FRESH fish from Kilkeel will now be available at people's doors across Ireland and Britain.
It is thanks to a new e-commerce venture Mourne Fish Box.
The business has been developed by Mourne Seafoods, the Kilkeel based supplier of fresh fish and shellfish to the hospitality trade.
Customers will be able to buy a range of 2kg and 1kg fresh fish boxes which will be despatched from Kilkeel that day and delivered within 24 hours.
At the launch stage five standard Mourne Fish Boxes are available, ‘The Filleted Fish Box’ comprising cod, salmon, haddock, mackerel and hake; ‘The Dinner Box’ comprising of cod, smoked haddock and fish pie/chowder mix; ‘The Dinner Party Box’ comprising seabass, scallops and oysters, ‘The Smoked Fish Box’ comprising of smoked haddock, smoked salmon and smoked mackerel and ‘The Scallops Box’ comprising of scallops landed locally and hand shucked on the premises.
Mourne Fish Box managing director Harold Nicholson said: “Our aim is to provide the quality conscious fish consumer with the freshest fish he or she can buy and through internet technology and our courier network we can do that throughout the UK and Ireland.
"Here in Kilkeel we have a tremendous range of fresh fish and shellfish being landed every day. When a customer orders a Mourne Fishbox on-line they can be assured that their box will comprise of fish that has been caught or processed within the last 24 hours. The majority of our fish is sourced from the Irish Sea, with the exception of salmon which is sourced from elsewhere in Ireland or Scotland and exotic fish such as seabass, imported from Turkey or Greece”.
The initiative has been backed by Invest NI.
John Hood, director of food at the body said: “This is an innovative project for Mourne Seafoods, aimed at maximising a business to consumer model to increase its sales particularly in the Republic of Ireland."
