TWO export-focused family businesses are recruiting staff and aiming for further growth with the help of funding from economic development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

 

The Highland Brewing Co's Swannay Brewery on Orkney is targeting new markets including North America, Japan and Scandinavia after securing £123,300 of financial support from HIE.

Taxpayer-backed HIE said that Swannay Brewery had seen increasing demand for its award-winning range, which includes Scapa Special, Dark Munro, Orkney IPA, Orkney Blast, Island Hopping and Duke IPA.

It added that the main development at the brewery was the installation of increased capacity to enable production of more cask beers. HIE noted the brewer would also put more focus on keg products to complement the company's bottled beers in export markets.

Highland Brewing Co was founded in 2005 by Rob Hill, who was joined by son Lewis in 2011. The company now employs a further four people.

A HIE spokesman said the brewer planned to recruit about a further four staff.

Meanwhile, Scrabster Seafoods in Caithness is planning to double its workforce from around 25 to about 50 over the next three years on the back of an investment in plant and equipment to enable on-site processing of crabs.

This investment by the firm, which was established in 1968 and exports white fish landed at Scrabster Harbour to mainland Europe and the Far East, is being undertaken with £119,832 of support from HIE.

HIE said the firm, which handles about 4,000 tonnes of seafood annually, had identified an opportunity to diversify.

The agency noted that this would involve taking advantage of the 2,000 tonnes of crab landed by fishermen at Scrabster Harbour every year.

HIE said the current trade in brown crab took the catch directly from boats to lorries, before it was transported direct to the customer, mainly in European markets such as Spain and Portugal. The new project would allow the Scrabster Seafoods to "add value to the product" before it was exported, creating jobs and supporting the local economy.

William Calder Jnr, of Scrabster Seafoods, said: "We are grateful to HIE for their ongoing support. This new project will be a great benefit for the local fisherman and the community in terms of employment going forward."