.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
McCowan's was a Scottish confectionery company associated especially with Highland Toffee, a small chewy toffee product that became one of the best-known sweets produced in Scotland. The business began in Stenhousemuir as an aerated-water operation run by Andrew McCowan. Its later confectionery direction developed through a domestic enterprise: McCowan's wife sold toffee from the window of the family home as a supplementary source of income. According to the company's historical account, Andrew acquired the toffee recipe from a man selling it in a pub in exchange for the price of a pint. The confectionery proved more commercially successful than the lemonade business and gradually became the family's principal activity. During its early development, McCowan's expanded beyond its original toffee into a broad assortment of traditional sweets. Products associated with the company included tablet, rock, snowballs, lollipops and macaroons. The decisive product milestone came in the 1920s, when the company began making the small toffee chews marketed as McCowan's Highland Toffee. The product's Scottish identity and distinctive format made it the company's signature offering and the principal foundation of its brand recognition. Andrew McCowan initially operated from a shop in Church Street in Stenhousemuir. In 1924 he opened a factory on Tryst Road, establishing the manufacturing site that remained central to the business for much of its history. After Andrew died in 1951, control passed to his son Robert McCowan. In 1959 Robert accepted an offer from Nestlé, although McCowan's products continued to be sold under their own branding. Nestlé's 1987 merger with Rowntree resulted in a temporary presentation of the business under the Nestlé-Rowntree name, but the McCowan's identity continued to be used in the confectionery range. The company broadened its modern sweets portfolio during the 1980s, introducing the Wham Bar and, through further development and an arrangement with A.G. Barr, producing the Irn-Bru Bar. These products placed the company in the market for branded novelty and tablet-style confectionery as well as traditional toffee. A management buyout in 1989 returned McCowan's to independent ownership. Dutch confectioner Phideas acquired the company in 1996, followed by another return to independence in 2003. In 2005 Graham Wallace and Andy Allan acquired McCowan's and subsequently bought John Millar & Sons. The two businesses were combined as Millar McCowan, ending McCowan's existence as a standalone company. Millar McCowan entered administration in 2006. A successor business, The New McCowan's Ltd, was established under director Kevin Brewer, but it also entered administration in October 2011. Assets and brands were then divided among purchasers, including Tangerine Confectionery and Nisha Enterprises. The former Stenhousemuir factory closed in 2011, with some equipment transferred to a new Nisha Enterprises facility in Livingston. McCowan's is therefore best understood as a historic Scottish confectionery brand whose corporate ownership and manufacturing operations ended through successive restructurings and asset sales, rather than as an active independent confectionery company.
History
McCowan's originated in Stenhousemuir, Scotland, as an aerated-water business operated by Andrew McCowan. The company's confectionery history began when McCowan's wife started selling toffee from the family home to supplement household income. Andrew later obtained the recipe from a seller in a pub, reportedly in return for a pint. The toffee quickly outperformed the lemonade business and became the family's principal commercial activity. Within approximately fifteen years, the company had developed a wider confectionery range that included tablet, rock, snowballs, lollipops and macaroons. Its defining product emerged in the 1920s: McCowan's Highland Toffee, a small chewy sweet that became the brand's signature product. Andrew first worked from a Church Street shop, then expanded manufacturing by opening a factory on Tryst Road in 1924. Following Andrew's death in 1951, his son Robert McCowan took over the business. Robert accepted an offer from Nestlé in 1959, but the products continued to carry the McCowan's identity. Nestlé's merger with Rowntree in 1987 led to a short-lived use of the Nestlé-Rowntree name in connection with the business. A management buyout in 1989 restored McCowan's to independent ownership. Dutch confectioner Phideas bought the company in 1996, and the business became independent again in 2003. The 1980s brought new products, most notably the Wham Bar. McCowan's also developed and produced the Irn-Bru Bar through an agreement with A.G. Barr, extending its reach beyond traditional toffee and into branded confectionery connected with a major Scottish soft-drink name. In 2005 Graham Wallace and Andy Allan acquired McCowan's and later acquired John Millar & Sons. The businesses merged as Millar McCowan, so McCowan's ceased to operate as an independent company. Millar McCowan went into administration in 2006. A successor, The New McCowan's Ltd, was created under director Kevin Brewer, but it too entered administration in October 2011. Some brands were sold to Tangerine Confectionery, while other assets were sold to Nisha Enterprises. The former Stenhousemuir factory closed in 2011, and some of its machinery was moved to Livingston. The available record therefore describes McCowan's as a historic brand and former confectionery manufacturer rather than an active standalone company.
