THE Burren Smokehouse has landed a year-long contract to supply its trademark product at a world-famous department store in London.
Burren Smoked Irish Wild Salmon, which is produced by the Burren Smokehouse, will be offered for sale at Harrod’s Food Hall in the latest commercial success for the Lisdoonvarna-based company.
It already supplies its products overseas to KaDeWe Berlin, Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason.
The family-run company sources its wild salmon from commercial fisherman, Mick Murphy, on the River Nore in County Kilkenny, before smoking the fish in the Burren.
Mr Murphy, accompanied by Burren Smokehouse owner, Birgitta Hedin-Curtin, this week landed the first commercially-caught wild salmon in Ireland this year, near the historic Kilkenny village of Inistioge.
“Mick Murphy catches the wild salmon in the traditional way, with snap-netting and in traditional flat-bottomed fishing vessels called cots. Conditions have been difficult this year, due to weather conditions, and the catch is late coming.
“However, that has made the first commercially-caught Irish wild salmon of 2014 even more anticipated, sought after and valued,” explained Ms Hedin-Curtin.
“The 12-month deal agreed with Harrods is especially pleasing for us, considering it coincides with the 25th anniversary of the company being established.
“During this period, we have always stayed true to quality and local sourcing of the very best raw materials that we can get hold of. This is reflected in the developing interest shown in our product from overseas,” she said.
By Nicola Corless
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.