Chippy Chat January 2021 by Chippy Chat Magazine

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V i s i o n

BABYLON INCREDIBULL!

Agrico Launch New Babylon Frying Variety Pages 6-7 www.chippychat.co.uk

austen@chippychat.co.uk

TEL 01353 865 966

Issue 1 Volume 11 January 2021

1 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • Great January 2021 Gluten Free Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021 The Generation Game A Unique Sausage Giveaway Experience

EST D 1964

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Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

EST D 1964

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Locked down - but with The Year March-es On!hope

elcomeapproaching to 2021 fromthe all at Well already

I can’t end of Chippy the firstChat! quarter of believe 2018!

Austen Dack Publishing Editor

we are entering yet another New Hopefully it willinto be a busy one for Year! It only seems like yesterday that shops and suppliers as we approach the industry ontoo. London Mother’s daydescended and Easter for the fish and chip awards but Congratulations to all at Friars Pride. Once again, they have unfortunately, we will not be going delivered this year! a fantastic trade show with even it seemed With keymore issuesvisitors like Brexit to fully than ever. sort, and of course the roll out of the A busy offering thisbe month for of your vaccine we may not fully out delights. First off we review many the woods yet, but we start the year of our oil and fat suppliers giving with a new hope that we can return you the chance to see what many to something near to normal. top shops are using and why. Also, Our open day is hopefully returning

in September, and fingers crossed we have our great sausage feature the Chip Barons’ ball in December. too! Ourfront-page first featurepartner of the year is all is Our for March things fish we look at several key fish Pukka Pies. They supply millions of suppliers as they what’sacross hot in pies to fish and tell chipusshops their industry rightare now. the UK and they helping us celebrate National Pie Week. Our front-page featured If you would like to advertise, partner is Agrico’s new chipping get involved or We tell are us some variety Babylon. currently news please email me austen@ sampling Babylon through our chip chippychat.co.uk – thanks forhas your ambassadors and the reaction support enjoy the issue. been superb! Austen Please contact me austen@ chippychat.co.uk www.chippychat.co.uk

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Publishing Publisher Editor Austen Oliver Dack Boutwood austen@chippychat.co.uk oliver@chippychat.co.uk 07863123929 Publishing Editor Subscriptions and Marketing Executive Austen Dack Amanda Waterfield austen@chippychat.co.uk amanda@chippychat.co.uk 07863123929 01353 865 966 Design/Editorial Design/Editorial Stuart Catterson Stuart Catterson stuart@cc-ff.com stuart@cc-ff.com Accounts Accounts Claire Boutwood-Potter Claire Boutwood-Potter accounts@chippychat.co.uk accounts@chippychat.co.uk Printed in the UK by Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company The Magazine Printing Company Advertising Sales and Promotions Advertising Sales and Promotions austen@chippychat.co.uk austen@chippychat.co.uk For PR and Editorial For PR and Editorial editorial@chippychat.co.uk editorial@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • March 2018

3 3

McWinner!

Want a great Gluten Free Sausage? - Ask the Boss

cWhinney’s have been making the same high quality Irish Pork Sausages since 1898 and current Managing Director, Kevin McWhinney, has promised to be loyal to the original recipe that has served the past four generations so well. In December 2018 an event occurred

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Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

which forced a change in his thinking. He was discovered as being gluten intolerant following a diagnosis of Coeliac Disease. This meant that he could no longer eat and enjoy the sausages which he had eaten since he was a child. This distressed Kevin so much that he decided he had to do something about it. He set out to recreate the original McWhinney’s sausage, but with one important difference – it had to be gluten free and it had to taste just like the original McWhinney’s sausages. Over the coming months he made several attempts to recreate the original taste, but being a perfectionist, nothing please him. He continued to strive for the taste which he was so used to and experienced many failed attempts before finally coming up with a recipe which not only pleased him, but tasted just like the original McWhinney’s sausages he had been eating for so long. The solution turned out to be more expensive than the original sausage because he refused to use anything but the best ingredients. He had achieved his aim in developing a gluten free sausage which tasted the same as his original extremely popular sausage. The only downside is that the gluten free sausage will be slightly more expensive than the original, but Kevin believes that coeliacs all over the country will be able to enjoy a gluten free sausage which tastes like a real McWhinney’s sausage. Kevin has always believed that he should not sell a product that he is not prepared to let his family eat, so, on this occasion, the person he had to please was the biggest food critic in his family – Kevin himself. He also told us that one of the most important principles he had been taught in business came from both his late father and grandfather when they said that quality will remain long after price is forgotten. See page 32 for your chance to win one of 1,000 cases of gluten free sausages.

Contact McWhinney’s Sausages Ltd, 10 Balloo Way, Balloo Industrial Est., Bangor, Co. Down, N. Ireland, BT19 7QZ Tel: 028 9127 1811 Fax: 028 9127 1795 Email: info@mcwhinneys.com Web: www.mcwhinneys.com

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Inside

January 2021

FORMIDABULL!

Agrico Babylon Flys and Frys Very Well!

Tray Bien!

Cornwall fish and chip shop Gem in Falmouth goes plastic free

HULLOUMI!

Good news for vegetarians in North Hull

A Change of Tide!

8 10 12 14 18 20

New Order!

The Super Bowl (of Chips) In Portland Oregon

Veg-Out with Pukka

The People’s Pie makes Vegan Duo available to Chip Shops in time for Veganuary

Collins Seafoods - industry leaders Since 1980’s

Game Changing Seafood From Norfisk!

Origin Matters.

Choose Sustainable Seafood from Norway

Share the Love

Reframing the nation’s view of seafood

A Very Unique Experience!

An exclusive directory targeting the staycation market

Apply Whit-in!

Grab some great eye-catching New POS, from Whitby for FREE!

The Generation Game Family-run Ellon chip shop marks fifty years

A Home Win!

The Bay in Stonehaven grab prestigious Caterer Magazine industry awards.

Premier-Chip Winners! Lamb Weston takes gold

Scott (Gluten) Free! 1000 FREE cases to giveaway

24 26

28 30 32

It’s a knockout!

Mohamed Ali to transform former bank into fish and chips shop

Es 30 tab Ye lish ar ed s

Is This The New Normal?

34 36

Richard Ord awarded MBE in Queen’s New Year’s Honours

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sales@klsonline.co.uk Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021 In association with

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BABYLON

FORMIDABULL! Agrico Babylon Flys and Frys Very Well! By Austen Dack

sle of Ely Produce have launched a new platform to promote the great British Chip in association with Agrico. Its aim will be to carry on the good work it has been promoting via their hugely successful open days, and the ‘Field to Frier’ award. The Chip Ambassadors will become part of an UK wide group of shop owners and fryers who will promote best practice for potato buying, storing, and of course frying. The chain will also include key growers too like PJ Lee & Sons, and A. L. Lee Farming Company, as IOE looks to cement the relationships they have grown across the whole supply chain over the last twenty years. Agrico have partnered with Isle of Ely Produce to bring two new varieties into the trade initially via our Chip Ambassadors. The two varieties Babylon and Lugano will be sampled at some of these ambassadors to back up the results

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

of early trial successes. Babylon offers the customer outstanding frying and eating qualities that challenge Agria, whilst Lugano offers a sustainable future for the grower in the fight against potato cyst nematode (PCN), while producing excellent frying and eating quality for the customer.” Before any samples hit the shop the team at Isle of Ely will always open a bag, peel, chip, fry and taste to see how they are. Recently I joined Matthew Grindling Seed and Potato Procurement Manager at Isle of Ely Produce to see how exactly how this process works, and to try Babylon just a few miles from where they were grown at AL Lee Farming Company, here in Ely. Isle of Ely Produce have their own mini fish and chip shop sample room. With a rumbler, chipper and fryer the Babylon potatoes were soon prepared fried and ready to try. Matthew said, “On first site the Babylon looks like it’s going to be great news for Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

fish friers. With little prep and a bold sample, I’m hoping they taste as good as they look.” We weren’t disappointed. They looked and tasted great. Matthew added “Babylon is the best sample we have had through the sample room this year, its bright yellow flesh colour combined with the 00-fry colour ticks all the boxes, more than a match for Agria! Alex Moore, Agrico UK Sales Manager said: “We are thrilled to be working closely with Isle of Ely Produce & the Chip Ambassadors to launch two exciting new varieties. As a business we are always trying to breed better tasting and more sustainable potato varieties. In Babylon and Lugano we have both! We place a lot of emphasis on product management and this link with the Chip Ambassadors, Isle of Ely and the growers will help us ensure that each area of the supply chain know how to get the best out of Agrico varieties, to give the end customer the best chips they can buy.” Oliver Boutwood Isle of Ely Director says. “We have met so many great chip shop owners over the years, all who have brilliant knowledge of what it takes to choose, store and of course fry a potato. We have supplied enough potatoes during that time to serve over 600 million portions of chips. This new scheme will give us even more information across the UK, that we can use to make sure we have the right variety in supply at all times.” Chip shop owners already signed as Chip Ambassadors for Isle of Ely Produce include Colin Cromer – The Fish Hoose, Kerry Brennan – Golden Union, David Henley – Henley’s, Richard Ord Jr – Colmans, Eric Snaith – Eric’s, Kelly & Tim Barnes – Krispies, Lauren Kellaway – Kellaways, Charlie Collins – Frydales, Fred Capel- Chez Fred, Matt & Ashley Phillips – Shap Chippy, Malachy Mallon The Dolphin Takeaway, Richard Foster – Fish and Chips at Weston Grove, Emir Hikary – Hiks, Alan Shillingford – Shillingfords, Gregg Howard The Chip Shed, Ian Wallis Henry’s Hunstanton and Sarah Heward – The Real Food Café. We will be featuring Babylon and Lugano in the coming months both inprint and online to showcase their merits to the fish and chip industry. Email austen@chippychat.co.uk if you too would like to become a Chip Ambassador and try Babylon and Lugano for yourselves. 7

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Tray Bien! Cornwall fish and chip shop Gem in Falmouth goes plastic free

Falmouth fish and chip shop has become the town’s first business to become ‘plastic free’ since the start of lockdown. Gem Fish and Chips in Quarry Hill is owned and run by Helen and Dominic Kurdyla, who have removed removed polystyrene chip trays and replaced them with cardboard, replaced plastic cutlery with wooden cutlery and have replaced plastic bags with paper bags. Helen said: “Over the 18 years of living in a beautiful coastal town, I’ve seen the difference in plastic population unfortunately for the worse. Although single-use plastic cannot be totally eradicated at The Gem, we are doing our best to make positive changes, wherever possible.” When purchasing condiments, she ‘buys big’ and then decants into smaller containers/dispensers, re-using the larger containers for other things in the shop. Egg trays get recycled or sent to a local farm to be used, pickle jars are given away and re-used by customers and food is made fresh to order, resulting in no waste. Helen added: “Buying local where possible saves on emissions from

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

transport and travel. Once the product has been used, the packaging gets repurposed into storage boxes, cleaning bowls and cardboard boxes are used for takeaway orders to be taken away in. Cling film has been replaced with foil. Plastic containers have been reduced with help from aluminium dishes/lids. We no longer have polystyrene trays. Behind the scenes, the immense paperwork for the Gem is sorted electronically rather than ‘hard copies’, where possible.” The chip shop has been praised by the Plastic Free Falmouth campaign, which encourages businesses and organisations in the town to become ‘plastic free champions’. What positive changes have you made? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

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Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

HULLOUMI! Hull fish and chip shop serving halloumi dippers and fish ‘mega box’ has opened up in North Hull and it’s good news for vegetarians

new fish and chip shop is opening up in north Hull and it will be good news for vegetarians. Called Whitehead’s the new takeaway is based in the City’s Cottingham Road, close to McDonald’s. Owner Lee Whitehead says he has been looking to open a fish and chip shop for some time and has now taken over the former Fryer Tuck premises. He said: “I have a love affair with fish and chips and I have been looking for a suitable place to open my own takeaway for two years. “I have carried out a full renovation and I think it looks pretty cool.” “It was just a takeaway, but we have started to do home delivery and click and collect too.” Mr Whitehead has made the decision not to use traditional methods of frying the food to cater for vegetarians. He said: “We fry our food in rapeseed oil so it is suitable for vegetarians. Most fish and chip shops still use beef dripping which is very tasty but there are a lot more

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

vegetarians now. I only know of four or five places in Hull which do not use beef dripping. This means a significant number of people cannot have fish and chips.” “All our food is sourced locally, even the potatoes, and I’d like to thank Seasider Seafoods Hull which has kindly supported our new business and has donated 100 haddock.” “We have a wide-ranging menu”, he said. “We offer fish fingers, which I have been told is unusual round here, and we also serve vegetarian sausages. We also serve halloumi dippers with sweet chilli sauce and pie and mash. We also have a kids’ menu and we serve the Molly’s Mega Box for £10.” While the business is a family affair, with both of Lee’s daughters Ellie and Molly working there, six local people all living within a mile of the takeaway have also been employed. Mr Whitehead said: “I am like a Cheshire cat right now. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time.” Whitehead’s will open on Thursday and will be open seven days a week from 11.30am until 8pm Are you opening a new chippy? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

For Perfect Fish & Chips Every Time

Simply Open the Box There is Frymax and then there are other cooking oils. Open a box of Frymax and you will see pure white premium palm. It is additive free, contains no hydrogenated oil and less than 1% trans fats. It is sourced from approved certified production units and is 100% sustainable and traceable. Frymax has not changed in over sixty five years! Why? Because we and top Fryers know that Frymax guarantees delicious fish and Chips every time. When you see the word Frymax on the box you know that you are buying the very best for your customers. There is no substitute for quality. If it is not Frymax it simply isn’t good enough.

RSPO-2-0677-16-100-00

The Fryers’ Favourite For Over 65 Years. For information, advice, or customer support material please contact ADM Trading (UK) Limited. e-mail: frymaxinfo@adm.com 11

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

www.frymax.co.uk Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

AChange of Tide!

ince the 1980’s, Collins Seafoods has been an integral part of the UK’s Frozen at Sea supply chain, delivering only the highest quality fish and sundries to restaurants, takeaways and wholesalers from our depots in County Durham and Leeds. With a fantastic offering from some of the world’s finest fishing vessels, including the Kirkella, Berlin and the brand new Geir, we are proud to be industry leaders in bringing the UK and Ireland sustainably caught fish with full traceability. Over the last 40 years we have worked hard to develop and nurture strong relationships with sustainable MSC certified vessels throughout Europe, to offer our customers exactly what we have always promised - the finest Frozen at Sea fish. You may remember a little while ago that we announced we would be updating our company branding and we can now announce that Collins Seafoods and Wraggs Seafoods are changing their names! This autumn Collins Seafoods will become Collins Seafoods North East Limited, while Wraggs Seafoods will take on the Collins Seafoods name and become Collins Seafoods Yorkshire Limited. Over the summer, our team having been working hard to finalise the company rebrand, ready to fully launch this autumn. The new branding has a more modern feel, while staying true to

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

the values and integrity at the heart of the Collins Seafoods tradition. Over the last few months we initiated a soft launch of the new branding. You may have noticed that our delivery fleet has had a makeover with new decals, and our drivers have all been given a new grey uniform. Our offices have also had new signs installed on the buildings to reflect the new depot names. In the next few weeks we will begin the final stage of our rebrand, with our new website launching! We will also begin to merge all of our social media pages into one singular company page on each platform, to allow for faster response times and a stronger company presence. This is an exciting time for us here at Collins Seafoods and we are delighted to see all of the hard work and planning come to fruition. We hope you love our new branding as much as we do!

Contact Collins Seafoods North East: Unit 2, Park 2000, Heighington Lane Business Park, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham DL5 6AR Tel: (01325) 315544 Email: sales@collinsseafoods.co.uk Web: www.collinsseafoods.co.uk Wraggs Seafoods Yorkshire: Unit 2, Felnex Crescent, Cross Green Industrial Estate, Leeds, LS9 0SN Tel: (0113) 2498832 Email: sales@wraggsseafoods.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Is This The New Normal? Game Changing Seafood From Norfisk!

t Norfisk we procure only the highest quality long-line Norwegian Cod and Haddock. All fish is responsibly sourced and ‘Frozen at Sea’ on board select vessels resulting in a premium fillet of optimal standards. “Our brand of longline fillets is fast becoming a game changer for interleaved boneless fillet supply into the Fish & Chip sector” says Commercial Director Matthew. “We launched our trawled version of the brand into Ireland in 2018 and have had huge success there. Continuity of product and supply all year round at stable prices is clearly a big plus for fryers. The industry is undoubtably short of longline fillets that are pan ready, so we saw a gap in the market. In the current climate it’s all about food safety and consumers are fully conscious of the long-term planet gains as a reflection of what they consume and thrive on knowing this before they eat. More selective fishing, intact seabeds, lower greenhouse emissions and unwanted bycatch are just a few of the benefits of long-lining and consumers love to see and hear these facts.” Matthew goes on to say “more recently we have progressed the brand with longline fillets into our range. Our processing partners have decades of experience in buying only the best quality fish and we felt obligated to offer a higher volume of premium boneless fillets to the fish frying trade. Our state-of-the-art facilities take the headed and gutted fish down to temperature that barely allows them to fillet the fish then within minutes it’s interleaved and plate frozen.” Research company Nofima have analysed

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

and compared fish caught by long-lining and fish from trawler catches. This has shown that line-caught fish has a whiter flesh and gives a firmer fillet. The most important reasons for the better flesh quality of linecaught fish are better bleeding out and less compression damage,” says researcher Bjørn Tore Rotabakk. Both the compression damage and the poor bleeding out are caused because trawling brings up from five to twenty tons of fish onto the deck each time, while with long-lining the fish are brought on board one by one. Researchers have carried out chemical, technical and sensory analyses in order to assess fish quality. Taste assessors have judged the fish on colour, texture, smell, splitting and surface, while chefs at the Gastronomic Institute have assessed the flavour. The conclusion of both groups is that line-caught fish has a much higher quality. So, whilst Norfisk is relatively new to the market it’s not aiming to revolutionise the industry – only to offer the more conscious buyer a convenient alternative to trawled and to compliment the Fish and Chip sector, one that they know prides itself on very high standards!

Contact T: 01925 649236 E: mc@marisseafoods.co.uk Visit: www.norfisk.co.uk/

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

www.norfisk.co.uk | sales@norfisk.co.uk

A L L Y E A R R O U N D S U P P LY

S U S TA I N A B LY H A R V E S T E D I N T H E N O R T H AT L A N T I C

SKINLESS & BONELESS LINE-CAUGHT INTERLEAVED COD & HADDOCK 15

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

6-8oz | 8-10oz | 10-12oz | 12-16oz

SO FAR-OE

SO GOOD!

All JFK processing factories and trawlers produce in accordance with HACCP principles

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

JFK is dedicated to providing quality cod and haddock for you. The capacity to deliver on our promises of high quality is one of the company’s key trademarks. Production is done onboard the incredible fishing vessel Gadus. Steps are taken at every juncture of the fishing process to ensure that JFK’s frozen-at-sea products are as fresh as possible. Frozen-at-sea has been called “fresher than fresh,” because within four hours from leaving the sea the fish is processed and frozen. Ask your wholesaler for Gadus today

Proud member of “Frozen at Sea Fillets Association” 17

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Kósarbrúgvin 3, P.O. Box 56, FO-710 Klaksvík, Faroe Islands Tel +298 409900, Fax +298 409901, Email jfk@jfk.fo WWW.jfk.fo Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Origin Matters. Choose Sustainable Seafood from Norway

ith brutally cold temperatures and a rough climate, Norway is an inhospitable place for humans – but these unforgiving qualities also make Norway the perfect home for seafood. The Norwegian coast, including all the islands and fjords, is over 100,000km long – more than double the length of the equator. Norway’s chilly coastal waters provide the perfect conditions for both inshore fisheries and aquaculture. Which is why, for thousands of years, the hardy Norwegians who settled in this tough landscape have made fishing their livelihood. Seafood is Norway’s second biggest industry (after oil). As such, fishing is an inextricable part of the Norwegian economy, and a deep love of the sea is embedded in Norwegian culture. Its fishing traditions date back thousands of years, from the Vikings, who battled the cold to build communities along the coast, to Leif Erikson, the famous explorer, whose voyage to America was possible only thanks to a steady supply

Sustainable wild fisheries management leaders From pioneering management and regulations to diverse fishing fleets, everything the Norwegians do has sustainability at its heart. All Norwegian cod and haddock is MSC-certified. So important is responsible stewardship that it has underpinned the entire cod fishing process since 1987, when Norway imposed a discard ban. In the years since, there have been virtually no cases of illegal, unreported or unregulated cod fishing in Norwegian waters. Over the years the industry has evolved from free fishing to strict regulation. Fisheries use a range of catch methods, from trawling to hand-line, and Norway was the first country to implement a quota system. The quotas in place are recommended by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea – a leading international research body, which assesses stocks and helps the Norwegians plan for the future. Implementing its strict quotas enables Norwegians to maintain healthy fish stocks, ensuring that they have never overfished – and never will. Be proud to cite and shout about “Norwegian” seafood on your menu Whether you choose seafood from Norway for its superior quality, green credentials or simply the story, you’ll be sourcing ingredients from a country where they take great pride in their fishing methods and rich heritage. Where fishing is not just an industry but a way of life, so be proud to cite “Norwegian” produce on your fish and chip menu.

of dried cod – a product created using fresh cod, wooden racks and the power of Norway’s climate as an open-air dryer. It is no surprise, then, that today Norway is a fishing nation bursting at the seams with years of knowledge. Quite simply, fishing is in Norwegians’ genes. 18

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

For further information on quality, legislation and sustainability please visit www.seafoodfromnorway.co.uk Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Share the Love Launched by Seafish in October 2020, Love Seafood (replacing fish is the dish) represents an ambitious long-term consumer initiative, built to reframe the nation’s view of seafood

overing both in-home consumption via retail purchases and out-ofhome consumption, including dining at cafes and restaurants or enjoying fish and chips to takeaway. Working with the seafood industry The Love Seafood brand is owned by Seafish, but it has been developed in partnership with the seafood industry in the UK. Understanding that the seafood industry is diverse, Seafish are looking to unite everyone behind a single cause – collectively inspiring the nation to fall in love with seafood. Love Seafood will bring together a community of seafood champions and it will be powered by the businesses it represents. Target audiences Love Seafood is focused on two specific audiences representing buying power, penetration, and influence across the next five years and beyond. These are: • Millennials – those born between 1981 and 1996 • Baby Boomers – those born between 1946 and 1964 Seafish used data from Experian and YouGov to create a sub-set of audience segments grouped by life stage within these categories. Following direction from the aforementioned Love Seafood Group, Love Seafood will initially focus on reaching the following three audience segments:

Strategic objectives for Love Seafood Love Seafood will support Seafish’s corporate goal of increasing seafood consumption across the UK – positioning Love Seafood as a platform for ‘warming up’ consumers when it comes to seafood and seeking to create demand for seafood-related businesses across the UK – including fish and chip shops and restaurants – to support their sales. Plans for Year One activity Initially Love Seafood Year One activity will have a strong focus on communication to consumers – and from the beginning of 2021 Seafish will also activate a variety of direct support for three specific trade sectors, namely; independent retailers, independent restaurants and the fish and chip shop sector. ‘Feel Good Food’ creative concept The creative concept for Year One will focus on ‘Feel Good Food’ and will highlight how seafood makes us feel as consumers. From the nostalgic taste of fish and chips, to getting the family together over a delicious fish pie, seafood warms the heart and feeds the soul. Why should you get involved? It’s a great opportunity to be part of something that will generate consumer interest and positive media coverage for the fish and chip sector in particular and the wider seafood industry in general. Visit www.seafish.org/love-seafood to find out more, to sign-up to receive latest news updates, and to access a wide variety of Love Seafood business support assets.

· Millennials Aged between 26 and 35, they make up 9% of all UK households. · Middle-aged average affluence families. Aged between 56-65 they make up 19% of all UK households. · Young families with low income looking for affordable food and the occasional takeaway. Highly influenced by celebrities and aged between 26-35 they make up 23% of all UK households. 20

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Perfection on a plate (or in a box). Championing the nation’s favourite takeaway.

Love Seafood by Seafiteshrm initiative

an ambitious long to inspire the nation to

fall in love with seafood.

21 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021 Get involved at: www.seafish.org/love-seafood

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

A Very Unique Experience! Granit supervessel ensures supplies of superb quality norwegian msc certified source seafood via Unique Seafood.

nique Seafood Group is one of the UK’s main players in the seafood industry, supplying dependable, consistent quality and quantity fish at great value direct from our partner vessels at sea, without any middlemen. They are Unique; a professional and trustworthy supplier, building long-term relationships in the wholesale, industrial, retail and food service sectors in the UK, Europe and further afield - and supplying direct to Britain’s Fish & Chip Shops, Takeaways and Restaurants. They are the exclusive distributor from the Norwegian vessel Granit. The Granit is the largest, most technologically advanced, Norwegian fishing vessel afloat and represents a milestone for Norway’s fleet: A magnificent example of engineering, with hygienic state-of-the-art facilities for high volume catching of MSC certified source cod, haddock and prawns, rapid processing, freezing and storing at sea as well as separate forward storage for fish oil and fishmeal. Harald Nissen, Managing Director of the Unique Seafood Group, said, “Unique Seafood is Granit’s trusted

