Bakkafrost Scotland (formerly the Scottish Salmon Company) is celebrating another significant industry win after scooping two top awards at the Scotland Food & Drink Awards 2022.
Native Hebridean Smoked Scottish Salmon, produced in Stornoway, won the top prize of the night to be named ‘Product of the Year’ and also beat off some very strong competition to be named the ‘Artisan Product of the Year’.
Native Hebridean Smoked Scottish Salmon is a globally-unique strain, the result of a unique broodstock program spanning more than a decade.
It descends from the wild salmon of North Uist. It is raised exclusively in the Hebrides and the West Coast of Scotland and is fully traceable.
The award-winning salmon is described as robust, lean, and noticeably firm. Acclaimed celebrity chef Jack Stein hailed it ‘the perfect smoked salmon’.
Smoked by specialist artisans at Bakkafrost Scotland’s Harris & Lewis Smokehouse on Sandwick Road, each fillet is cured with sea salt and demerara sugar. The salmon is then gently smoked with Scottish whisky cask chippings, infusing the ‘sides’ with rich flavour in the unique pebble lined kilns.
Bakkafrost Scotland’s innovative broodstock programme has been in development for a number of years and takes the company’s commitment to Scottish provenance once step further by guaranteeing Scottish provenance and island heritage.
Managing Director of Bakkafrost Scotland, Ian Laister said: “To receive not one but two Scotland Food & Drink Awards and the top award is testament to our commitment to quality products, local provenance, and continued innovation. These recent wins continue our run of award successes and is a testament to the terrific work from everybody involved in the business to ensure our products reach the highest possible standards within the industry and for our customers.”
The top award of the night, ‘Product of the Year’, was accepted on behalf of the business by Managing Director, Ian Laister and Su Cox, Communications and New Business Development Director.
The ‘Artisan Product of the Year’ award was accepted on behalf of the business by Su Cox and Donald MacDonald, Operations Director.
Bakkafrost Scotland, formerly The Scottish Salmon Company, has been part of the Bakkafrost Group since 2019. Its aim is to be the leading and most sustainable salmon producer in Scotland.
Bakkafrost Scotland plays an important role bringing long-term quality employment to remote and rural communities, with more than 600 staff across 60 sites on the West Coast of Scotland and the Hebridean Islands and its Edinburgh head office.
Bakkafrost is one of the world's most vertically integrated salmon farming companies meaning it has full control over all aspects of production – from feed to finished products. This ensures unrivalled traceability, consistently exceptional quality and Bakkafrost Scotland’s world-renowned provenance.
The company’s five-year investment plan for sustainable growth is being delivered across all five pillars of its Healthy Living Plan – Healthy Business, Healthy People, Healthy Salmon, Healthy Environment and Healthy Communities. This transformational strategy will create jobs, drive economic growth and advance not just the Bakkafrost business but the wider salmon farming sector.
Bakkafrost Scotland is the UK’s first salmon producer to be awarded a 4-star ‘Best Aquaculture Practice’ (BAP) certification. Internationally recognised, BAP is the world’s most comprehensive third-party aquaculture certification programme. Bakkafrost Scotland is committed to BAP’s four pillars of sustainability with traceability as the foundation.
Recent award-wins for Bakkafrost Scotland include:
- Great Taste Awards 2022 one star recipient for Harris & Lewis Smoked Salmon and Lightly Smoked Scottish Salmon Fillet
- Community Initiative Award at the Aquaculture UK Awards, 2022
- ‘Best New Foodservice Product’ at the Seafood Excellence Awards, Boston, 2022
- ‘Best Smoked Fish and Seafood’ at the Great British Food Awards 2021
- ‘Best Overall Smoked Salmon’ at the Woman and Home Tried and Tasted Awards 2021
- ‘Best for Smokier Notes’ at the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Best Smoked Salmon for Christmas Awards 2021
- ‘3-Star Great Taste Award’ from the Guild of Fine Food Awards in 2021