24 October 2006
SHETLAND DEVELOPMENT TRUST SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF SHETLAND MEAT PRODUCTS
Shetland Development Trust has provided a loan of £30,000 to Shetland Livestock Marketing Group to develop its business including on-line sales, the marketing of Shetland meat products, and the development of dried meat products.
Former general manager of Shetland Development Trust, Neil Grant, said: “The Shetland Livestock Marketing Group is a membership organisation that has experienced an increase in members and quadrupled the level of processing over recent years.
"The launch of the Taste Shetland brand last year has attracted a great deal of interest in the marketplace and has even resulted in the Seaweed Lamb scooping a silver medal in the Daily Telegraph ‘Taste of Britain’ awards run in association with Sainsbury’s supermarkets. Seaweed Lamb won the award in the ‘Best Seasonal Product’ category. The Group’s focus on stringently maintaining quality standards well beyond the standard requirements is key to building the Taste Shetland brand.”
Shetland Livestock Marketing Group’s marketing manager, Karl Simpson, said: “We are very grateful to the Trust for its support, which has allowed us to take specific aspects of our marketing to the next level.
"We are particularly pleased to have been able to supply ShetlandFood.com with Shetland Lamb for their highly successful online retail site. The very first order was despatched on 1 October in Taste Shetland branded cartons.
"Deliveries to premium customers in the London area have increased significantly since the summertime. Meanwhile, only last week another major development saw Taste Shetland Island Lamb being sold to a new butcher shop which opened on Friday in Knightsbridge, directly opposite Harrods.”
Notes to Editor
The role of Shetland Development Trust is to give direction to the development of the Shetland economy. This is achieved through the provision of financial assistance to new and existing businesses. SDT support is aimed at projects which demonstrate commercial viability and lead to the maintenance and development of Shetland’s industries on a long term sustainable basis.
Neil Grant was general manager of Shetland Development Trust during the initiation of this investment proposal. Neil Grant is now the interim head of Community Economic Development with Shetland Islands Council to take forward the management responsibilities of Economic Development Unit staff and the management processes required to integrate both bodies into the proposed Shetland Community Development Trust.
Current financial controller for the Trust, Neil McDougall is now taking on the additional responsibility to become the Interim General Manager of the Shetland Development Trust.