Jack Cowden of Middleton Seafoods shaking hands with Rockall Seafoods director. (Photo: Whitby Seafoods/Stock File/FIS

Scampi processor takes over 100 pc of counterpart

Leading national scampi processor W Middleton & Son (NI) Ltd has taken over 100 per cent of the share capital of its counterpart Rockall Seafoods Ltd.

Both are sited nearby each other in the main fishing port on the County Down coast in Northern Ireland, Kilkeel Harbour, which hosts one of the country’s largest fishing fleets.

“The coming together of the two businesses will improve the competitiveness of Ireland’s scampi processing industry at a time of acute pressure brought about by very high raw material costs and increasing price sensitivity by consumers as a result of the current economic slowdown,” foretold Jack Cowden of Middleton Seafoods, which trades as Middleton Seafoods.

Middleton Seafoods is a subsidiary of Whitby Seafoods Ltd, the UK’s leading scampi processor located in the fishing town of Whitby, North Yorkshire. Whitby has developed a sturdy brand and garnered loyal customers in the catering and retail industry.

Whitby Seafoods has injected GBP 4.5 million (EUR 5.2 million) into Kilkeel scampi processing since 2007 while continuing a multi-million pound investment venture in their 55,000 sqft, high-tech scampi factory based on a 9 ac site in Whitby, where the firm is the main employer.

The company plans to keep in both Whitby and Northern Ireland in the coming years.

Scampi product. (Photo: Whitby Seafoods)

“The reason for our increasing investment in Kilkeel is to employ the town’s considerable skills in processing scampi developed over several decades. It is also a great location to procure the valuable and sustainable harvest of scampi by the Northern Irish and Southern Irish fishing fleets,” managing director Graham Whittle elaborated.

The plan’s objective is to yield improvements in efficiency and product quality for both businesses.

There are no plans for layoffs at this point, but this may change due fluctuation in the economy and subsequent needs to restructure, the company stated.

Wesley Newell, managing director and shareholder in Rockall Seafoods, will remain in the business and join Cowden in running the new joint Kilkeel business under the Middleton banner. It will operate as Middleton Seafoods.

“This transaction is a good thing for the industry, the difficulties scampi processors have faced is evident by this year’s closure of Parkgate in Portovogie, Solway Seafoods in Bladnoch, South Scotland and by the financial rescue packages needed by other scampi producers. This acquisition will strengthen both businesses and protect Kilkeel’s scampi processing industry,” Newell said.

Breaded scampi sales in the UK are estimated at 12,000 tonnes per year -- equal to 80 million consumed portions. Landings dropped this year, but consumers are keeping demand stable.

By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

Address:	Fairfield Way, Whitby Business Park
City:	Whitby
State/ZIP:	North Yorkshire (YO22 4PU)
Country:	United Kingdom
Phone:	+44 1947 606 101
Fax:	+44 1947 820 589
E-Mail:	[email protected]
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