Salmon farmer wins ‘excellence’ award for export

SCOTTISH Sea Farms won the coveted Export Business of the Year award in the Scottish Food & Drink Excellence Awards, held last night in Edinburgh.

The company beat off stiff competition from fellow industry finalists, the Scottish Salmon Company and Loch Fyne Oysters, as well as from ice cream maker Mackie’s of Scotland.

Scottish Sea Farms’ exports were worth £91 million last year and the company now sells salmon to 24 different countries. It also has the contract to supply Marks & Spencer in the domestic market.

The company’s export sales manager, Celine Kimpflin, said: ‘This is a hugely proud moment, not just for the export team but for everyone at Scottish Sea Farms: from all those working hard out on the farms, through to our quality, processing and supply teams, and the many other departments that all play a part in delivering a premium quality product befitting of its Scottish provenance. It really is a true team effort.’

The awards, held at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh, were attended by Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who congratulated all the finalists, in a total of 18 categories.

Sturgeon paid tribute to the food and drink industry’s ‘excellence and success’ and also presented a posthumous award for Outstanding Contribution to Scotland’s Food and Drink to the late chef, Andrew Fairlie.

This year’s awards attracted record entries, said James Withers, chief executive of Food & Drink Scotland, and 800 people turned up for the awards night, hosted by restaurant critic Jay Rayner.