Simpson’s Fish & Chips
Posted by Stelios Theocharous February 4, 2011 - 9:32 pm
Names of Key People: James, Bonny, Jan, Brian
Established: Simpsons since 2008, fish and chip shops since 1976.
How many sites: 3
Ranges: 2 Hewigos and one second hand Florigo (soon to be 3 Hewigos)
Batter Mix: Natural
Supplier: Kassero Edible Oils Ltd
Typically what are your shops like and what do they serve?
They are sleek and modern with a slight American diner feel. Most customers buy fish rather than other savouries; we serve mainly Cod and Haddock. We’ve just started serving Pollock, Hake and the famous Mackerel Baps, but we believe this is only temporary. We also sell bucketfuls of homemade tartar sauce.
How many people do you employ?
Over the three shops we have around 36.
What have been the major achievements since you have been established?
Mainly the 5 star seafish award, Cheltenham is the only one in Gloucestershire. We also sponsor the kit for a local football team, and are getting large orders (50+ meals) about once a month. We have settled into our communities very well and have great customers, which is really our biggest achievement.
What made you come into the industry and do you think you have achieved this goal?
Fish and chips have been in our family for decades so it seems natural to carry on the tradition. Yes we’ve definitely achieved our goal. We have wonderful staff who care about our business and we sell a great product, we’re confident of this because our customers return week after week.
What efforts do you go too to source the best products?
We get lots of samples and keep on top of all products that can lack consistency. Anything we’re not happy with we just send back and try something else. As with most shops these days we only buy fish from sustainable stocks, with everything else we try to keep our food miles as low as possible. I also get great advice from others in the industry that may use different products to us.
How did you come across The Batter Company™ products?
I met Stelios at the Chippy-Chat.co.uk BBQ in the summer and he converted me shortly after.
Why do you like using The Batter Company™ products?
Mainly because it’s a great product, but also because it’s so well marketed that you can pass the information on to customers so easily. I love Stelios’s passion for what he does and that shows in his batter mix.
Where do you buy your batter mix from?
When we first started to try the batter we asked our supplier Kassero Edible Oils & Fats to supply us and they got in touch with Stelios and arranged this for us.
What is the next challenge?
We have a new Hewigo range going in at the beginning of March, Then we’ll go for the new NFFF award.
What do you love about this industry?
The food! :0)
What do you hate about this industry?
It is definitely the misconception about our products. People still think fish and chips are fattening then go and buy a pizza!!!
I think Simpsons is a great example of how fish and chip shops need to move with the ever changing fast food landscape. They have obviously taken control on their brand and image to appeal to the customer on the high street.
I still think customers need to be educated by the fact that fish and chips is a better option to certain fast food. Customers need to understand where their food has come from and how quality and freshness plays an importent roll in differentiating from the likes of burgers and pizzas.
I’d like to see every fish shop in the country tell this story to their customers, the message of caught fresh from the sea and potatoes peeled, prepared and cooked the same day, this is what makes great fish and chips, and don’t forget the batter.
I love simpsons in bradley stoke, best fish and chips in the area.
very clean and food tastes so good.
Very nice shops, just hope the food is equally as good?
Thanks for nice comments. Yes of course the food is as good! We have family members running each shop so they always have someone whos passionate about the family business frying in them. That’s why we only have 3 – run out of family
Thanks for the link posted on twitter.
I have eaten at the bradley stoke store a few time as it is my local, and the food has always been consistently brilliant.
Keep up the great work.
Great interview. Good to see shops raising the bar. The future of fish and chips is definitely modern shops, good marketing, great natural top quality ingredients and achieving accreditation to show the shops are run to a high standard.
I am jealous of the shop photos!