MACKIE'S is spending around £600,000 to build a chocolate factory at its Aberdeenshire base.

The family owned company said it has seen growing sales for the chocolate bars, launched in the autumn, and had decided to make the investment to give it more control over production.

The products were being produced in Arbroath but machinery and staff are being transferred from there to the Westertown farm.

The factory, which is expected to be operational by the end of the summer, will initially be staffed by four people but there will be room to create more jobs.

Finance director Gerry Stephens said the company saw great potential for chocolate in the UK and as an export.

Alongside that Mackie's, headed by managing director Mac Mackie, is planning further investment to install a fourth wind turbine at the site and a major new solar farm.

The latter project will see around 10 acres of grazing land being covered in solar panels providing up to 1.8 megawatts of power which will be exported back into the grid.

Sheep will still be able to graze on the land as the panel are being built around one metre off the land.

Accounts recently filed at Companies House show turnover at Mackie's rose from £10.2 million to £11.1m in the 12 months to May 31, 2014.

It highlighted the warm summer of 2013 as having helped boost ice-cream sales. Profits rose during the year from £594,745 to £860,566.

Mr Stephens said it would be increasing listings with Tesco and Sainsbury's for its traditional and honeycomb ice-creams.

New flavours, salted caramel along with white chocolate and coconut, are also launching in the next few weeks.

Its joint venture crisp brand was said to be performing solidly with Canada the latest export market being targeted.