Shetland Smokehouse

The Shetland Smokehouse was founded in 1986,  by Dave & Debbie Hammond after a pilot scheme based at their home in Reawick. Initially sourcing wild salmon locally and from Caithness, salmon farming soon provided a good source of quality raw material for the company to expand its business into export markets in Europe, USA and Japan.

The original building was built on a build-leaseback deal from the SIC, at the time conforming to existing hygiene regulations, and provided full-time employment for 8 local people. By the early 90’s it became apparent the changes in food safety laws would make the building unsuitable for smoked salmon production which required product separation into low risk and high risk areas. The new building was designed in consultation with the various bodies concerned with the food safety regulations and the new factory completed in 1993.

The company has developed a good range of locally sourced seafood products, adding value  and increasing product shelf-life so that markets  can be identified for high quality products, locally, on the mainland and export. At the moment the Smokehouse provides employment for 12 full time staff plus another 6 at the old factory which has been geared up to produce a new range of value added products in the company patented Vaporvac system clear cans.

The company is the largest employer in the Skeld area, and has grown organically (ploughing profits back into the business, minimising  borrowings) in order to maintain a viable business in a fragile economic sector. A recent signed agreement with Japanese distribution company will see a planned 5-year expansion in output, which, along with other initiatives in Europe should see the company double output over the next 5 years.

The directors have recognised the emerging importance of the new Internet technologies in future customer buying patterns. The company operates an e-commerce enabled secure website where retail and trade prospects can get information and news about the company and buy directly online. Plans are laid to outsource this work to affiliate marketing companies to maximise the benefit of this area of commerce and it is envisaged that the site, which already generates profitable income,  will contribute in a major way, to the future profitability of the company as a whole.

The Shetland Smokehouse is committed to building on its reputation as a quality brand, maintaining a skilled staff in a remote area producing high-quality value added seafood products using the best of modern technology  to deliver the best that Shetland can offer.

The Shetland Smokehouse,
Skeld, Shetland ZE2 9NL.
T +44 (0)1595 860251 F 860203

Flavored Water:
Flavored Water
Vitamin Water
Fitness Water
Clustered Water
Oxygenated Water
Premium Water