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Loch Duart Smokehouse closing down

April 16, 2015

Loch Duart Smokehouse in Loch Carnan, South Uist.

Loch Duart Smokehouse in Loch Carnan, South Uist.

Loch Duart Smokehouse in Loch Carnan, South Uist, is to close down with all seven current members of staff being made redundant.

Originally launched as Salar Smokehouse by Eric and Jane Twelves, the business enjoyed huge success over the years, picking up several prestigious awards.

Fish farm company Loch Duart purchased the company in 2008.

Today it confirmed the long standing business is to close shortly, once all remaining stock is sold and outstanding clerical work is completed.

In a statement, Loch Duart said: “With much regret, we will be closing the smokehouse.  While the smokehouse produces a wonderful, delicious product, unfortunately the business has not been the success that we had envisaged.

“We had been hoping, up until yesterday, 15th April, that a local consortium would take over business in time to ensure continuity of supply.  There is still a chance that another consortium will take on the smokehouse but, unfortunately, the break in production is now unavoidable.

“Beyond that, in 2014, Loch Duart Ltd had invested a great deal of effort into setting up a form of community ownership. This fell through for reasons outside our control. We regret that the staff have been made redundant but we aim to absorb some into the fish farming operations.

“Loch Duart is still strongly committed to business within the Hebrides and continues to employ twenty-two full time members of staff in its fish farming operations on North and South Uist.  Loch Duart has owned the smokehouse since 2008 and enjoyed sharing this wonderful smoked product with seafood lovers around the world.  The company wishes to thank the smokehouse customers for their business.”

Speaking to Am Pàipear this afternoon, Loch Duart Sales Director Andy Bing added: “We are still keeping the assests in the hope something might happen in the next few weeks, which is not totally off the cards.”

Mr Bing said the closure was forced by the format in which the smokehouse was run “not proving viable”.

“We tried lots of strategies to increase turnover,” he added.

Am Pàipear asked Mr Bing whether a shutdown of the business in October 2013 – forced by the recall of significant quantities of stock after a potnetially harmful bacteria was found within two products – had led to the closure announded today.

He said: “Yes, possibly. Although things caught up afterwards, it was a knock back. But trade did improve afterwards.”

 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Loch Duart, Smokehouse, South Uist

Surge in Christmas sales for Loch Duart smokehouse

January 6, 2015

Loch Duart smoked products sold extremely well over the festive period.

Loch Duart smoked products sold extremely well over the festive period.

Loch Duart Smokehouse in Loch Carnan, South Uist, has had a really busy Christmas trading period, with sales up 17% on the previous December.

5.2 tonnes of finest smoked salmon was sold from the award-winning smokehouse.

Although November sales were quiet, a surge in home delivery and corporate orders lead to a massive increase in orders heading out.

The increase in orders coincided with particularly unfavourable weather disrupting the Minch crossings. These challenges are part and parcel of artisan food production in remote locations.

Sales Manager Fiona MacDonald: “Smoked salmon parcels were sent all over the world to some quite exotic locations such as Barbados and Thailand.  Loch Duart Smoked Salmon has become a firm favourite with our customers to celebrate special occasions with family and friends and, as a treat to enjoy throughout the year.

“There is a strong island loyalty to our smoked salmon and the Co-op Stornoway is a star performer in Hebridean sales.”

Loch Duart director Nick Joy said: “This result shows just what a top notch smokehouse can achieve. I am pleased to be a very small part in the sales, having taken a side of Flaky to my friends in Moscow over the New Year! They were truly delighted as it is a wonderful reflection of the quality of produce the Hebrides can deliver. 17% increase in year on year sales in a very competitive sector is a huge achievement.”

The kilns are running again this week to restock customers’ fridges. The smokehouse sales team will be following up a new sales enquiry from China and will be nurturing steady business with a new customer from Japan.

Filed Under: Fishing, News Tagged With: Food, Loch Carnan, Loch Duart, Smoked Salmon, South Uist

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