22 Oct Interview with Ryan Scatterty, CEO Thistle Seafoods, Scotland
Scotland’s seafood sector remains a pillar of the national economy, anchored by strong exports and a globally respected product range. Could you give us a rapid overview of the industry and explain the main factors behind the enduring success of Scotland’s seafood industry?
From a Scottish perspective, we are fortunate to have world-renowned food products. After whisky, Scottish salmon is one of our biggest exports, widely regarded as the best farmed salmon globally. Its premium quality is due to lower stocking densities and high animal welfare, which appeals strongly in international markets. At Thistle Seafoods, we use the finest Scottish seafood, both farmed and wild-caught, from salmon, haddock and langoustines to monkfish. Our four Michelin-star chefs design products tailored for export markets.
North America has long been a key market for us. We supply across the US working with fast-growing retailers and innovative partners. One notable success is with Rastelli, selling through the QVC channel, where our salmon Wellington and other products bring a restaurant-quality experience to consumers at home. With rising food costs, dining out has become more challenging for many. Customers want quality but at affordable prices. Thistle Seafoods focuses on meeting this demand through retail channels, offering premium products that are easy to prepare and budget-friendly.
Our turnover this year is expected to be close to $250 million, depending on exchange rates. We supply major UK retailers like Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Aldi, with whom we have traded for over 20 years and now supply globally. Thistle Seafoods is a family-owned business. I am the fifth generation in seafood and my daughters represent the sixth. I serve as CEO and my sister is our chief operating officer. We employ around 800 people across two sites: our headquarters in Peterhead, Northeast Scotland, and a manufacturing and distribution facility near Glasgow in Uddingston. We are proud to be a Scottish-British company exporting quality products worldwide.
What milestones has Thistle passed since acquiring the Dawnfresh Uddingston site in 2022? What is the roadmap for long-term expansion and next target?
Our key focus now is expanding exports. British food retailers are world-class, known for delivering high-quality, fresh products at affordable prices. The UK’s compact size and population make logistics efficient and we leverage this expertise to support international retailers. We have a proven track record exporting fresh products to markets like Australia and the US. In the US, especially the Northeast corridor from Washington to Boston and the West Coast, there is a market of about 180 million people who appreciate quality seafood. Our products fit perfectly with their tastes and expectations.
Thistle’s 2025 product line spans frozen, chilled, coated and value-added seafood, with R&D fueling innovation. Which flagship products are defining Thistle and how do these new launches signal the beginning of the company’s next chapter?
The 2022 acquisition of a factory from Dawnfresh strengthened our value-added product range. Our Coquilles Saint-Jacques is especially popular and growing steadily worldwide. Consumers want easy-to-prepare, tasty products that are more affordable than dining out, especially in the US where a meal for two can cost $150 in restaurants. We offer quality seafood for a fraction of that price, perfect for home dining. Our range includes salmon Wellingtons, world class fishcakes and oven-ready dishes in terracotta pots from Spain. All coated products are air-fryer friendly for convenience. We are also tapping into the growing demand for healthier processed foods. Thanks to Scotland’s high-quality ingredients, our products are made with real, natural components, delivering great taste and quality.
We are likely the only seafood company employing four Michelin-star chefs globally. They explore food trends worldwide, from Moroccan spices to Southeast Asian flavors to Texas barbecue, and blend the best tastes with our seafood. Our strong product development team is a key pillar of Thistle Seafoods and sets us apart in the industry, resonating well with current and potential customers.
We recently signed a supply agreement with US-based Aquamar, a strong player in the sushi and surimi market. They were impressed by our unique products and are now distributing them under their brand across the US. As a private-label supplier, our focus is on quality, sustainability and responsibly sourced Scottish seafood, rather than promoting our own brand.
What does the Aquamar partnership unlock for the company’s future in the States and how open is Thistle to deeper collaboration with American partners and investors and what opportunities exist for cross-border growth in seafood?
We are open to all opportunities. With Aquamar’s wide US reach, we will focus on creating great products with our cost-effective manufacturing, while their local sales and marketing teams handle selling on the ground. The US and UK markets share similar tastes and our innovative products perform well across these markets. With the current US administration’s favorable stance toward Scotland and the UK, we see a strong opportunity to grow significantly in the next two to three years. We already have a foothold and aim to expand, ultimately manufacturing in the US to become a truly global champion.
How is Thistle cutting emissions across its value chain and what steps has the company taken to boost circularity, from greener packaging to waste valorization initiatives?
All our electricity now comes from renewable sources. We are working with Scottish universities and energy providers to reduce natural gas use and aim to become a zero-carbon company in our manufacturing process by the early 2030s. Our packaging is fully recyclable, with plastics sourced from ocean-recovered materials. We invest millions annually in new packaging technology to stay ahead in sustainability and meet growing environmental demands.
The seafood sector is arguably one of the most sustainability-aware industries, often run by multi-generational families who understand the risks of overfishing and changing sea temperatures. The entire supply chain is committed to staying ahead in sustainable practices. At Thistle Seafoods, we heavily invest in the latest technology to ensure we have the most sustainable operations possible and continuously reinvest to stay the world leading company that we are.
With the seafood sector facing recruitment challenges, Thistle is partnering with institutions like Abertay and Strathclyde Universities to create viable career paths and develop the next generation of seafood professionals. What internal initiatives is Thistle leading to attract, retain and develop the skilled workforce it needs for long-term success?
We have set up scholarship programs with five Scottish universities, focusing on food science, engineering and robotics. Facing labor shortages, we are investing heavily in robotics for both wild-caught and farmed seafood. Since fish vary in size, we are collaborating with top university experts to develop solutions for handling these challenges which also provides exciting and interesting job opportunities for our current and future employees.
What has been your guiding philosophy in leading Thistle through transformation and where do you see the company heading next as it expands its global influence?
I want to take it to the moon. I admire the American entrepreneurial spirit — they never limit how far they want to go. That is something we in Scotland and the UK can learn from: to be more ambitious and embrace that frontier spirit. I have no limits on my ambitions. We are just getting started with a strong platform for growth, and we want to keep getting bigger.
For Thistle Seafoods, just try our products — you will want to buy them again and again. We are excited about the US retail opportunity and believe once consumers taste our seafood, demand will grow. Now, we need wide distribution to crack the US market.