Seafood firm invests in job-creating expansion plans

A £36m-turnover seafood supplier based in Cornwall is investing £1.8m in new cold storage facilities to support its growth in a move set to create jobs.The expansion at Falfish is being supported by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) using £575,000 from the government’s Local Growth Fund.The project will involve the construction of a 7,000 sq ft food grade cold storage unit on the Cardrew Industrial Estate in Redruth, where Falfish has its main factory site.It will increase the company’s storage capacity to 1,150 tonnes, ironing out peaks and troughs in supply, and will boost sales by providing 12 month availability to customers. The electricity needs of the new building will be partly covered by photo voltaic (PV) panels.Falfish has operations in Redruth and Falmouth. The £36m turnover business processes 11,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish per year across 56 species, employing about 200 people. Its new cold store will create 17 jobs, reduce operational costs and cut carbon emissions by 64 tonnes a year thanks to reduced transport needs and the use of renewable energy.The LEP’s investment is the latest from its £78m Local Growth Fund allocation secured from the government in the last five years.