Scottish salmon farm scales up with £1.2m investment from HSBC UK

The facility has enabled Loch Duart, which exports salmon globally, to purchase additional new feed barges, which provide reliable, efficient and less labour-intensive means of delivering sustainably-sourced feed to the farm’s award-winning salmon.

The new barges will free up Loch Duart’s employees from repetitive manual labour and allow them to focus on building upon an already impressive tradition of innovation within the industry. This will include the development of sustainable farming methods endorsed by the RSPCA, such as long-term rotational fallowing and environmental enrichment practises.

Simon Maguire, financial director, Loch Duart, said: “The new barges improve the safety of our staff, which is a priority for us, and enables them to take on more skilled work within the company. The funding from HSBC UK has enabled us to take a natural next step in enhancing our processes as we look for opportunities to grow the business and broaden the supply of our award-winning salmon.”

Grant Bett, relationship director, HSBC UK in Scotland, said: “The team at Loch Duart continues to innovate, finding new ways to streamline the business and prioritise its staff as the key employer in the local communities. We’re delighted to support this next step for what is a truly ambitious Scottish business, with an excellent success story, as they continue to deliver world-class, acclaimed premium Salmon which is exported globally and served in various Michelin-starred restaurants around the UK.”

This deal is part of HSBC UK’s £650 million lending fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland.