Andy Murray paid a surprise visit to Walker’s Shortbread’s Speyside headquarters, meeting staff and touring the production site as part of his partnership with the Scottish biscuit brand.

The tennis star, who is a global brand ambassador for Walker’s Shortbread, visited the company’s base in Aberlour on Wednesday, where he was welcomed by members of the Walker family and given a behind-the-scenes look at the business.

During the visit, Murray spent time at historic Aberlour House, where he heard more about the company’s history and heritage before joining the family for lunch.

He was then taken on a guided tour of the factory, where he met employees and saw first-hand how Walker’s shortbread is produced using its long-standing family recipe, alongside modern large-scale automation.

The visit also included time with long-serving members of staff, who shared their experiences of working for the business, before Murray travelled on to Elgin to meet more of the wider Walker’s team.

Managing director Nicky Walker said: “We were delighted to welcome Andy to our home in Aberlour. It was a privilege to show him the business and our production operations. It was also fantastic that he took the time to engage with so many members of staff and be available for obligatory photo opportunities.

“Our Speyside factories are where we produce our premium shortbread enjoyed across the globe, and having Andy see this first-hand made the day truly special. We are thoroughly looking forward to continuing our partnership, showcasing Scotland at its finest and celebrating our shared heritage.”

Murray added: “It was great being able to visit the Walker’s factory. I’ve been a partner of Walker’s for a year and a shortbread fan for a lot longer, so to see everything in production and meet the team was really interesting.

“The Walker family hosted me and their passion and knowledge was genuinely inspiring and it was incredible to hear about the business over the past century.”

Walker’s said the visit underlines the partnership between two Scottish names with strong ‘international recognition, built around a shared sense of heritage, pride and understated charm’.

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