Scottish Salmon Company up for three Highlands food awards
THE Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) has been named as a finalist in three categories at this year’s Highlands and Islands Food and Drink Awards.
The firm is shortlisted for its achievements in export and innovation and also in the New Product Award category for its Native Hebridean Salmon.
The winners will be announced on October 20 at a ceremony in Inverness hosted by food critic and broadcaster Jay Rayner.
The SSC is one of only 34 businesses to have made the awards shortlist, which spans 13 categories.
Now in their 13th year, the awards are sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and showcase the region’s food and drink industry.
The SSC’s Native Hebridean Salmon was developed through a broodstock programme that ensures full traceability.
The native strain is descended from wild salmon from the fresh river waters of North Uist and are born, bred and raised exclusively in the Hebrides.
Craig Anderson, chief execu- tive of the SSC, said: ‘The Highlands and Islands are a global destination for food and drink and we are proud to have been recognised not just once but three times in this year’s award categories.
‘To be shortlisted for our Native Hebridean Salmon is especially important as it affirms our commitment to provenance and innovation.
‘Our broodstock programme has been in development for several years and the unique strain of Native Hebridean Salmon is born, bred and reared exclusively in the Hebrides.’
The company is also celebrating achieving ‘Friend of the Sea’ certification this month. The endorsement from the independent sustainability certification body is recognised across international markets with stringent controls over environmental, economic and social responsibility.
Paolo Bray, FOS founder and director, said: ‘Friend of the Sea welcomes the Scottish Salmon Company to its select group of certified aquaculture producers.’