Outer Hebrides Salmon Business Expands And Creates Jobs

15th October 2022

An Outer Hebrides salmon producer, which is undergoing a refit project at a facility it recently purchased has secured £72,685 investment from HIE.

Salar Smokehouse Ltd currently produces a range of smoked salmon products from a site at Loch Carnan, South Uist. The firm will move production operations 12 miles north to Uachdar in Benbecula bringing it closer to ‘Charlie's Bistro' - a bistro with rooms the business has been running since 2018.

The move to the new site will enable the company to increase production capacity, improve efficiency and be more accessible to passing visitors seeking out local products. Two new posts will be created as a result of the growth potential that the new premises will bring.

Salar Smokehouse Ltd was established by Iain MacRury in 2015 when it was formed to purchase the assets of Loch Duart Smokehouse at Loch Carnan in South Uist.

A team of six highly skilled local people are employed by the business all year round and more seasonal staff are recruited at peak times throughout the year. The business produces the highly acclaimed Salar Flaky Salmon and a range of other smoked products.

Once refitted, the new space will provide improved production process and will allow the business to launch a new sub-brand of more affordable products.

HIE's investment will also be used to set up a new e-commerce website to help engage more customers. It currently trades locally, nationally and internationally, as far away as USA, Canada and throughout Europe and the company plans to build trade to customers in middle east and Asia over the next 18 months.

Joanna Peteranna from HIE, said: "There are many community and economic benefits to this project. It will significantly enhance the local visitor offering and provide valuable and much-needed employment as well as helping the business to reduce its travel related carbon emissions. I am very pleased we have been able to provide support and look forward to seeing the project develop.

Iain MacRury said: "We would like to thank everyone at HIE for all their support for the project. This is an exciting time for us and looking forward to developing and growing the business locally and internationally over the next 18 months.

The project will bring the business in closer proximity with its other operations, which will reduce its road miles, making a saving of 8.7 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Photo
Ian MacRury, photgrapher Peter Kelty
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Taic maoineachaidh do ghnothachas bhradain ann an Innse Gall

Tha builichear bhradain ann an Innse Gall, aig a bheil goireas a chaidh a cheannach o chionn ghoirid agus a tha ga dhèanamh suas às ùr, air tasgadh airgid de £72,685 fhaotainn bho Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd 's nan Eilean (HIE).

Tha Taigh-smocaidh Salar Earranta gu làithreach a' toirt gu buil raon de bhathar bradain smocte aig làrach ann an Loch a’ Chàrnain, Uibhist a Deas. Bidh am buidheann a’ gluasad an uidheaman obrachaidh 12 mìle gu tuath don Uachdar ann am Beinn na Faoghla, ga thoirt nas fhaisge do ‘Bistro Theàrlaich’ - bistro le seòmraichean a tha an gnothachas air a bhith a’ ruith bho 2018.

Bheir an gluasad gu làrach ùr cothrom don chompanaidh comas toraidh a mheudachadh, èifeachdas a leasachadh agus a bhith nas ruigsinniche do dhaoine san dol-seachad a bhios a’ sireadh bathar ionadail. Thèid dà obair ùr a chruthachadh mar thoradh air a’ chomas fàis a bhios an togalach ùr a’ tarraing.

Chaidh Taigh-smocaidh Salar Earranta a stèidheachadh le Iain MacRuairidh ann an 2015, nuair a chaidh a chur air bhonn gus so-mhaoinean Taigh-smocaidh Loch Dhubhaird a cheannach aig Loch a’ Chàrnain ann an Uibhist a Deas.

Tha sgioba àrd-sgileil de shianar bhon choimhearsnachd a’ faotainn cosnadh sa chompanaidh fad na bliadhna agus tha luchd-obrach ràitheil gam fastadh aig na h-amannan as dripeile tron bhliadhna. Tha a’ chompanaidh a’ toradh a’ bhradain ainmeil Salar Flaky Salmon agus raon de bhathar smocte eile.

Aon uair ’s gum bi an làrach air a h-uidheamachadh, bheir an fharsaingeachd ùr san togalach seachad cothrom air pròiseas toraidh mòran nas fheàrr agus cead don ghnothachas air fo-bhranndan ùra agus raon de dhiofar bathair a chur air bhog aig prìs reusanta.

Bidh tasgadh airgid HIE air a chleachdadh cuideachd gus làrach-lìn e-ceannachd a chur air bhonn gus cuideachadh le barrachd luchd-ceannach a tharraing. Gu làithreach, tha iad a’ malairt gu h-ionadail, gu nàiseanta agus gu h-eadar-nàiseanta cho fada air falbh ris na Stàitean Aonaichte, Canada agus air feadh na Roinn Eòrpa agus tha a’ chompanaidh a’ planadh air malairt a chur air bhonn le luchd-ceannach san Ear Mheadhanach agus Àisia thar nan 18 mìosan ri teachd.

Thuirt Joanna Peteranna bho HIE: "Tha mòran bhuannachdan coimhearsnachd agus eaconamach co-cheangailte ris a’ phròiseact seo. Neartaichidh e gu mòr na tha ri thabhann do luchd-tadhail agus bheir e seachad cosnadh luachmhor agus riatanach a thuilleadh air an gnothachas a chuideachadh le sgaoilidhean càrboin co-cheangailte ri siubhal a lùghdachadh. Tha mi glè thoilichte gun deach againn air taic a thoirt seachad agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri bhith a’ faicinn leasachadh a’ tighinn air a’ phròiseact."

Thuirt Iain MacRuairidh: "Bu mhath leinn taing a thoirt do gach neach aig HIE airson an cuid taic don phròiseact seo. ’S e àm brosnachail a tha seo dhuinn agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ris a’ ghnothachas a leasachadh agus fhàs gu h-ionadail agus gu h-eadar-nàiseanta thar nan 18 mìosan a tha romhainn."

Bheir am pròiseact an gnothachas nas fhaisge do na h-obrachaidhean eile aige, nì a lùghdaicheas nam mìltean rathaid agus a bheir sàbhaladh de 8.7 tonna ann an CO2 gach bliadhna.

Dealbh
Ian MacRury, Dealbhadair Peter Kelty