A UK seafood company has opened a new shop to continue its growth following support from the Welsh government’s Seafood Cluster programme.
Family-run Mermaid Seafoods in Llandudno, North Wales, which been supplying fresh fish and seafood for more than 30 years, used to operate from a 3m by 7m unit, but its new 15m by 9m building with extra freezer capacity will enable the business to further expand.
“This new unit will make a massive difference to our business,” said Malcolm Wright, who co-owns the business with his sister Margot Pilling, “The old premises was rather tight, but this new building has increased our storage capacity and allowed us to double our retail space.”
Small beginnings
Fisherman Mr Wright and his late father, who was also a fisherman named Malcolm, started the business with a small unit where the family processed their fish and sold them locally, but with support through the Welsh Government’s Food and Drink Wales Seafood Cluster programme, the business has become one of the largest fresh fish and seafood suppliers in Wales.
Today, it buys shellfish and flat fish from local fishermen, employs 16 staff and has five delivery vans daily covering a 40-mile wide area to supply restaurants, hotels and private customers.
More than 400 products are available from the shop. In addition to what’s caught locally, Mermaid also processes fish from Scotland and the South of England.
