A former production manager for Loch Duart's salmon production business, once known as Salar Salmon, will soon be reviving the smokehouse located off the shores of Loch Carnan, South Uist in Scotland.
Iain Macrury of Benbecula has purchased the salmon processing outfit and plans to relaunch the Salar brand immediately; fish farmers Loch Duart had done away with the Salar name in 2008 after buying the company from founders Jane and Eric Twelves. Macrury plans to implement a back-to-basics approach “where heritage, tradition and quality are key,” and return Salar’s flaky smoked salmon to the forefront of South Uist trade.
Under Macrury’s ownership, the business will bear the name Salar Smokehouse and will undoubtedly produce Salar Flaky Smoked Salmon once more.
“To say that I am delighted to be in the position to fire up the smoking kilns at Loch Carnan to produce Salar Flaky Smoked Salmon once again would be an understatement – this is an exciting development for us and these islands with an important local business that enjoys an international reputation looking to add to past success by focusing on its core of wonderful Uist seafood from an unspoilt environment to build on the tradition and heritage of the Hebrides – as a local islander myself, born and bred in Benbecula, I feel it is vital to protect and nurture our communities as best we can so it is pleasing that we will employ six members of staff at Loch Carnan to produce our exclusive hot-smoked Salar salmon,” Macrury told The Island News and Advertiser.
New product development is also high up on Macrury’s to-do list: “We plan to offer a wide range of smoked goods in the near future, using our specialised and unique process to add value to locally caught, bred and produced foodstuff, all of which will be available to the retail and online consumer as well as to the professional catering and restaurant market where Salar Smokehouse has an enviable international reputation,” he said.
Salar will offer its products locally as well as on a broad scale. As of now, inquiries from locals have been pouring in regarding whether home delivery will be available, Macrury said. “I will work closely with local producers and service providers to bring a truly Hebridean culinary experience to our home market and for visitors to these islands,” he added.
Integral to the establishment of the new Salar Smokehouse were former owners, Loch Duart, as well as Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Storas Uibhist, Business Gateway, Balivanich (C.N.E.S), MacLean’s Bakery and MacLennan’s Supermarket.
Macrury has extensive experience as a quality enforcer – he assured that Loch Duart’s quality processes were on point, from receipt of raw materials to distribution, working with the legal and technical departments to cover more ground. What was previously known as the Loch Duart Smokehouse was shut down for a spell in April 2015.
