Chris Orr (right), during his time as Sales Director at Loch Duart Salmon, alongside Robert Wilson, Business Unit Director at BioMar, and Chef Thomas Leatherbarrow, during Seafood Expo Global 2024 in Barcelona.
Photo: Loch Duart Ltd.
"I'm delighted to share that I've begun a new chapter as CEO of Associated Seafoods Ltd." With these words, posted on his LinkedIn profile, Chris Orr announced his appointment as the new CEO of the leading Scottish seafood processing company, which specializes in Scottish smoked salmon and Scottish prawns.
"It's an honour to lead a business that has built such a strong reputation for integrity, quality, efficiency, and innovation - values that I believe are not just words, but guiding principles for how we grow, adapt, and succeed together," he continued.
"My vision as CEO is to strengthen what makes Associated Seafoods special: our dedication to excellence; our ability to innovate with quality ingredients; our goal to be better every day; and our belief that true success comes from working as one team. The seafood industry is evolving quickly, and I see tremendous opportunity for us to deliver even greater value to our customers, partners, and proud communities," Orr added, laying the groundwork for what his leadership will be like.
"I'm grateful to everyone who has supported me along the way, and I'm excited to work alongside the talented team here as we write the next chapter of this journey together," he also wrote.
Associated Seafoods' new CEO, who until June held the position of Sales Director at Loch Duart Salmon, also commented that he had spent the past week getting to know the partners in the business, adding that he was overwhelmed by their passion for great food and cooperative "teamship."
With extensive sales experience, before his nearly four years at Loch Duart, Chris Orr did not have experience in the salmon industry. Still, he did have experience in the food industry after spending nearly twenty years at Kettle Produce Ltd., one of the leading vegetable suppliers in the UK, also based in Scotland.
His last position there was Commercial Director, to which he had been promoted after serving as Head of New Business and Development and Spanish Commercial and Operations Manager, among other roles.
Established in 2010 through the merger of Lossie Seafoods, a specialist in smoked fish, and Moray Seafoods, a leading shellfish producer, Associated Seafoods Ltd. has a proud tradition in Salmon smoking that goes back over 100 years and is a leading supplier of the highest quality Scottish smoked salmon.
Its plant, where much of the processing is undertaken by hand by a highly skilled team of filleters, curers and smokers, employs more than 300 people, the majority of whom live in and around the traditional fishing community of Buckie, on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland.
Recognized two years ago as an example of best practices by the Global Seafood Alliance (GSA), Associated Seafoods' clients include Canadian retailer Loblaw and Marks & Spencer.