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

UK partner, working with the Granit owners and their previous Granit vessel for 20 years. We can now further build on our Unique advantage of supplying consistent specification fish to the UK market in continuous volumes from a MSC sustainable source, which is a key message.” Unique Seafood can help fish friers to tackle current industry challenges and maximise the value from each fish box they order. Granit’s latest on-board processing technology, automated consistent fillet cutting, and portioning saves the fish frier time, avoids the need to cut fish on their premises and avoids waste too. We’ve produced a guide showing fish cut options so Unique customers can order the fillets that provide the best value for their menus.” “We are in a position to work with fish friers in the UK, supplying top quality MSC source fish direct from the Granit vessel via Unique and to specification to help build financially successful businesses and customer loyalty for the frier,” added Harald Nissen. “Friers have become more professional in building and maintaining their reputation for quality and are educating their customers about the fish they serve. More customers want sustainable sourcing to ensure the industry has a future and know the Barents Sea is an

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

MSC approved source. The market is changing very quickly and we on the supply-side are helping chippies to be in front of the market, not behind. The investment in the latest Granit fishing vessel and processing technologies makes sound economics for the fishing company and for end customers alike, as well as making Granit one of the most environmentally friendly vessels in the world.” Each fishing trip is more productive, from catching, to processing, to on-board freezer storage capacity, ensuring continuous and consistent top quality Norwegian seafood supplies synonymous with the Granit name. The Granit is 81.2 metres long x 16.6 metres wide and has a gross 4427 tonnage. Her cargo hold accommodates 775 tonnes of fillets and 61,000 litres of fish oil. All on-board processing uses the very latest de-heading, filleting, skinning, cutting, portioning, weighing, and freezing technologies, saving fish friers labour, reducing waste and controlling costs. Unique Seafood continues as Granit’s exclusive UK partner and distributor of FAS cod, haddock and other whitefish direct from net to customers doors. The arrival of the updated Granit vessel played a significant role in the continuity of supplies of the highest

quality Norwegian fish from MSC certified fishing grounds.” Austen Dack Chippy Chat Editor was with the 2020 NF&CA Top Ten fish friers who went out on the Fjords onboard Granit via Alesund. “What an incredible experience seeing The Granit first-hand. The facilities are second to none, the investment astonishing, and the Granit catch is caught processed and frozen fresh in a matter of hours all onboard!” Chatting to Martin Brown Sales Director from Unique Seafood onboard Granit Austen said, “It is clear to see Unique Seafood have developed a special relationship with the whole Granit ‘family’, over a number of years which enables them to serve British Fish and chip shops the absolute best FAS fish.” Martin Said “Yes, it is a very special partnership one in which we can react to the what friers want very quickly. We are also now producing tight graded skinless and boneless fillets, 4-6, 6-8, 8-10, 10-12oz Cod Fillets. We have seen a recent shift in the marketplace for this, and the Granit is the best bet to supply you.” Unique Seafood Ltd are the exclusive UK distributors for Granit. Contact them today to talk about supplying you today on 0203 260 3580 www.uniqueseafood.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Apply Whit-in! Grab some great eye-catching NEW POS, from Whitby for FREE!

ounded back in 1985 Whitby Seafoods is an independent Yorkshire family business, based in Whitby, a fishing town on the North East Coast of England. We pride ourselves on doing things honestly and properly, staying true to our family values to provide discerning fish and chips shops with the famous Whitby Scampi, which has become a flagship product, with caterers across the UK showing they will only serve the very best scampi by placing our distinctive beach hut shaped swing-boards outside their businesses. We have been responsibly sourcing scampi in the waters around the British Isles for decades. Scampi – or langoustines, to give them their frilly name – are actually small lobsters. Caught in British waters and made in to scampi in Whitby in Yorkshire, this is a true British dish, something your customers really care about, especially now. As scampi is fished in the waters around the British Isles, selling our scampi supports British fishermen who, like many industries, have been hit hard by the recent pandemic. When you sell Whitby scampi, you are supporting these brave fishermen who, especially now, really need our support. When lockdown hit, we at Whitby Seafoods knew we had to do something

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

to adapt to the ever-changing situation, and support our wonderful customers. We asked ourselves what could we offer to make our Whitby scampi more attractive to a fish and chips shop take away menu? To support our brilliant customers, we are offering a range of fantastic POS free of charge. These eye-catching items are really great addition to help drive scampi sales on your menu. Give your customers a taste of the seaside with Whitby Scampi that will stay crisp right to their door. To get these brilliant eye-catching display products email info@whitbyseafoods.com or call 08007376596 today! www.whitby-seafoods.com

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Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Jack Sharman, founder of Jax Food Bar

The Generation Family-run Ellon chip shop marks fifty years of trading under five generations

t’s a claim many companies would be proud to make – to be operating as a family-run firm, celebrated 50 years in business recently. That’s the reason behind celebrations at Jax Food Bar in Ellon, which is celebrating 50 years in business recently. The independent fish and chip shop, owned by a family local to the area, marked the occasion with a weekend of special offers and branching out into social media for the first time in its history. Lynne and David Sharman have managed the eatery for 20 years, having inherited it from David’s father. Lynne leads an 11-strong team running the takeaway on Ellon’s Bridge Street. She said: “We feel extremely proud to be marking 50 years as a family-run outfit. “When Jack Sharman started the business back in 1970, he could never have dreamed that his shop would still be serving fish suppers all these years later.

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

David added: “My grandmother, my father, my sister, myself and my wife, our kids and our grandchildren have all worked behind the counter of the shop. “It’s a family tradition to serve at Jax. “A summer spent in lockdown isn’t quite how we envisaged marking our 50th anniversary, but all the local firms are in it together, and there’s been tremendous support locally in the Ellon business community.” To celebrate the milestone anniversary, Jax launched a weekend-long £5 fish supper deal, in keeping with the five generations who have worked in the business for five decades. Jax’s take away at the Auld Brig in Ellon Lynne added: “Our £5 deal felt like a fitting way to celebrate the occasion, but we wanted to look ahead too, as we move into our sixth decade of business. “Throughout the years we’ve been lucky to build up great word-of-mouth reviews and now for the first time, we’ll be going online and joining social media, which is an exciting step forward for us. “There’s been something special about

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Darren Thomson, Stevie Ball, Dawn Ball, Lynne Sharman and David Sharman

Game! connecting with the community during the past few months. “There’s been more time to chat with loyal visitors to the shop, even from a distance while they wait outside as we prepare all orders fresh. “We’ve welcomed some new faces recently too and are grateful to everyone who’s eaten with us during such an unusual summer.” Since its beginnings in 1970, Jax has sourced all its produce from local suppliers, including fresh fish from Sustainable Seafoods in Peterhead, potatoes from William Fraser in Potterton, meat from McWilliam Aberdeen, King Foods and Aberdeenshire Larder, and even the packaging is sourced locally. “As a local business ourselves, that has always been at the forefront of our approach,” said Lynne. “There’s something wonderful about knowing the tatties were grown in soil just a few miles away and knowing the name of the boat that caught the fish on the east coast that morning.” Throughout the rest of the year, Jax offered 10 per cent off orders for all blue light workers, upon presentation of valid ID. “We’re proud to offer a discount for those workers on the frontline of the pandemic and we hope to be able to offer our thanks in person to the fantastic key workers in Ellon and further afield,” concluded Lynne. Are you celebrating an anniversary? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk 27

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

A Home Win! The Bay in Stonehaven walked away with one of the top accolades at the prestigious Caterer Magazine industry awards.

ne of the UK’s top fish and chip shops, The Bay, Stonehaven has walked away with first prize in the Sustainable Business Award category at the food industry’s “Oscars”. And usually (due to covid), he did it in his own front room, wearing a kilt and flip flops! The shortlist for The Cateys, hosted by virtually this year by The Caterer magazine, was announced back in October, in which it was revealed that the popular eatery was the only food and drink business from the north of Scotland that had made it through to the finals. Following the win, head chef and director Calum Richardson says he is “overwhelmed” after having applied for the award numerous times. He says: “I am overwhelmed with winning tonight. We’ve tried for years to get to that stage and I won it in my living room! “I’m so proud of Paul the manager and all TeamBay for the graft and dedication they give to us. It’s a ray of sunshine at the end of a terrible year.” When speaking to the local Press and Journal about reaching the finals back in October, Calum revealed what it meant for his team. He said: “It’s recognition for what we do day in, day out, all the time. It’s not just a whim and I don’t just do things to win awards. We do things because it’s what we believe in and what we think is right. Sometimes that puts us ahead of the times and people don’t understand, and

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

sometimes it’s the right thing to do.” Calum applied for the sustainable business award after feeling it suited The Bay’s ethos well. He said: “We look at every product coming in and going out. That’s everything from the 100% renewable energy that we use – gas and electric – to the ways in which we can make things into compost. We turn our oil into biodiesal and we’ve just purchased a 100% electric car, meaning we are 100% zero emissions as well. It’s about doing what you feel is right. I built this business from scratch about 14 years ago and have continued building upon it ever since.” “The ethos behind The Bay is that it really is truly sustainable produce and it’s looking at the future of the industry and supporting local – that’s a big thing for us, the local support.” Calum celebrated at home in style with a bottle of champagne with Viktorija Kunickaitė, whilst they were in the middle of a 3-day juice only diet (I suppose grapes count). How are you making your business sustainable? Email austen@chippychat. co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

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Premier-Chip Winners! Lamb Weston takes gold in its category and the Grand Prix: Campaign of the Year award

amb Weston, supported by Art of the Possible Agency and WAA, has smashed the 2020 B2B Marketing Awards this week, taking Gold in the Best Product Launch Campaign and the highly coveted Grand Prix: Campaign of the Year for the launch of its innovative Dukes of Chippingdom in February. Up against global brands such as Nokia, Mastercard and Lenovo, and with nominees for the Grand Prix Award including Rolls-Royce, M&S Corporate Gifts and Intuit QuickBooks, Lamb Weston’s entry impressed judges with its dedication and passion, as well as demonstrating that, by pushing the boundaries, the campaign ensured a successful product launch. Andrea Deutschmanek, Country Marketing Manager UK & ROI, Lamb Weston; “This has a strange and challenging year for everyone in our industry and to win this award is a real boost for the team; a fitting reward for a lot of work and devotion to the cause. It’s shown that, even when pitched against some of the largest brands in the world, our efforts can make a difference.” Kat Patterson, Managing Director, Art of the Possible; “We are so proud to be working with a brand such as Lamb

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Weston; they really do have the passion and commitment to see a project through and we are thrilled to bits to have not only won the Best Product Launch Campaign award, but the Grand Prix: Campaign of the Year award too. Unbelievable!” The judges of the B2B Marketing Awards included Senior VP, Marketing & Communications, Mastercard, Global Strategic Marketing Leader, PwC, and Director of B2B Marketing, BskyB. Comments on the Dukes of Chippingdom campaign included, “it’s not very often that judges are stuck at a crossroads, one of the most difficult decisions in their professional lives – is it going to be burger or chips? The gold, however, needs to go to the entry that has demonstrated the clarity of their B2B marketing, from identifying their target audience, to reaching them by using the right channels, right tone of voice, right branding through to right results. After weighing their options, the judges have decided that the crispy gold goes to Dukes of Chippingdom.” For innovative ideas, recipes and potato inspiration, head over to www. lambweston.eu/uk, call 0800 963962 or email us at salesUK@lambweston.eu

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Catch of the Day! Emmerdale star helps launch new £250,000 fish and chip shop in Headingley

n Emmerdale star visited a new Headingley chippy to help give it a really grand launch. Charlotte Bellamy, who plays Laurel Thomas in the popular ITV soap Emmerdale, paid a trip to the eagerly-anticipated new opening of Catch. It was formerly Bryan’s at Fisherman’s Lodge and opened recently following a £250,000 refurbishment. The venue will be running as a traditional fish and chip shop and restaurant. As part of their launch, like many other restaurants in Leeds, Catch ran their own Eat Out to Help Out deal during September. As part of the promotion, those dining at Catch got a discount of £10 off per person on dishes from their main menu and soft drinks. Sarah Stuttle, Catch managing director, said: “We’d like to thank our customers for their support, Producing Quality Cambridgeshire Potatoes both the new faces and the loyal customers that Maris Piper - Markies - Divaa - Agria have returned following the refurbishment.” Our strength is continuity of supply You can find out more and book a table by visiting Maris Piper Markies - Divaa - Agria Call your -local wholesaler today Catch’s website. catchseafood.co.uk Who have you had famous visiting your chippy? Our strength is continuity of supply Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

Producing Quality Cambridgeshire Potatoes Call your local wholesaler today and ask for PJ Lee Potatoes

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Scott (Gluten) Free! We at David’s Fish and Chips I believe were one of the first shops in the UK to offer Gluten free Fish and Chips, I remember reading an article on Gluten Free in one of the trade magazines and I thought we should try and get on board with this, this was around 8 years ago, before anyone really knew what Gluten Free even was! Whilst it was slow to begin with, over the years it has greatly grown in market share.

