Innovative pates from Northern Ireland seafood specialist

East Coast Seafoods, a leading Northern Irish supplier of fish and seafood to retailers and foodservice, has introduced a new crab butter and a three-strong range of handmade pates.

The new products have been developed by East Coast, run by husband and wife team Marty and Eileen Johnston, in collaboration with food consultant Nick Price, one of Northern Ireland's most respected chefs and restaurateurs. Mr Price has been involved with East Coast for over 20 years and used its seafood when he ran a highly rated restaurant in Belfast.

East Coast, based in the small harbour at Ballyhornan in county Down since 1988, has an established reputation as a supplier of a broad range of fresh fish especially salmon. It has also won UK Great Taste awards for its premium smoked salmon marketed under the Ballyhornan brand.

The new pates are smoked salmon, smoked mackerel and smoked trout which are produced in the company's three smokers. The crab butter and pates are in 400g tubs at RRP £3.99.

The small company stocks at least 90 different species of fish and shellfish which are sourced from local fishermen and supplied throughout Northern Ireland, to parts of the Republic of Ireland and other regions of Europe. East Coast has also gained business from outside Northern Ireland through its e-commerce site, launched earlier in the year.

"The crab butter and smoked pates are a logical extension of our expertise in seafood, particularly salmon. The produce arrives to us fresh from the sea so our customers can enjoy the best quality we can provide," Mr Johnston says.

When the company was established, Mr Johnston continues, it was a small fish distribution business working from a 600 sq ft premises. Today, it operates out of a 14,000 sq ft building which includes five processing units and an on-site shop.

"We have a wide clientele including some of Ireland's top restaurants and hotels, with our products also being exported to the UK and Europe," he adds.