A Highland company undergoing a £900,000 rebuild of its Alness base is hoping to make fresh Scottish shellfish more accessible to families thanks to enhanced packaging capabilities.
Scot Live Shellfish is constructing a ‘state-of-the-art’ building at its existing site, with the investment coming alongside the installation of advanced blast freezing, packaging, and energy-efficient cooling systems.
The project represents a rebuild, rather than an expansion, after a 2022 fire destroyed the firm’s previous base – leading to it temporarily pivoting to fresh and frozen shellfish rather than its lucrative live offering. Currently employing 25 people, the move is expected to create 10 new jobs in Alness over the next two years.
“We know it’s nearing completion, and we’ve been waiting so long for it,” Gosia Kozlowska, director at Scot Live Shellfish, told Packaging Scotland. “It’s incredible to see staff who I was phoning on the day of the fire to (tell) not come into work… probably worried about their jobs and the future, but they will be here in this nice new building.”
Recognising the importance of the company as a local employer, as well as protecting Scottish produce, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) backed the project with £225,000.
Scot Live Shellfish’s operations previously focused largely on wholesale, but the new facility opens the door to making Scotland’s world-acclaimed shellfish more accessible. The firm’s produce is exported across Europe, with Gosia explaining that Scotland’s langoustines are amongst the best in the world, thanks to the ‘beautifully cold’ North Sea.
The new site is scheduled to open in September. Work will be undertaken to create smaller packs in the hope of expanding into stores and offering people easy access to fresh, local shellfish. Tests are also ongoing to find alternatives to the polystyrene boxes used to ship the products overseas, with Scot Live Shellfish becoming increasingly aware of its environmental impact.
“Something needs to change for the environment,” Gosia explained, before acknowledging the complex challenge of meeting both sustainability and performance expectations. The firm doesn’t want to simply push higher prices onto end customers. Instead, the focus is on finding the right supplier and capitalising on the innovative solutions being researched and developed.
Scot Live Shellfish is also utilising French-manufactured perforated plastic baskets, many of which are sent by customers. The company sends orders in wax-coated boxes. Gosia explained the langoustines are often cooked in the baskets on the continent, which ensures an even cooking and prevents them from breaking.
As the baskets must be made from high heat polyetherimide to avoid melting or warping in boiling water, there have been difficulties identifying a UK manufacturer. The business hopes for a collaboration that would cut the carbon generated from exporting the baskets from France.
• If you have a solution that you think can aid the company, contact Gosia at Gosia@ScotLive.co.uk
