Macduff Shellfish expands scallop fishing fleet
6th July 2015
Macduff Shellfish, based in Mintlaw near Peterhead in Scotland, intends to use the business – from Exeter-based the Greendale Group – to gain a foothold in the area, building relationships with fishermen to help grow the business.
The 11-strong shore based shellfish team at the Greendale Group’s Shellfish Trading Division will transfer to Macduff Shellfish’s employment, joining around 400 other colleagues throughout the UK.
The 24 fishermen operating the four scallop fishing vessels will join Macduff fleet’s existing team of 110 and bring its total scallop fishing fleet to 14 vessels.
Euan Beaton, chairman of Macduff Shellfish, said: “The acquisition is a really exciting opportunity for us for three reasons: it sees the culmination of a 10-year trading relationship with the Greendale Group; it expands our scallop fishing fleet by 40%, and it allows us the opportunity to build on the solid relationship that already exists with fishermen in the south west of England to grow the Exeter business.”
Roy Cunningham, managing director of Macduff Shellfish, added, “In doing this, we bring a track record of investing in vessels and equipment beyond the fleet that we own, as we have successfully done through an acquisition in the north west of Scotland.”
Two years ago Macduff Shellfish acquired a seafood processing factory in Stornoway from Young’s Seafood.
A financial assistance partnership approach between Macduff Shellfish and the local authority (Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar), backed with practical assistance from the Western Isles Fishermen’s Association, has helped modernise the current ageing fleet and brought four brand new vessels to the Western Isles.
Cunningham claimed these were the type of It’s partnerships Macduff would like to continue to develop with fishermen in the south west of England.”
Beaton described Macduff Shellfish’s expansion as exciting, praising the company for quadrupling in size over the last 10 years.
“In the next three years I’d like us to double it again through deals such as this and through organic growth.”
Macduff Shellfish, based in Mintlaw near Peterhead in Scotland, intends to use the business – from Exeter-based the Greendale Group – to gain a foothold in the area, building relationships with fishermen to help grow the business. The 11-strong shore based shellfish team at the Greendale Group’s Shellfish Trading Division will transfer to Macduff Shellfish’s employment, joining around 400 other colleagues throughout the UK. The 24 fishermen operating the four scallop fishing vessels will join Macduff fleet’s existing team of 110 and bring its total scallop fishing fleet to 14 vessels. Euan Beaton, chairman of Macduff Shellfish, said: “The acquisition is a really exciting opportunity for us for three reasons: it sees the culmination of a 10-year trading relationship with the Greendale Group; it expands our scallop fishing fleet by 40%, and it allows us the opportunity to build on the solid relationship that already exists with fishermen in the south west of England to grow the Exeter business.” Roy Cunningham, managing director of Macduff Shellfish, added, “In doing this, we bring a track record of investing in vessels and equipment beyond the fleet that we own, as we have successfully done through an acquisition in the north west of Scotland.” Two years ago Macduff Shellfish acquired a seafood processing factory in Stornoway from Young’s Seafood. A financial assistance partnership approach between Macduff Shellfish and the local authority (Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar), backed with practical assistance from the Western Isles Fishermen’s Association, has helped modernise the current ageing fleet and brought four brand new vessels to the Western Isles. Cunningham claimed these were the type of It’s partnerships Macduff would like to continue to develop with fishermen in the south west of England.” Beaton described Macduff Shellfish’s expansion as exciting, praising the company for quadrupling in size over the last 10 years. “In the next three years I’d like us to double it again through deals such as this and through organic growth.”
