An Aldi store manager is being celebrated for 20 years of service.
Jamie Thomson, based at the Cowdenbeath branch, began his career with the supermarket chain at just 19 years old and has risen through the ranks to become a store manager, working across multiple locations in Fife and Tayside.
Now 39, Mr Thomson said: "When I left school, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do.
"I had been working in the local newsagents and wanted to join the police, and while I was figuring that out I joined Aldi thinking it would be something to do in the meantime.
"However, I really enjoyed it, and quite quickly I could see that this could actually be a career for me.
"Aldi was still relatively new to the UK at the time, but you could see there was an opportunity to progress, and that really appealed to me."
Originally from Auchtermuchty, Mr Thomson began his Aldi journey in Glenrothes before moving to stores in Dundee and Kirkcaldy, where he became a store manager 14 years ago.
He has since worked across stores in Cupar, Dundee, and Cowdenbeath.
Within five years of joining Aldi, he had progressed into management and has since focused on both developing stores and supporting the growth of his colleagues.
Mr Thomson said: "I’ve worked in a few different stores, and every move has given me a different challenge and helped me develop.
"The most rewarding part is overcoming those challenges and seeing how well the team has done, especially through periods like Christmas that can be particularly busy and tiring for the team.
"And when I am seconded to support stores, it’s satisfying to look back and see how you’ve helped a store with training, new procedures or simply just ways of working.
"At my store in Cowdenbeath, I’ve got a lot of long-serving colleagues and I really want to make sure they’re happy and have opportunities to progress too.
"Seeing people move from Supervisor into Assistant Store Manager roles and develop their own careers is a really rewarding part of the job."
"While I, of course, miss them if they leave and move on to a new location, I take pride in knowing I’ve played a part in their progression."
Over his two decades with the company, Mr Thomson has seen Aldi grow from a little-known retailer to a major player in the UK supermarket sector.
He said: "That’s probably one of the biggest changes I’ve seen.
"When I started, not many people had heard of Aldi.
"Now it’s a massive household name and it’s incredible to see just how much the business has grown."
Mr Thomson said the most meaningful aspect of his job is the relationship with the Cowdenbeath community.
He said: "The store is full of regular customers, and you get to know people.
"The team will notice if someone who normally comes in regularly hasn’t been in for a while.
"That community side of the job is something I really enjoy. You build up those relationships over the years and they become part of your working life."
Mr Thomson lives with his partner, who works at Aldi’s Leven store, and is a father of three children, aged 13, 12, and six.
After two decades of career growth, he says he is happy to stay where he is, focusing on his team and their development.
The Aldi veteran said: "My plan is to stay put.
"I know what I’m doing in my role, I know I can do it well, and I’m happy looking after my team."
Tom Brearey, regional managing director for Aldi Scotland, praised Mr Thomson’s dedication, saying: "Jamie’s 20 years with Aldi are a fantastic example of the opportunities available to colleagues who want to build a career with us.
"His commitment to his team and the Cowdenbeath community is a credit to him, and we would like to thank Jamie for his hard work and dedication over the past two decades."
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