Waitrose supplier near Salisbury expands after installing humane fish stunning system

Britford Trout Farm, a long-time trout supplier to Waitrose, expanded and upgraded its processing after installing Ace Aquatec’s Humane Stunner Universal A-HSU system. The facility, operating for more than 40 years, introduced the trout-specific device to meet growing supermarket demand while improving fish welfare. The system stuns fish humanely before harvesting, and the farm reported production and quality gains, including smoother processing and fillet yield improvements of 5% to 6%. Britford also cited excellent shelf life and firm texture, along with positive feedback from its processor. The business, founded by Mark Heaven in 1983, supplies high-grade trout fillets to Waitrose and is now considering supplying other major UK supermarkets. The installation supported a planned output increase from 200 to 350 tonnes per year, backed by a £30,000 grant from the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme.