Dawnfresh rainbow trout can now carry the prestigious Freedom Food logo on its packaging, which is recognised and sought after by consumers.
“Dawnfresh farms are already managed in compliance with Code of Good Practice and the fish are grown to Quality Trout UK standards,” explained Barry Chung, Commercial Director of Dawnfresh. “Achieving Freedom Food certification demonstrates the high welfare standards to which Dawnfresh work, and is testament to the considerable efforts expended by all our farm staff.”
Freedom Food, the RSPCA’s respected farm assurance and food labelling scheme, aims to improve the welfare of animals farmed for food, and certification shows that farms conform to strict welfare standards. They also cover key areas such as water quality, stocking density, handling, health, slaughter and transportation, as well as wider environmental impacts.
Jeremy Cooper, Freedom Food’s Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dawnfresh as our first member farming higher welfare Freedom Food rainbow trout. If trout can achieve similar success to the booming Freedom Food salmon industry, we will have made another significant leap forward in higher welfare farming.”
Dawnfresh is Scotland’s leading trout farming company, and is an important and innovative player in the global trout farming industry. Its aim is to ensure consumers recognise the versatility of trout by producing a top quality product.
The company works with some of the biggest retailers and food service customers in the UK. Dawnfresh fish is used by many important customers, including RR Spink & Son in Arbroath, a company that holds a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty the Queen.
“We believe in producing a superb quality, trusted product. To do this, we need to grow the best fish in the business, which we process in modern factories that meet the exacting standards of global buyers,” said Barry Chung.
The company produces both freshwater portion size trout, typically 425g, and larger sea-grown trout up to 7kg, which offer exciting opportunities for chefs and for product development.
The larger sea grown trout are tagged and branded ‘Loch Etive Ocean Trout’. These are selling particularly well in the USA, with markets also growing in France, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa and Japan. In particular, the ocean trout are gaining a name amongst international chefs for use in sushi and sashimi, and are enjoyed in some of the best restaurants in Hollywood!
“Our fish are fed, nurtured and monitored to ensure they perform well and remain in good health, which is important for providing the best quality fish and seafood products. They are kept in deep nets that give them plenty of room to swim and thrive,” explained fish health manager Richard Hopewell.
In the past few years, Dawnfresh has made considerable investment in people, equipment and technology, as well as increasing production to meet growing demand.
“Dawnfresh is a well invested business that remains at the forefront of trout farming. The Freedom Food accreditation is testimony to the company’s continued commitment to high quality farming and superior fish production,” said Alastair Salvesen, CBE, Chairman of Dawnfresh.
