Cornish company wins Queen's Award – Fishupdate.com

Cornish company wins Queen’s Award Published:  12 May, 2006

CORNWALL-BASED Falfish (Falmouth Fishselling Company Ltd) has been awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category for the first time.

The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious awards for business performance, which recognise and reward outstanding achievement by UK companies which are announced on the 21st April each year, the Queen’s personal birthday.

The company, whose head office is in Redruth, Cornwall, was recommended for the award because of its prestigious growth in export sales of fresh and multi-species Cornish fish and shellfish to markets in Western Europe over recent years; particularly to Italy, Switzerland and France who make up the majority of Falfish’s international sales.

Mark Greet Falfish managing director, commented on winning the award, “The Queen’s Award for Enterprise is fantastic recognition for the time and energy the whole company has put into creating what is now one of the most successful seafood processors in the south of England.”

The award acknowledges the fact that Falfish exports grew by 111% between 2002 and 2004, representing, on average, 62% of total sales for the family owned business. Over the same period employment at Falfish nearly doubled to a current level of 80 staff and a turnover of £11 million.

Mr Greet went onto say: “These are mixed times for the fishing industry and with different pressures coming from a number of sources the fishing industry is facing a period of change, not only from government and EU quotas but also to catch sustainably for the environment’s sake and to cater for shifting consumer attitudes and concerns.”

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2006 is formally conferred by a Grant of Appointment and the winners are entitled to make use the award emblem until April 2011.

Mr Greet concluded, “Falfish is a Cornish company that buys sustainably caught fish and seafood from the waters around Cornwall and from the same boats and auctions on a daily basis. Therefore the award is not only a testament to us but to the county’s fishing industry as a whole, proving that there is a market for our produce which is expanding day by day.’

Falfish (Falmouth Fishselling Company Ltd) is an established independent supplier of fresh and frozen seafood to markets in the UK and Europe. The company was founded in 1979, totally integrating catching, processing and marketing operations in a single identity. The primary areas of operation are fishing and related activities for the purchasing and selling of white fish, as well as ship’s agency.

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