- 2011
Successor company fails and factory closes
[1]The New McCowan's entered administration, and the former Stenhousemuir factory closed later that year.
- 2006
Millar McCowan enters administration
[1]The combined confectionery business entered administration.
- 2005
Merger with John Millar & Sons
[1]After a change of ownership, McCowan's was combined with John Millar & Sons as Millar McCowan.
- 2003
Return to independence
[1]McCowan's became independent again after its period under Phideas.
- 1996
Phideas acquisition
[1]Dutch confectioner Phideas acquired McCowan's.
- 1989
Management buyout restores independence
[1]A management buyout returned McCowan's to independent ownership.
- 1987
Nestlé merges with Rowntree
[1]The Nestlé-Rowntree merger led to a temporary rebranding of McCowan's under the combined name.
- 1980
Wham Bar introduced
[1]The company introduced the Wham Bar during the 1980s.
- 1959
Nestlé acquisition
[1]Robert McCowan accepted an offer from Nestlé, while products continued to be marketed under the McCowan's brand.
- 1951
Robert McCowan takes over
[1]After Andrew McCowan's death, ownership passed to his son Robert.
Products and positioning
A Scottish confectionery brand built around traditional sweets, regional identity and mass-market toffee products, with Highland Toffee as its signature offering.
Toffee · 1920
Highland Toffee
McCowan's Highland Toffee was the company's signature confection. Developed in the 1920s, it consisted of small chewy toffee pieces and became the product most closely associated with the McCowan's name and its Scottish confectionery identity.
Chew bar · 1980
Wham Bar
Introduced during the 1980s, the Wham Bar represented McCowan's move into a more modern, branded chew-bar format alongside its traditional sweets. It became one of the company's notable later products.
Branded confectionery bar
Irn-Bru Bar
The Irn-Bru Bar was produced through an agreement with A.G. Barr. It extended McCowan's confectionery activities into a product linked to the Scottish Irn-Bru beverage brand.
Mixed sweets
Traditional confectionery range
Before and alongside Highland Toffee, McCowan's manufactured a broad selection of Scottish and British-style sweets, including tablet, rock, snowballs, lollipops and macaroons.
Brand decisions
2011
Brand and asset disposition after administrationOtherBackground
The New McCowan's Ltd entered administration in October 2011.
Action taken
Some brands were sold to Tangerine Confectionery and other assets were sold to Nisha Enterprises.
Aftermath
The former Stenhousemuir factory closed, and some machinery was moved to a Nisha Enterprises site in Livingston.
2005
Combination with John Millar & SonsM&ABackground
Graham Wallace and Andy Allan acquired McCowan's and later acquired John Millar & Sons.
Action taken
The businesses were merged to form Millar McCowan.
Aftermath
McCowan's ceased to exist as an independent company, and Millar McCowan entered administration in 2006.
1996
Acquisition by PhideasM&ABackground
After a period of independent ownership, McCowan's became the subject of a cross-border acquisition.
Action taken
Dutch confectioner Phideas purchased McCowan's.
Aftermath
The business became independent again in 2003.
1989
Management buyoutStrategyBackground
McCowan's had been associated with Nestlé and subsequently the Nestlé-Rowntree name.
Action taken
Management acquired the business and restored its independent corporate identity.
Aftermath
McCowan's operated independently again until its acquisition by Phideas in 1996.
1959
Accepting Nestlé's offerM&ABackground
The family business had become an established confectionery manufacturer centered on Highland Toffee and other sweets.
Action taken
Robert McCowan accepted an offer from Nestlé, while the McCowan's brand continued to be used on products.
Aftermath
The company later experienced the temporary Nestlé-Rowntree presentation following the 1987 merger and returned to independent ownership through a 1989 management buyout.
Sources2 sources
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