Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. I JA N UA R Y 1 2 , 2 0 2 6 6 B U S I N E S S M A I N E Business news from around the state Infusion planned for rural hospitals Maine is set to receive $190 million in federal aid to support rural hospitals, part of a $50 billion national initiative to help offset losses tied to planned Medicaid cuts. e Rural Health Transformation Program, unveiled this week, aims to strengthen and modernize health care in rural com- munities nationwide over the next five years. Several plans for the funds were outlined in Maine's application, including the use of community para- medicine to transform care capac- ity and the expansion of community health worker and peer support programs. Maine's statewide minimum wage increase Minimum wage earners across the state are getting small raises, as Maine's statewide minimum wage and the wage in the cities of Portland and Rockland all increased, effective Jan. 1. e state minimum wage is now $15.10 per hour, up from $14.65, a hike that's expected to boost paychecks, marginally, for approximately 35,000. Workers who earn entry-level wages in the cities of Rockland and Portland are benefiting from slightly big- ger increases. Rockland boosted the minimum wage for employers with more than 25 staffers to $16 per hour from $15.50 and Portland is going up to $16.75, from $15.50. N O T E W O R T H Y S T A T E W I D E U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King announced that 10 Maine organi- zations received a total of $6.5 million from the Northern Border Regional Commission's Fiscal Year 2025 Cata- lyst Program to support development projects. Recipients included Bangor YMCA, Caribou Utilities District, Monmouth Water Association and Outdoor Sports Institute, $1 million each; town of Jonesport, $799,615; Friends of Veterans Memorial Library, $606,691; Maine Development Foundation, $500,000; Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, $499,869; Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, $100,000; and Hancock County Plan- ning Commission, $35,162. Dunstan Smokehouse responds to demand for smoked fish B y S l o a n e M . P e r r o n T ucked behind Pine Tree Seafood at 655 U.S. Route 1 in Scarborough, Dunstan Smokehouse has grown from a two-car garage into a full-scale smokery and production space. Founded in 2022, Dunstan produces handcrafted smoked seafood from a space defined by its Irish-inspired façade and sense of tradition. Inside Pine Tree Seafood, the retail front for Dunstan Smokehouse, the atmosphere is welcoming and familiar. Customers linger to chat with owner Jim Hartley, who views personal connection as central to the business. The com- pany is a family affair with Hartley's father-in-law and children working alongside him. Several Scarborough High School students he once hired have also stayed on well after gradu- ation. Those experiences inspired Hartley to become an employee-owned company. The idea of smoking seafood emerged as a practical way to extend shelf life. Hartley and his team purchased a smoker from Cabela's and began experimenting with flavors. What started as an experiment quickly proved successful as customers responded positively to the new products. "I was surprised by how many people actually liked smoked seafood, and there are not a lot of companies doing it. It was a niche for us," Hartley says. The smokehouse initially focused on smoked salmon before expanding into cream cheese-based dips and pâté. The team later began smoking other seafood, including mussels. Today, the shop offers both hot and cold smoked fish, using traditional preservation methods and slow cooking to lock in flavor. The hot smoking process begins with filleting fresh fish, with a strong priority on locally sourced seafood. Oak wood chips fuel the smoker, while the heat and fan system act like a convection oven. Cooking typically takes six to seven hours. Creating value for underutilized fish species is a key focus. One success is a Maine pollock dip developed in partnership with the Maine Coast Fishermen's Association and made entirely in Maine. Local fishermen approached the Smokehouse to help raise awareness of species that are often overlooked. Hartley believes that small businesses are the "fabric of communities" and emphasizes relationship building. That approach has led to partnerships with organizations, includ- ing SalmoGen, an Atlantic salmon broodstock company in Franklin, and members of the Penobscot Nation. Dunstan is an intentionally small operation to ensure high quality. Unlike big box stores, Hartley and his team know exactly what goes into their food products. "I'm a big believer in food not being mass produced," he says. Dunstan Smokehouse products are sold in more than 50 retail locations across Maine. While the business continues to grow, Hartley is focused on maintaining its regional identity. Future expansion may follow the I-95 corridor into neighboring states, but the team is cautious about growing too quickly. Maine remains at the core of the company's mission. In 2026, the team plans to develop new recipes using additional underused species, including bluefish and mackerel. "Our vision would be to grow out of this space and go into bigger spaces," Hartley says. "We want to hire more hardworking Mainers to help us continue to grow and produce the state's best smoked seafood products." SP ONSORED BY Atlantic Salmon sliced at Dunstan Smokehouse in Scarborough. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Jim Hartley P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Arctic Char rests on racks in a kiln at Dunstan Smokehouse in Scarborough. We want to hire more hardworking Mainers to help us continue to grow and produce the state's best smoked seafood products. — Jim Hartley Dunstan Smokehouse S T A T E W I D E

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