Scottish langoustine are the mainstay of the Braehead (SFO Enterprises) Ltd processing unit in Fraserburgh, Scotland, where business has gone from strength to strength in the past three years, thanks to the development of a superior langoustine tail product that is in demand from buyers in Spain, Italy and the UK.
“I had a vision to produce a premium quality product using our local catch that did not exist on the market,” explains Operations Manager Dale Bellamy. “By harnessing the unique design, efficiency and innovation of IQF Frost Swedish technology, I managed to achieve that vision. Customer interest increased, sales went up, and buyers continue to boost their orders.”
Mr Bellamy says that two major factors influenced the quality of the product. “Firstly, I sought to improve-sea-to pack procedures, and to facilitate ideal conditions for each process in the chain, based on a strict HACCP. To help improve quality at sea, all vessels were encouraged to become part of the Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme, which focuses on this important issue. Once in the factory, strict quality control procedures and best practice are followed, and the catch is cleaned and processed whilst still in peak condition,” he states.
“The second factor was the installation of an OctoFrost™ freezer, manufactured by Swedish company IQF Frost. This made an immediate and dramatic improvement to the appearance and quality of our product,” says Mr Bellamy.
Freezing speed in the OctoFrost™ is equal to or faster than with cryogenic freezing. This locks in the natural moisture, and gives a much higher meat yield on thawing. The machine also has an integral glazing process, which produces a fully controllable, transparent crystal hard glaze that enhances product appearance, as well as physically protecting it.
Since implementing the new technology in 2007, factory production has increased 3-fold and Mr Bellamy has ambitions to increase output further this year once local langoustine stocks achieve MSC status.
Fresh langoustine tails have a short shelf life, can spoil quickly, and experience damage during transport. By using cutting edge IQF Frost technology, Mr Bellamy found that he could offer the end user a far more convenient product than the fresh alternative. “Fresh products are never fresh when they reach the consumer, because they spend several days in transportation and lose taste, texture and visual appeal.” he explained. “We capture the freshness of the product within hours of the catch, and whilst we cannot compete with buying direct from the boat, customers in London, Paris, Milan and Madrid do not have this opportunity, and appreciate that our frozen product is superior to fresh.”
