Whitby Seafood, a UK-based processor, has acquired Dawnfresh Seafoods’, the second largest producer of scampi and frozen scampi in the region.
Dawnfresh processes frozen value-added scampi products at its headquarters in Uddingston, Scotland under the Kintyre brand name as well as under private labels. The producer has also worked with suppliers in China to produce some of its value-added offerings, according to heraldscotland.com.
“I would like to thank all of our longstanding 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,” said Dawnfresh billionaire-owner Alastair Salvesen.
Alongside scampi, Dawnfresh has had a history of processing whiting and herring, and is the UK's largest producer of farmed trout, operating seven farms and hatcheries throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland. Moreover, the company has introduced Scot Trout to its production as well as salmon.
For the financial year ending in March 2015, Dawnfresh posted a pre-tax loss of EUR 5.3 million (USD 6 million). However, sales increased by 32 percent to EUR 74.7 million (USD 84 million). Investments and expansion efforts made by Dawnfresh have allowed for the business to create “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,” said Salvesen to heraldscotland.com.
The acquisition fits into Whitby’s overall mission to expand production. The value of the sale was not disclosed.