By Scott Drew David’s Fish & Chips Brixham

hen after the first three years of offering Gluten Free in the shop, I became very ill myself, having to take the whole Summer off (our busiest time) as I had no energy to move, let alone work, and that with also losing over a stone in weight, and other things, they rushed me into Hospital for some urgent checks, where they discovered I was a Coeliac! Strangely up until this moment I was able to eat “normal” food, and now I cannot even have one crumb without being seriously ill, so hence 5 years ago after I was diagnosed, I made the decision to extend the menu to include things like Sausages, Scampi, Curry Sauce, etc so at least selfishly, I could have other things rather than just Fish and Chips, however, I could never find a Sausage that I truly liked as much as the Mcwhinneys Sausage that we had been using in our shop, since the day I took over ten years ago. What was even harder was the fact,

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

every day when I was cooking the regular Mcwhinneys sausages for our customers, I could smell the aroma from them, it kept taking me back to how much I loved the Mcwhinneys Sausage, then I would get annoyed knowing i couldn’t have one. I even remember writing into Mcwhinneys around 5 years ago to ask them if they had any plans to launch a Gluten Free version, of which came back the dreaded reply came back- NO! So, when I started to hear rumours of a Gluten Free version being tested by Mcwhinneys, I was over the moon and emailed again to see when they may be launched. After being asked to try them, they smelt and tasted just like I remembered them to be, even the staff had trouble telling the difference between the GF version and the regular one, now that they are available to purchase, I cannot wait to let my Gluten Free customers sample these Sausages, I am sure they will love them as much as I have. The only downside for me is I must try not to have one each day I am working, but I cannot help it, they are just too good! 1000 FREE cases to giveaway To celebrate the launch of Gluten FREE sausages, McWhinneys have 1,000 FREE cases to giveaway +

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

New Order! Richard Ord awarded MBE in Queen’s New Year’s Honours

ichard Ord, owner of Colmans Fish & Chips and Colmans Seafood Temple in South Shields, has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for his services to the hospitality industry and regeneration in South Tyneside. Richard, 66, started cutting fish at Colmans Ocean Road in 1969, aged 15, when fish and chips cost just 10p. At the time, he was the fourth generation to have worked in the family business, which started out as a beach shack in 1905 and moved to its current premises in 1926. Clocking up over 50 years’ service in fish and chips and the hospitality industry, Richard’s hard work, skill and commitment to quality has seen Colmans grow in size and stature to become a landmark for fish and chips and seafood. His focus on sustainability and the environment, meanwhile, has resulted in Colmans breaking new ground, becoming the first MSC certified fish and chip shop in England, the first winner of the Good Catch Award, and featuring in prestigious restaurant bibles. Commenting on his MBE, Richard says: “I’m absolutely thrilled and shocked. I never imagined in a million years I would be put forward for something like this but I’m very grateful for those that did. To me, I’ve done no more or no less than anyone else, I just go to work and do what I’ve always loved doing. “After such a difficult year for everybody in the hospitality industry, it’s just wonderful news.” Richard has been an ambassador for the fish and chip industry, raising it to new heights and training hundreds of young friers and chefs. He is also responsible for pioneering an open door policy, inviting others into his business to learn, something that has benefitted the careers of hundreds of other chefs today and which many other shops now do too. Dedicating his MBE to his wife Frances, his sons Richard and Dominic, and his customers, Richard said: “This award is for my family, our team and all the wonderful customers Colmans has served over the past century – which I can only imagine is in the many millions. Without their support, none of this would have been possible. Our customers are paramount and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.” Austen Dack Chippy Chat Editor said. “There are fish and chip shop operators and then there is Richard Ord. From myself, John and Oliver Boutwood, we would like to pass on our congratulations to Richard and family for this award. Richard always has time for everyone and has helped us many times here at Chippy Chat. His vision, care and service to the UK’s fish and chip industry has been rewarded with an MBE, and we are all incredibly pleased to hear such a good news story as we head into 2021.” More online www.chippychat.co.uk

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021 Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • July 2020

THE SUPER BOWL (OF CHIPS)

Rock Paper Fish is yet another fast-casual Micah Camden restaurant, and yet another quick pandemic pivot. Open since midAugust, it’s a pickup- and delivery-only seafood window, operating out of what used to be Boxer Ramen in Portland Oregon

amden, whose food-biz portfolio includes co-founding Little Big Burger and Blue Star Donuts as well as the more recent SuperDeluxe and Little Chickpea, has been a regular at the family-run West Burnside classic RingSide Steakhouse for 16 years, during which time he’s gotten to know third-generation owner Craig Peterson. And when Camden and Portland-bred NFL star Ndamukong Suh opened Baes Fried Chicken downtown, Peterson fell hard for Baes’ bird. “I noticed he was there like three times in a week,” said Camden. “I was like, ‘Dude, you’re gonna get a heart attack if you just keep eating fried chicken.’” Before the pandemic, the two men used to dream up restaurant concepts, some more viable the others. The term “millennial steakhouse” may have come up. But now, Camden was just trying to figure out what to do with his existing spaces. For a time, Baes was the only one of his restaurants that

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

stayed open. Most have since returned. But Boxer Ramen’s short-term future didn’t look so good. “Boxer Ramen has always been one of my favorite restaurants,” Camden said. “I have five locations. But nobody in the world orders ramen to go.” That’s especially true in the summer. So Boxer’s Sellwood location became another Baes, while Camden asked Peterson to join him and Suh on something fishy. Peterson had already done seafood with RingSide’s Fish House at Fox Tower, which closed in 2018, while Camden knew a lot about fast-casual hits and misses. Given the scale of RingSide’s operation, Peterson could get some wholesale deals on Pacific Northwest proteins, while Camden’s contacts at the delivery apps— Rock Paper Fish’s website only links to Caviar and Door Dash—suggested there was a hole in the market for fish and chips, which were doing surprisingly well in Seattle. The seafood may be mostly local or regional, but the style is New England, not only for a different kind of taste experience, but for better takeout and delivery. Beerbattered fish and chips is perfect at the pub or in a cone while walking down the street, but doesn’t travel well once boxed and steamy. “It sogs out,” says Camden. The key to Baes’ chicken is that it holds up well on delivery, so Rock Paper Fish uses a

