Kilkeel business Tarragon Bay fishes for success with seafood products
A Kilkeel based businessman has branched out with a range of quality seafood products folowing help from Invest NI and CAFRE.
CAFRE’s collaboration with Invest NI and their innovation voucher scheme has once again given a local company a helping hand in developing new products writes CAFRE Food Technologist, Clare Campbell.
Businessman Vincent Rooney runs a wholesale seafood business specialising in sourcing and harvesting a sustainable and fresh supply of premium fish, shellfish, and sea vegetables.
Through his company Tarragon Bay, Vincent wanted to add value to his products with a view to bringing a range of seafood pâté products to market.
Vincent worked with CAFRE Food technologist Clare Campbell to take his concept and make it a product ready for market.
On speaking about the reasons Vincent chose to work with CAFRE on this project, he said: “I chose CAFRE as it has a proven track record in assisting local food processors to develop.
“They helped provide an extensive product development service which has already enabled many of NI’s key artisan producers to create high-end products for supply to export markets throughout Europe and beyond.”
The products are pitched to the highest end of the seafood market sector and have been created to sustain a long shelf life whilst maintaining high quality without the use of artificial preservatives.
The product development process was vigorous in ensuring that the pâté flavours were just right and that the heat treatment did not affect the flavour, colour, or texture.
A Prawn pâté and Scallop pâté were developed in Loughry College Food Innovation Centre.
Once samples were approved, they were upscaled in the Food Technology Centre Pilot plant.
Loughry’s Food Technology Centre is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment which processes such products to correct safety parameters whilst maintaining quality attributes.
Following successful upscaling of the recipes, the products were tested microbiologically and nutritionally allowing the necessary product labelling information to be generated.
Vincent has explained that he had had a positive experience through this process claiming: “My experience to date working with CAFRE and Clare Campbell has been exceptionally positive.
“It is evident that the focus of their specialist mentors and business support team is to showcase local produce, with particular emphasis on exceeding statutory production and quality standards.
“I have developed a good rapport with my contacts within CAFRE and look forward to a continued productive relationship with CAFRE as I bring my new product range of seafood products to market.”
Tarragon Bay plan to sell its pâté range to local hotels and restaurants, as well as online. The long shelf life of the product also allows scope for export to different markets.
Get in touch with our technologists at CAFRE if you require expertise in Product Development.
Their Knowledge Advisory Team has a wealth of knowledge and experience in all areas of Food processing which can be availed of to help you turn your idea into a reality.
The next call for Innovation Voucher applications opens on Monday 23rd January, closing at 3:00pm on 10th February.
You can contact Loughry College at:
loughry.foodtechnology@daera-ni.gov.uk
or follow us at discover CAFRE on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
http://www.facebook.com/daerani.gov.uk
(Note: Tarragon Bay website is still under construction).
