February 23, 2010

Scottish salmon market to further target EU

Building on double-digit growth in 2009, Label Rouge Scottish Salmon will further target European consumers with a new marketing campaign.

Sales for Label Rouge Scottish Salmon soared 19% last year, rising from 6,099 tonnes in 2008 to 7,251 tonnes in 2009.

Salmon is big business for Scotland and represents about 40% of total food exports, making it Scotland's top food export. Farmed Scottish salmon has a global retail value of over GBP1 billion.

Funding from the Scottish government contributed to the Label Rouge Scottish salmon making inroads into Europe, notably through a European Fisheries Fund (EFF) grant. Last April, Scotland's government awarded the SQS salmon an EFF grant to promote Label Rouge to consumers, wholesalers, retailers and foodservice operators in France.

In addition, the grant is also set to support the launch of Label Rouge salmon to new markets in other key European countries, such as Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands, between 2009 and 2011.