Wragge & Co LLP Food & Drink team has advised new client SI Seafarms Ltd on a unique 10-year mussel farming outsourcing agreement with Isle Of Shuna plc.

Under the agreement, SI Seafarms will outsource all aspects of production, including harvesting, processing and supplying approximately 10,000 tonnes of mussels. Isle of Shuna will assume operational responsibility for six mussel and shellfish sites in the Shetland Isles owned by SI Seafarms. Isle of Shuna's customers include top London restaurants and Scottish food and restaurant group Loch Fyne.

Commercial and outsourcing partner Jane Pittaway led the deal, supported by solicitor Ben Cooke. The Wragge & Co team worked closely with company director and co-founder of SI Seafarms David Fell.

Jane Pittaway said: "This deal highlights our industry knowledge in the food and drink sector. The contract required creative thinking, since mussels are farmed, sold and consumed within a very short timescale. We worked closely with our client and its partner to put an agreement in place to meet their objectives."

Established in 2003, Edinburgh-based SI Seafarms is exclusively engaged in owning mussel sea farms. It currently has six mussel farms in operation, all based in the Shetlands Isles.

Shetland-based Isle of Shuna, established in March 2005, harvests, processes and markets fresh mussels. The company has brought together an experienced management team with the trading businesses of Demlane Limited and Isle of Shuna Shellfish. Its mussels are cultivated sustainably in the waters surrounding the Scottish West Coast and Shetland Isles.

Wragge & Co boasts a strong reputation in the food & drink sector. Specialists from the firm's outsourcing, commercial, antitrust, brands, intellectual property, regulatory, real estate, human resources and corporate practices offer clients full-service support. The 20-strong team advises clients on managing the supply chain, keeping ahead of political and consumer issues and minimising brand and financial damage following product recalls. Clients include United Biscuits, HJ Heinz, Unilever, Cadbury plc and Birds Eye. Last year, Wragge & Co steered Birds Eye to victory over claims made to the Advertising Standards Agency regarding its Omega 3 fish fingers.

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For further information about this press release, contact Kathryn Hobbs on +44 (0)121 685 2785, Rebecca Davies on +44 (0)121 685 3819, Gayle Redding on +44 (0)121 685 2708 or Rebecca Lum on +44 (0)121 260 9973

This press release may contain information of general interest about current legal issues, but does not give legal advice.