Aquascot
A visit to Aquascot gives you the feeling that this is a company that operates differently right from the get go. At the top of the reception stairs is a large notice about togetherness which is signed by all the employees of the company. On walking into Dennis Overton’s office there is a clearly African theme in the decor and there is also a large bookcase packed with great books about different management techniques, new ways of doing business and enterprise. On top of the bookshelf a stuffed owl keeps an eye on proceedings.
Aquascot is a business that believes in doing things differently at all levels of the business. This is obvious not just from the feel of the business, but through the way they operate and right through to their website. How many businesses have an article from one of their employees about their experience of working at their company? Lots of businesses come up with core values but I am not sure as many are as dedicated to implementing them as Aquascot whose core values are effective teamwork, commitment, respect and trust. Of course in typical Aquascot style these values were created by the employees themselves.
If you are not familiar with Aquascot it started in 1987 when salmon farming was a relatively new activity. In 2000 the business was sold and in 2003 a few business colleagues bought back the processing division of Aquascot. Their plan was to build a community of people linked in purpose and belief in sustainably farmed fish. In 2008 the company started laying the foundations of Aquascot becoming an employee owned business which will complete around 2015.
The future for Aquascot looks bright – they currently work in partnership with Waitrose who are a great fit. Waitrose looks to build long term partnerships with suppliers and it is a partnership in every sense of the word too. This partnership policy of Waitrose looks to be paying dividends as in 2010 they were the fastest growing multiple retailer in Europe. Aquascot supply all the trout and salmon for Waitrose and figures are nearly three times higher than the predicated market share proving that customers are happy to pay for quality, consistency and values.
Dennis also spends time each year in Rwanda chairing the board of an organic essential plant oil agri-business. He finds the working environment very stimulating and learns a great deal from his colleagues and experiences there. The business works with 800 growers producing oils and it is expanding rapidly. Dennis predicts great things for Rwanda – a country that has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and which has an entrepreneurial approach, modelled on the SE Asian model of states like Singapore, Vietnam and S Korea.
Dennis practices what he preaches and has been an active member in local food groups and organisations for many years. He is also on the board of the Soil Association. He puts back into the local community too and has been found at a community energy event handing out low energy lightbulbs and is also working with a school to help them grow organic produce. Dennis is a quiet fount of knowledge not only on the aquaculture business but on ways of doing business.
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