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

similar double-battered, double-fried approach. The fish is also dipped in apple juice and seasoned with Old Bay. “We had to work our recipes to make it to where it would be able to withstand travel,” says Camden. “With that double frying, you’re wicking a lot of that moisture out of there.” The Pacific halibut and chips ($16) holds up as advertised. Micah Camden opens ‘chippy’ with NFL star A half-hour after pickup, the chips—thick and reminiscent of By Jason Cohen Belgian frites—could have used a few minutes of refresh in the oven, but the halibut was still impeccable, with a craggy crunch, tender inside, and minimal separation between fish and batter. You get two healthy pieces of halibut and a generous pile of chips (you’ll have leftovers), plus herby tartar sauce, ketchup and the obligatory lemon. Keeping with the “like Maine, but Oregon” theme, there’s a Dungeness crab and Bay shrimp roll ($15, with chips) instead of lobster roll, while the New England clam chowder ($6 for a cup, $10 for a bowl) also comes as “poutine” over chips. Vegetarians can get the artichoke “crab” cakes” (two for $6): super-crispy fritters made from artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, zucchini and chickpeas seasoned with Old Bay—perfect as a sauce-delivery vehicle. In addition to tartar, ketchup and spicy remoulade, there’s cocktail, cranberry chile and truffle aioli (50 cents each for extra). In addition to the halibut, there’s Atlantic cod and chips ($14), which Camden originally told Eater PDX he wouldn’t serve, opting for albacore instead. Then the emails and Instagram messages starting pouring in. “It was like 50 a week,” Camden says. “’Can you do cod? Can you do cod? Can you do cod?’” This did not come as a surprise to Peterson. “I told him to serve cod right off the bat,” he says. “I had a fish house—I know what kind of fish and chips they want! They want cod. And personally, I like cod over halibut.” rockpaperfishandchips.com

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

VEG-OUT! The People’s Pie makes Vegan Duo available to Chip Shops in time for Veganuary By Austen Dack

ukka, the UK’s favourite fish and chip shop pie brand, is launching its two new vegan recipes – Vegan Chicken & Mushroom and Vegan Minced Steak & Onion – into chips shops to allow the industry to drive sales during the allimportant ‘Veganuary’ sales period. When we heard that Pukka was making its vegan range of pies available to fish & chip shops in time for Veganuary, it made great sense. Traditionally, Veganuary hasn’t been something that’s been easy for the sector to get involved in, so innovation such as this will be welcomed by chip shop owners. It’s also interesting to see that not only has Pukka chosen to make two of its bestselling recipes plant-based – which will broaden the appeal of the pies amongst customers – but they will also be available in cases of 12 frozen wrapped pies. This gives the pies a longer shelf-life, while also giving customers confidence in the pies regarding integrity and segregation, allowing them to be served in the safest possible way. Pukka’s General Manager, Isaac Fisher,

explains: “Ever since we first started making and baking pies in 1963, fish and chip shops have been, and always will be, at the very heart of our story. That’s why we wanted to make our vegan innovation available to the industry. In retail, the range has attracted over 90,000 new shoppers to the category in its first four weeks on-shelf – and we want chip shops to be able to benefit from this success too. “The vegan pies will be delivered to fish & chip shops in cases of 12 frozen pies enclosed in our new and improved wrappers – which come complete with our updated design, eye-catching photography and clearer messaging. What’s more, to make it really clear to customers seeking out plant-based options, the new recipes are highlighted with a vegan flash and the Vegetarian Society Approved vegan trademark on the front of the wrappers. “The number of vegans in the UK has risen +305% in the last year, so we’d urge fish & chips shop owners to stock up on our vegan duo today to drive incremental sales during Veganuary 2021.”

Pukka’s Vegan range is available to order now How to order - To order Pukka pies directly, call now on 0116 264 4000 - Or contact your local wholesaler January promotion - To take advantage of Pukka’s January promotion and Vegan POS package, contact your representative today

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • November January 2021 2020

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Order yours now Vegan

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Minced Steak & Onion Pie

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Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

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THE HOME OF QUALITY CHIPPING POTATOES! Mitchell Potatoes (Estab 1883) is proud to be one of the UK’s longest established potato merchants, a record built on quality and reliability. We serve many of the UK’s best fish and chip shops

ormer Bank of Scotland in Lossiemouth to be turned into a fish and chips restaurant and takeaway. The premises in Lossiemouth used to be home to the Bank of Scotland before it shut down in June 2019 and was replaced with a mobile service. Now work can start to convert the unit at 12 Queen Street after Moray Council gave the application submitted by architectural firm Plans Plus, on behalf of local businessman Mohamed Ali, the green night. Moray Conservative MP Douglas Ross, pictured had tried to save the bank from closure. Mr Ali already runs MacAli Hotel Group which owns The Firth Hotel, GolfView Hotel, Poseidon’s Inn, Lossiemouth and Highlander Hotel in Buckie.

A planning statement for the change of use to the building said it would be “altered” to create a new entrance to the premises on the west elevation. The report added: “The existing entrance will be used to provide disabled access to the premises. As part of the kitchen ventilation measures a flue will be mounted onto the building. Internally the building will be altered to accommodate kitchen and food preparation area, restaurant seating, bar, customer waiting area and toilet facilities. Existing connections to the public water and drainage systems will be used.” This bank conversion will follow other high profile openings such as the Chip Shed in Bourton and Papas in Whitby. Are you planning to convert a building into a chippy? Email austen@chippychat.co.uk

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Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

Business Buyers Still Taking the Bait Despite a global pandemic, local lockdowns and an uncertain economy, this year has still been a busy one in the world of business sales

National business broker, Intelligent, are on hand to help entrepreneurs to buy, grow and sell their businesses – and have seen unprecedented levels of buyer activity throughout 2020. “We weren’t so sure what to expect when coronavirus hit”, said Mark FitzgeraldCooke, CEO, “a lot of our business owners were suddenly faced with the unknown, and it was impossible to predict how business buyers would react”. With over 3,000 buyer enquiries coming in per month, the team at Intelligent have found themselves extremely busy over the last year – and it doesn’t show signs of stopping. One of the most buoyant sectors has proven to be in catering. Despite forced closures across the country, buyers have been snapping up a variety of food related companies - from fish and chip shops, to takeaways and cafes. 42

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

With £10million worth of offers received and over £3million worth of catering businesses sold this year so far, Intelligent have brought together 1,200 business sellers and buyers. "A lot of business owners within the takeaway food space have actually reported unprecedented demand for their services this year”, Mark said, “with people unable to eat out and an increased focus on supporting small businesses, local pizza shops, curry houses and chippies have seen a sudden uplift in custom – making now a fantastic time for them to sell”. For more information about buying, growing or selling a business, visit www.intelligent.co.uk

Thinking of selling your business? List your business with Intelligent and receive £500* by quoting the code CHAT500 Call 0800 612 7718 to speak to an42expert

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021

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Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ January 2021

Chippy Chat & Fast Food Magazine • January 2021