Scottish salmon products featuring the Mowi consumer brand have launched exclusively into Sainsbury’s stores and online, the first time the premium range has appeared in the United Kingdom's retail sector.
The offering, which will be advertised nationally, includes three products; Rich Cold Smoked Scottish Salmon Slices (100 grams), Piri Piri Slow Roast Fillets (180 grams), and Fresh Scottish Salmon Fillets (230 grams). They have recommended retail selling prices between GBP 4.50and GBP 5.00 (USD 6.26 and USD 6.96 and EUR 5.26, EUR 5.84).
Announcing the new range, Mowi Scotland said that salmon growth had outpaced other increases in grocery due to its health credentials and because consumers now make more time to cook at home.
With over half of all consumers saying they want to eat fresh fish more often, and with a large proportion of salmon growth being incremental to the category, the Mowi products tap into consumer opportunities and trends, and also help retailers to capture great sales opportunities, the producer said.
“We are investing in Mowi to play a dynamic role, inspiring new consumers to eat salmon on new occasions and to inform consumers that not all salmon are equal. Mowi [salmon] is high in omega-3, and fresher than fresh for taste. Retailers who support the Mowi brand will inevitably benefit from a halo of the brand driving traffic to stores,” Mowi Consumer Products Head of Sales James Cowan said. “The products are packed to show the top quality, which will be attractive to both new and existing seafood shoppers. We are getting right behind the launch with TV and online advertising, which will drive sales, interest, and valuable shoppers to our customers seafood aisles.”
Mowi salmon is produced off the west coast of Scotland and prepared and packed locally.
Mowi Scotland currently comprises two recirculating aquaculture system facilities, one flowthrough hatchery producing organic smolts, 47 seawater sites, and a primary processing plant.
The Scottish arm of the Bergen, Norway-headquartered Atlantic salmon farming giant has also confirmed that a new production director, Roar Paulsen, will join the operation in May, allowing for incumbent Meritxell Diez-Padrisa to focus on continued biological improvements in farming in Scotland, Ireland, and the Faroes as fish health director.
Paulsen joins Mowi Scotland after spending 26 years with Lerøy as managing director of Lerøy Hydrotech AS, and then production director at Lerøy Midt AS. He also holds board positions with a number of farming companies and related organizations such as OURO and Sjømat Norge and will continue to support these from Scotland.
Photo courtesy of Mowi
