MANUFACTURING
CONNEMARA SEAFOODS, Kilmeena, Westport, Co Mayo.
Tel: 098 41000. www.connemaraseafoods.com
Of sand
and sea
Havinginvestedheavilyinnew
processingtechnologies,Connemara
Seafoodshasbroadeneditsproduct
portfolio,winningnewexport
marketsinthemeantime
‘We are continuing to leverage
that network by adding new
products and new species
each year and processing with
innovative technologies’
Also shortlisted in the
Food & Drink category
Natalija Atkocaitiene
GAINST the backdrop of a shellfish indus- othersarebarrierstoentryinfresh,frozenandchilledshell- points to be more competitive.”
A
try under assault from South America, a fish exports.” A range of three ready meals in sauces was successful in
seafood company going back three gener- Inresponsetoglobaleconomicchallenges,Connemara retail in France, while specific products were produced
ations on the shores of Clew Bay is fight- Seafoods reacted fast, with a wider portfolio of products. that won contracts in 2007 in retail and cash and carry in
ing fit, blending the best of the past with “New crab products were introduced with the first full Germany. That has continued in 2008, with new ranges in
the knowledge and technologies of tomorrow. year in production in 2008 and further improvements in crab,crabclaws,IQFmussels;improvementsinwhole-shell,
Increasing its workforce from 30 to 40 last year, our individually quick frozen [IQF] range were made fol- vacuum-packed mussels, mussels in varieties of sauces,
Connemara Seafoods operates from a 60,000 sq ft lowingamultimillioneuroinvestmentinnewprocessing half-shell oysters and clams.
production facility. technologies,” she says. “Currently, new innovative ideas are undergoing feasi-
Auniqueaspectofthecompanyisthat100pcofitsout- “The wider portfolio has strengthened our position bility, and project stages are expected to deliver products
put is exported to France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the UK, with our wholesale/food service customers. We are con- that will lay the foundation for the years ahead, focused
Germany and Scandinavia and it recently tested new tinuing to leverage that network by adding new products on high value-add ingredients and flavours,” says Mulloy.
markets in the East — Japan in particular. and new species each year.” Connemara Seafoods implements an upskilling pro-
Director Ann Marie Mulloy describes the company’s Research and development (R&D) is critical to Con- grammeeachyearacrossthefullspectrumofmanagement
outlook as follows: “The Mulloy family has roots here pre- nemara Seafoods’ export endeavours, as it strategically and staff. Programmes for management include those
datingthefamine.ConnemaraSeafoodscombinesthehigh- movesfromcommoditisedtohighervalue-addedproducts. fromtheIrishManagementInstituteandvariousthird-level
estvaluesoffamily,thecommunityspiritofneighboursand “Management believes in shoe-leather marketing; see- institutions, while staff upskilling happens in areas such
the harnessing of the primary natural-food resources of ingwhat’shappeningontheground.Togetherwithongo- asqualitymanagement,informationtechnology,produc-
the ocean. ing desk-based R&D in the food industry, customers, tion management, team building and R&D.
“In Ireland, there are very few coastal communities that management and employees feed the R&D trough. Ideas “The investments in ongoing education and upskilling
are as vibrant and even fewer that have an integrated net- are generated, R&D strategies emerge, projects are initi- have made a huge contribution to the growth and prof-
workofashellfishprocessingcompany,givingsustainable ated and new products and production technologies to itability of the company. Each year, the programme is
employmentandsupportingathrivingdownstreamsupply make them are developed,” Mulloy explains. reviewedtotieinwiththebusinessplanandmeetitsneeds.
chainoffishermen,shoreharvesters,truckers,engineersand “Our R&D structures are upgrading to ensure we are in “Thereisavibrantcultureofdrivingcostsoutofthebusi-
many more.” sync with the market and producing products that meet ness,developingthebestproducts,doingeverythingpos-
Mulloy says Connemara Seafoods “embraces the tough, emerging, growing or stable demand. The products may sibletobuildcompetitiveadvantagesinproduct,priceand
uncompromising competition of this global marketplace demandnewtaste,newpresentation,newwaysofproducing customer responsiveness. Our increased sales in 2008
and willingly overcomes the physical obstacles that to toincreaseshelflifeoroutput,orbetterqualityinnewprice reflect that,” she affirms.
06 SFA NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS WWW.SFA.IE/AWARDS
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