Brendan Maher, second from right, at the awards presentation in Boston yesterday. Photo: Francisco Soto / Salmonexpert.

St James Smokehouse triumphs in Boston

Scotland and United States smoked salmon producer St James Smokehouse has won the Best New Retail Product award at Seafood Expo North America in Boston.

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The company, which has factories in Annan in south-west Scotland and Miami, was awarded the accolade for its Pure Saint Salmon, which is made in Miami with Aquaculture Stewardship Council-certified Chilean salmon.

It is hand-cured using only salt and light brown sugar and contains a smoke profile of light fruity notes crafted by smoking with locally-sourced Florida orange and grapefruit wood.

“We are the brother in Miami of the company in Scotland, but we wanted to have our own identity, so for this product we use ASC-certified Chilean salmon,” said Brendan Maher, co-owner of St James Smokehouse and chief executive of the US operation.

‘Proud to be pioneers’

The company uses only discarded wood to smoothen the smoke, helping the sustainability of the product.

“We already won in 2011 with our gin and tonic smoked salmon, so it is an honour for us to win with our Miami product and we are proud to be the pioneers in this regard. Being the best is what we want to achieve, not being the biggest,” said Maher.

East Coast Seafood won the event’s other major accolade, the 2019 Best New Foodservice Award, for its Lobster Macaroni & Cheese Bites.