ONE of the biggest fish in Scotland’s aquaculture sector is to rebrand.
Marine Harvest will go by the name Mowi if the proposal is accepted by shareholders.
The Norwegian-owned operation is the largest producer of farmed salmon in the world and hopes to make the name change next year.
It employs around 1250 people in Scotland and produces tens of thousands of tonnes of farmed fish every year, contributing to a sector worth £1 billion to the country’s economy.
The Bergen-based player has also be the subject of fierce criticism from campaigners as part of wider pressure on the salmon sector over welfare and environmental standards.
Announcing the rebranding yesterday, chief executive officer Alf-Helge Aarskog told reporters that the name represents its “pioneering spirit”.
Founded by the Mowinckel family in 1964, it started life under the Mowi stamp and later traded as Hydro Seafood when owned by Norsk Hydro.
It then became Marine Harvest following its 1999 sale to Nutreco of the Netherlands.
“The new change is aims to “more closely align [the brand] with its roots”.
Aarskog said: “I am really excited that we are now taking the company to the next level.
“Through implementing our Mowi branding strategy, we can communicate our integrated value-chain from feed to the consumer’s plate.
“We are looking forward to announcing our new Mowi product line in the coming months.”
The announcement came as the company hosted its capital markets day in Edinburgh and follows the recent reporting of its best ever third-quarter performance.
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland, Aarskog was positive about future growth in Scotland, despite widespread business uncertainty about the impact of Brexit.
Outlining current priorities and investment, he said: “We are just now building, in Kylelakin on the west coast of Scotland, a huge feed operation and we have built a processing plant in Rosyth. I believe that there will be good trade relations within the UK and big possibilities there, and I also think that trade conflicts will be solved.”
Aarskog and his team hope to institute the name change on January 1.
An extraordinary general assembly has been called to determine the matter.
Listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, Marine Harvest Group has a presence in 24 countries and boasts a global headcount of 13,650 staff.
On the merits of the change, Aarskog said: “Mowi is an inspirational name that recalls our pioneering spirit that has developed over the past 50 years.
“Since the first salmon was farmed in 1964, we have grown into a global fully integrated company, including breeding, feed, farming, processing and sales.
“Throughout the past 50 years, we have always remained true to our core value – the care we have for our people, our fish, our customers and the environment.”
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