Atlantis of Kilmore Quay has been Ireland’s favourite fishmonger for several years, sustainably supplying the best fresh seafood and in-house smoked fish to discerning chefs, retailers and the public. With exceptional product quality and range, the company remains focused on protecting the ocean environment while keeping a weather eye on consumer trends. Managing Director John Kenny spoke to Andy Probert.
Established 30 years ago, Atlantis of Kilmore Quay is a family-owned and operated fishmonger based in Wexford, on Ireland’s southeast coast. It has built a formidable reputation for sourcing the best fish, delivering quality products and defining Ireland’s fish industry with a hands-on approach.
“From trawler to table, Atlantis of Kilmore Quay is driven by a desire to showcase the best product range that allows food lovers to experience restaurant standard seafood
dishes at home,” said Managing Director John Kenny.
Becoming a permanent fixture for discerning chefs, retailers and consumers has enabled John and his business partner, Mark O’Connor, to evolve the business.
John’s family initially operated several fishing vessels from Wexford, landing the freshest seafood and exporting most of the catch. Soon, Atlantis of Kilmore Quay spotted an opportunity to supply restaurants and hotels on its doorstep.
Today, the business is Ireland’s leading fishmonger whilst retaining close ties with the Wexford fishing community. Atlantis of Kilmore Quay has 20 fishing trawlers from Rosslare to Castletownbere under contract to deliver fish and shellfish to its processing facility. Exotic species, like sea bass, red snapper and marlin, are sourced from trusted international suppliers.
Partners in sustainability
Atlantis of Kilmore Quay is a verified member of Origin Green – Ireland’s pioneering food and drink sustainability programme designed to achieve sustainability targets that respect the environment.
Recently, the company has made significant reductions in water consumption, cutting energy use by over 10%, investing
in new delivery vans with improved fuel efficiency and committing to a further reduction in general waste by 24%.
Following an overhaul, the company utilises 40% less packaging, eliminating over three tonnes of waste annually for its Haddock Goujons alone. Atlantis of Kilmore Quay has also launched a nutritional pet food brand derived from fish parts that cannot be used for human consumption
“Our location at Wexford makes sourcing locally for most fish very easy,” John said. The waters off the coast of Kilmore Quay are known as the Celtic Sea;
part of the Atlantic Ocean, and home to a great variety of fish from cod to prawns. The company works with a few select partners to guarantee quality produce. This includes Saltees Fish, a family fishing business founded by the O’Flaherty brothers in 1996 and now operating one of Ireland’s largest fishing fleets.
Kingfisher Fresh is another trusted partner, which was set up in 2007 by Michelle O’Neill and Brian Everard. It is a fellow member of Origin Green and partner in the White Fish Fishery Improvement Project, programmes working towards sustainability. The company works with Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency, to improve fishing methods, focus on conservation measures to secure the future of the fishing industry, and protect the environment.
Goatsbridge Trout is a sustainable trout farm near Thomastown, County Kilkenny. Each catch is delivered daily from the crystal-clear waters of the Little Arrigle
River that runs through the family’s estate, giving the produce a unique taste and texture.
“Atlantis has enjoyed a successful working relationship with Peter and the team at Gastrome Professional Ingredients for several years,” explained John. “Here at Atlantis, we find the Dutch Spices superior range fully meets our needs. The range of products are versatile in their application and consistently high quality. The range offers a wide variety of allergen-safe, (including glutenfree products), in which we have full confidence, ensuring that Atlantis can offer a competitive product to the retail market.”
Atlantis of Kilmore Quay’s oysters, clams and mussels are supplied by Kelly Oysters in Galway. A family business since 1963, their shellfish is reared in a small inlet in Kilcolgan, where they are nourished by the nutrient-rich Atlantic waters.
Brothers James and Willy Walsh run Rosslare Crab and work their trusty fishing
boat off the coast of Rosslare. They have lobster and crab pots in the sea from Tuskar Rock to Carnsore Point. The impact on the lobster and crab fishery is minimal and sustainable, given their traditional approach and use of vessels under 25ft. They typically land brown crabs, spider crabs and lobster.
“We are proud of our long associations with local suppliers and partners,” said John. “they have been an important part of our business since the start.”
Dishes of innovation
In becoming the leading purveyor of fish to hotels, top-class restaurants, national supermarkets and even home delivery, the company has stayed on top through its commitment to innovation in creating added-value recipes and investment in its people and premises.
Its Sea Fishers Protection Authorityapproved facility houses a 5,000 sqft state-of-the-art temperature-controlled filleting hall, a 500-pallet capacity cold store and a purpose-built smoking kiln. It also features the latest processing equipment, technology and machinery to ensure the best in food safety.
In 2020, despite economic uncertainty and Covid-19, Atlantis of Kilmore Quay upgraded its machinery and packing lines enabling continued growth, better use of
Irish-landed fish, and reducing its environmental footprint. Improvements were partly funded by the Irish Government and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund under the Seafood Capital Investment Scheme.
The company’s in-house smoking kiln produces high-quality smoked salmon, haddock, mackerel and more innovative fish like cod, bass and hake, using oak shavings to create an exciting and delicious offering.
Atlantis of Kilmore Quay’s master smoker loves experimenting with different flavours like beetroot, gin or barbecue. From its famous Kilmore Quay Seafood Sausages to Master Chef Meal Kits, the company’s innovation team brings new and nutritious seafood dishes using local artisan ingredients.
Products from essentials like Dublin Bay Prawns to value-added specialities
like scampi and breaded fillets are stored in optimum conditions and available for delivery when needed. For quick, convenient options for the family, Atlantis of Kilmore Quay has a selection of oven-ready meals like salmon-en-croute. Gluten-free breadcrumbs are used on breaded products, while its haddock goujons were developed to use the smaller Wild Irish Haddock.
Fishing for opportunities
Clients can track products from trawler to table with the company’s comprehensive tracing system, giving complete confidence in traceability.
“The main issue for Ireland’s fishing industry is that it has the biggest fishing waters in Europe, but the smallest fish quotas,” John reflected. “It is an ongoing battle to get a fair share.
“Atlantis of Kilmore Quay must focus on doing more with less raw materials. While Covid rocked us, we pulled through and are now trading ahead of where we were before the pandemic.”
With 60% of its business dedicated to food service and the remainder to national retailers, Atlantis of Kilmore Quay retains ambitions to enlarge its retail footprint, expand its export trade and grow its Harley and Marley brand.
“Our goal is to make it easy and enjoyable to choose seafood meals that are healthy, high quality, sustainable and delicious,” John concluded. “It’s not only about the taste, freshness, texture and colour, but showing respect to the fish throughout its natural, healthy life, protecting our oceans and rivers, and ensuring species will continue to flourish for generations.” n
