produits de la mer - n°192 - Mai 2019 - 49

Actu ❘ FOCUS IRLANDE

he top fish processing company
in Ireland, Keohane Seafoods,
makes the right choices to meet
all consumer expectations. Fresh,
high-pressure processed, deep-frozen or
defrosted, its range of fish products offers
individual, plain or prepared portions, sealed
or skinned. "The idea is to adapt to all types
of demand, both for retail and catering, with
ready-to-cook portions by means of a microwaveable skin film," says Mike Keohane,
who founded the company in 2011.
With his two sons, Colman and Brian,
he quickly developed the family business
in connection with large distributors in

Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany
and to a lesser extent in France, at least
so far. From 10 million euros in 2013,
the turnover has more than quadrupled
to 45 million euros. "Half of the sales are
made in the Irish market and the other
half in the export market. We want to
develop sales in France with skin IQF or
refresh portions."
To meet the orders of major supermarkets such as Lidl, Tesco, Costa or Delhaize,
Keohane has developed two factories in
Cork and Bantry, BRC grade A, IFS, MSC,
ASC and organic certified. The total workforce is 200 people and the facilities comprise twelve production lines including
two for salmon filleting and portioning.
On the rise, frozen food production will
be expanded to Bantry. The blast freezer
used has a spiral system. As regards innovation, the R&D team has developed a new
range of lightly smoked salmon and white
fish in Arcos cell. All ranges of products
taken together, the company can produce
75,000 product units a day.
About fifteen species constitute the core
of the company's business whose supplies
are mostly imported. 60% of fresh salmon
comes from Norway and white fish comes

Whether plain or marinated, fish steaks are Keohane's core business.

Worth knowing
Ireland boasted
163 seafood
processing
companies in 2017.
24 generate a
turnover of more
than 10 million euros.

mainly from Norway and Russia, especially under the form of interleaved frozen
blocks. Fresh bass comes from Turkey or
Greece and peeled shrimp from Argentina.
On the other hand, hake and Irish mackerel are naturally present on the production
lines. The same goes for organic salmon
and Irish farmed trout. ■

[Valeur ajoutée, plus qu'un principe]
La volonté d'offrir une gamme de produits services avec du poisson
découpé, facile d'utilisation, en portion individuelle ou en format
familial est la porte ouverte à la valeur ajoutée. Avec une seconde
ou troisième transformation, Keohane va plus loin dans le prêt-àdéguster, en particulier dans son usine de Cork. Les filets nature
de cabillaud, saumon, merlu, haddock ou maquereau peuvent se
décliner aussi marinés, légèrement fumés, en recettes saisonnières,
avec différentes sauces en sachet ou accompagnés de beurres
aromatisés en médaillon. Au total, une trentaine de solutions valorisantes accompagnent l'offre de poisson, crevettes et noix de saintjacques.
Rien ne se perd du côté des chutes de découpes : les queues pourront servir de base à de nouveaux produits élaborés de type burger
de saumon ou parmentier.

B.V.

The growth of the Irish
processing company relies
on skin-packaged products
to be sold in the country
and exported. The output of
the two Keohane factories
is able to answer the orders
for portions of fresh
or defrosted fish.

B.V.

Keohane knows how to meet new expectations

Apporter une note culinaire à une découpe
est une des clés de la valeur ajoutée.

PRODUITS DE LA MER N°192 MAI 2019

❘ 49 ❘

produits de la mer - n°192 - Mai 2019

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