Dawnfresh Seafoods sells frozen scampi business

15-Jan-2016 - Last updated on 22-Jul-2024 at 08:45 GMT

The sale to Whitby Seafoods was completed today (January 13)

Britain’s largest trout producer Dawnfresh Seafoods has sold its frozen scampi business, including stocks, to Whitby Seafoods for an undisclosed sum.

The Scottish seafood company today (January 13) completed the sale to the North Yorkshire firm, which claims to be one of the UK’s largest scampi processors.

Dawnfresh Seafoods’ main focus used to be scampi before its acquisition of trout processor Silver Trout in 2004 and further investment in trout farming.

‘Support over many years’

Its chairman Alastair Salvesen said: “I would like to thank all of our long-standing customers and suppliers for their support over many years and I wish the Whittle family and their team at Whitby continuing success in the future.”

Whiteby Seafoods was founded in 1985 by Graham Whittle from the assets of the Whitby Shellfish company, which was one of the first firms to sell breaded scampi in the UK.

The privately-owned family business confirmed the purchase of associated assets from Dawnfresh Seafoods after the Scottish firm decided to withdraw from the scampi market.

‘Buccaneering’ family business

Whitby Seafoods marketing and sales director Laura Whittle said the “buccaneering” family company aims to produce fresh tasting and carefully prepared scampi.

“This acquisition is in keeping with this long-standing mission,” she said. “We are hoping this acquisition of assets causes as little disruption as possible to the customers affected.”

The business started out selling scampi to local restaurants and pubs but soon began supplying other outlets and won a national listing with Tesco in 2011.

Dawnfresh Seafoods: a personal story

“I started work with Dawnfresh Seafoods in January 1980 and at that time its major activity was the production and sale of scampi, although they were also involved in processing whiting and herring in Whitehaven.

“A major investment was begun to expand and develop this business before moving to a state-of-the-art seafood factory in Uddingston in 1991 where the expansion continued.

“Dawnfresh then acquired Silver Trout and introduced trout processing to the factory, expanding this activity with the business of Scot Trout, which included processing salmon.

“A long-term investment programme then began to create a vertically integrated Scottish aquaculture business which farms trout in many parts of Scotland and adds value to a variety of fish in our factories in Uddingston, Arbroath and Grantown on Spey.”