Kerry firms up for BIM awards

QUINLANS Kerry Fish of Caherciveen and Kush Seafarms of Kenmare have been shortlisted in the inaugural BIM National Seafood Awards

The shortlist features 38 finalists from across the seafood industry in the fishing, fish farming, seafood processing and retail sectors.

Fintan Quinlan of Quinlan’s Kerry Fish has been short-listed in the ‘Seafood Entrepreneur of the Year category. Quinlan’s is a family seafood business which was established in 1963 by Michael Quinlan and is now run by his three sons Fintan, Liam and Ronan. Over the years the business has been transformed into an integrated seafood operation from supply through to processing and retail.

Based in Caherciveen, there are now five Quinlan Fish Shops in Killarney, Tralee, Killorglin and two in Caherciveen. In 2011, the brothers introduced their innovative “From Tide to Table” concept and opened Seafood Bars which offer high quality fish at reasonable prices.

Cork City, Killarney, Tralee and Killorglin can each boast a Seafood Bar and a fifth will open in March 2017. Over the last couple of years, Quinlan’s Kerry Fish has won 8 Blas na hEireann and Great Taste Awards. The firm employs 66 staff.

Kush Seafarms was established in June 1987 and is a family-run business based in Kenmare. The company has been shortlisted in the ‘Aquaculture Enterprise of the Year’ category. Kush is Ireland’s first organic rope mussels producer and specializes in the export of shellfish globally with specific focus on Europe.

The lack of a functioning licensing system and dependence on the commodity outlets for its products meant that Kush struggled to find growth in the sector. In 2009 they devised a new strategy based on innovation, value-added and partnerships. In June of the same year, Kush was the first Irish company to secure organic certification. They then, uniquely for the sector, approached the rope mussel processing sector vis-à-vis outsourcing.

In 2010, working with Carr Shellfish Ireland, they launched an organic vacuum pack mussel. Contracts with companies in Switzerland and France followed and they are currently working on the US market.