February 2, 2015 – Sherbrooke, NS – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
St. Mary’s River Smokehouses (SMRS) is committed to the quality of its Atlantic smoked salmon products. The award-winning Sherbrooke firm is building on that commitment this year with upgraded quality assurance and product testing programs. The Government of Canada announced its support for the programs today.
The drive to innovate and improve is nothing new to SMRS. Smoked salmon consumption has been on the rise over the past decade, as consumers seek out healthier food choices that are easy to prepare. To take advantage of this trend, SMRS has concentrated on developing new, innovative smoked product formats. In 2013, the company’s Oven Smoked Salmon Skewers earned the Best New Product Award at the International Boston Seafood Show. The company’s diverse and delicious product line has attracted some of Canada’s largest food retailers as well as international clientele.
SMRS is working to ensure they continue to deliver the highest calibre smoked salmon to their growing customer base. SMRS already has achieved the highest level of global food safety certification for a processing company its size (Level 2 under the SQF Institute program). To meet the rigorous standards for food safety and quality demanded by domestic and international customers, the company will hire expertise to develop and upgrade its stringent quality assurance program and introduce new product testing regimes at their production facility in Sherbrooke. SMRS will work with industry experts such as Maxxam Analytics Ltd to establish the new programs—so that they may continue to grow their business through an unwavering commitment to quality and food safety.
The Government of Canada is providing a $75,000 repayable contribution to SMRS to support the quality assurance and testing initiatives, through ACOA’s Business Development Program (BDP).
Quick Facts:
- SMRS was established in 1996 under its parent company, Lochiel Enterprises Limited.
- SMRS employs 35 people at its Sherbrooke production facility.
- SMRS is Canada’s largest Atlantic salmon smokehouse catering to the grocery supermarket segment.
- The majority of SMRS’s products are exported outside of Atlantic Canada.
- Popular items from the SMRS product menu include cold smoked salmon, gravlax, flavoured strips and skewers, candied salmon and more recently--hot smoked organic trout.
Quotes:
“With an ever-growing product line and customer base, St. Mary’s River Smokehouses is an industry leader in smoked salmon. Our Government is pleased to support the company’s continued leadership as they implement new quality assurance and testing programs. By setting the quality bar, this award-winning company will continue to grow their markets here and internationally. Our Government is committed to opening new markets through initiatives like the Canada-EU Trade Agreement, so that companies like St. Mary’s River Smokehouses can deliver high-calibre Canadian products to customers around the world.”
- The Honourable Peter MacKay, Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, Minister of Justice, Attorney General of Canada, and Member of Parliament for Central Nova
“The support of the Government of Canada will allow St. Mary’s to continue to pursue new markets in North America and abroad. Smoked salmon consumption continues to expand and consumers demand exacting standards of quality and food safety. This support program will allow us to develop and put in place the necessary procedures for quality assessment and final product testing to meet the requirements of regulatory authorities and consumers in Canada, US and Europe. “
- Alan Archibald, President and CEO, Lochiel Enterprises Limited
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Associated Links:
Contacts:
Kelsie Corey
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of State
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
613-941-7241
Alex Smith
Director, Communications and Outreach
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
902-426-9417/902-830-3839 (cell)
E-mail: Alex.Smith@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Alan Archibald
President and CEO
Lochiel Enterprises Limited
902-229-4456
E-mail: aarchibald@thebestsmokedsalmon.ca
