More evidence of seafood resurgence – Fishupdate.com

More evidence of seafood resurgence Published:  04 September, 2009

MORE evidence of a revival in the seafood business emerged this week with the news that The Seafood Company has sanctioned a £3 million investment programme at its Pinneys of Scotland salmon site in Annan.

The money will be invested over a 36-month period to increase production and improve efficiency.

The company employs 500 people, but as with many smoked salmon and speciality seafood sites, the number rise in the busy run up to Christmas period and recruiting for this has already begun at many factories.

Pinneys was purchased by The Seafood Company, part of the Findus group which also owns Young’s, from convenience food producer Uniq earlier this year. Pinneys is one of the UK’s largest processors of Scottish salmon and holds the Royal Warrant to supply smoked salmon to the Queen, but had been in a loss-making situation for the past four years. The Seafood Company is now striving to turn this around and said the new investment would help to protect jobs and was well as carry the business towards a brighter future.

It is also the second major investment in Scotland by The Seafood Company, which is based in Grimsby. Last week it announced during a visit by first minister Alex Salmond that it planned to spend a further £1 million improving its Macrae salmon site at Fraserburgh, which also employs around 500 people.

Several other UK seafood companies from Cornwall to Inverness have also announced significant expansion or modernisation programmes in the past few weeks.