The founder of Genius Foods, the UK’s leading brand in fresh gluten and dairy-free bakery products, has spoken about the importance of the food and drink sector in Scotland . . . not only for the nation’s economy but its overall health.

Speaking as a guest on the Go Radio Business Show with Sir Tom Hunter and Lord Willie Haughey, Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne said: “I’m delighted to be chairing Scotland Food & Drink, which does a very important job to support the sector. 

“We’ve identified a £4 billion opportunity of the next five years for growth in Scotland and I’m just delighted to be raising awareness of the importance of the industry.

“Not only is it very important for our economy that we employ more people than any other sector across the UK but it’s also vital for the health of our nation. 

“The sector is creating our food security, which in this day and age is incredibly important with supply chains broken. I’m also very keen to be promoting the innovation going on in response to many of the challenges we have, not only geopolitical but issues such as climate change and all of the other things we’re dealing with.

“There’s amazing stuff going on in Scotland using serious technology. We’ve AI scanning menus and recipes for errors in ingredients. We’ve businesses learning to track the behaviour of movement in fish farms to ensure the fish are happy.”

Ms Bruce-Gardyne also revealed how her own success in the food business blossomed despite originating in physiology.

“Food has always been my absolute passion. My family ran a very large catering and hotel business in London and always said to me: ‘Don’t go into food. It’s anti-social. It’s badly paid. It’s really hard work. So I went off to study physiology because I love science, thinking possibly I would turn that into being a doctor. 

“I decided I didn’t want to be a doctor but I wanted to do something that helped people and I wanted to do something with food.”

After graduating I went to Leith School of Food and Wine in London. There followed a stint in Bibendum, now a Michelin Star restaurant in London. 

“I worked there under Simon Hopkinson, shucking oysters to order. I was shelling crabs and lobsters. I had no hands, basically, within six months. It was pretty brutal but it taught me I could work hard under masses of pressure at high standards for long hours.”

Ms Bruce-Gardyne ran a catering company in London and enjoyed a spell in Italy catering for art and architecture tourists. She began exploring the “free from” bakery notion after discovering a dearth of options for her son’s gluten intolerance.

“I just thought this isn’t good enough. This is my moment. I’d always thought I needed to do something myself, get a business off the ground. It ticked the health box, it ticked the food box. And I was off!”

“I made thousands of loaves a day. My three sons, by this stage, were guinea pigs and it took 18 months for them to say: ‘Mum, that’s delicious. Can I have some more?”

She would go on to found Genius and the company has been pioneering gluten-free baking since 2009. Based in West Lothian it caters to customers across the globe.

Ms Bruce-Gardyne has stepped down from the business to pursue other interests but, asked if she would do it all again, replied: “Absolutely but I need to find my ‘next big thing’. I’m scanning all the time for ideas, looking for my next journey. 

“I’m helping other founders, particularly female founders – just helping them as much as I can by sharing my experience.  I’m doing my bit for the Scottish food and drink industry and Scottish Edge – and I love doing that. I get such a buzz!”