Leader Putin praises fish company

President Putin was said to have been very impressed

A small Scots fish firm has won praise from Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Staff at Lossie Seafoods in Buckie, Moray, worked at short notice on half a tonne of smoked salmon that turned out to be for the politician.

President Putin was so impressed by the food that the staff received a message back expressing his pleasure.

Sales director Charlie Devin said at first he thought the order was just for their distributor company's president rather than the country's president.

Mr Devin said they had not been targeting the Kremlin when he got a call from their distributor in Moscow.

[The distributor] said it's not our president, it's Vladimir Putin the president of our country. I said oops-a-daisy that's a different story then Charlie Devin Lossie Seafoods sales director

He told BBC Scotland: "They said it was for the president and I thought they meant the president of their company.

"I asked what he was doing, it must be a big party, it was a half tonne of smoked salmon.

"[The distributor] said 'it's not our president, its Vladimir Putin, the president of our country'.

"I said 'Oops-a-daisy, that's a different story then'."

Lossie Seafoods managed to get clearance for the delivery and it arrived on time.

They later received an e-mail back from the distributor, saying President Putin had been fascinated by the "quality and brilliant appearance" of the smoked salmon.

Mr Devin said: "I think it will open doors, it could be very lucrative."

The president's praise came during a successful period which saw the firm win three prestigious export and manufacture awards.