Hello hoki

Case & Brewer in Dorchester, Dorset, has added hoki to the menu in a bid to protect profitability and its identity as a fish and chip shop

With continued increases in cod and haddock prices last year, owner Oly Smyth added hoki to the menu, positioning the species not as a budget substitute, but as a generous, high quality alternative that enables him to keep fish and chips accessible while safeguarding his margin until prices settle down.

“I just want to keep a fish and chip shop running as a fish and chip shop,” he says. “We’re not a chicken and chips. That’s not what it says outside. It says traditional fish and chips. That’s what I’m trying to keep alive.”

That determination has been tested in recent months. The takeaway, a well-established corner site, is currently enduring 12 weeks of council roadworks directly outside the premises. The impact on footfall has been significant. “We’re not a seasonal business, so normally we’re busy this time of year, but the roadworks have ruined us,” Oly explains. “Trade is coming back slowly. Last week we actually made a profit of £35, but we’ve lost thousands.”

Challenges are not new to Oly. Having started at the shop in 1985, aged 15, he managed the business through Covid before taking ownership in 2022 when his employer retired. “I was managing the shop during Covid, so I got through that,” he says. “Then, when I actually took over, I’ve had the energy crisis, cost of living crisis, fish prices – Covid was nothing compared to what came after!”

Value locally

The shop has traded as Case & Brewer for more than six decades, having operated as a fish and chip shop for 40 years previously. Oly decided to retain the Case & Brewer name when he took over, recognising its value locally. “I didn’t want to change it. It’s almost like a brand. Everyone knew it as Case & Brewer,” he explains.

The business has remained deliberately traditional too, with Oly operating a walk-in-only model. Aside from deliveries to care homes and larger pre-arranged orders, there are no deliveries and no click and collect. “I’m a one-queue man,” says Oly. “I’ve been in shops and seen Deliveroo and Just Eat drivers turn up, stick a phone in your face and suddenly the customer who’s made the effort to come in gets forgotten. That really wound me up. If someone’s come through your door, they should take priority.”

Even during the pandemic, he resisted pressure to change that model. “I remember seeing a piece on the BBC saying it was the end of the fish and chip queue. When we reopened, we had a socially distanced queue about 30 metres long. That gave me hope and I thought, you’re wrong BBC!”

It is within that context of protecting tradition while adapting commercially that hoki was introduced. With cod and haddock prices continuing to climb, Oly felt it was time to explore a cheaper alternative that would still be viable addition to the range.

“I’m always trying to convince myself – am I doing the right thing?” he says. “But hoki is lovely. You get a little bit at the thin end that can be slightly fishy, but the nice chunky end, with tartare sauce, salt and vinegar, if you’ve got your eyes shut, there’s no way you can tell me that’s not cod. It’s really good and it’s consistent.”

The hoki Oly sources is frozen at sea, MSC certified and from New Zealand, arriving skinless and boneless in 6-8oz fillets. From a preparation standpoint, it integrates smoothly into the existing operation. “They’re pretty much ready to go and because hoki is like a slab, a big rectangle, you can easily identify it in the fryer,” Oly explains. “Our haddock mainly has skin on and is smaller, cod speaks for itself, so you can tell by the cut and the size what fish is what and no one has got it wrong yet.”

Before Christmas, Olly ran a month-long promotion offering hoki, chips and homemade mushy peas for £5.50. “I put a board up with information so customers could read about hoki while they were waiting. Some asked what is it, others just asked for the £5.50 fish and chips. But most people liked it and have come back for it,” he says. “I had a young lad, about 22, really confident asking for hoki. He said, ‘I love it,’ and he even put something on Facebook for us saying how nice it was.”

Naturally, there remain some customers who will only ever order cod, and Oly is relaxed about that. “Some will say they don’t like hoki and when I ask if they’ve tried it they say no. You’re never going to win them over and that’s fine. If they want cod, they can have cod and they’ll pay for it.”

The product is now marketed as “big hoki” in recognition of its portion size and Oly has increased the price to £7 with chips or £4.40 on its own. “Rather than just say it is cheaper than cod, I wanted to show how good value it is because the fillets are really big, they are monsters.”

By comparison, their 6oz cod is currently priced at £7.60 on its own, soon to rise to £7.90. “It really should go up 80p to £1 more, but I’m also going to put 10p on chips as a way to offset it. My view is let’s try and ride out this year.” 

Since its introduction in December, hoki has accounted for between 10% and 20% of weekly fish sales. With a much better profit margin than cod, Oly is keen to sell more and sees further growth potential through promotion both in-store and on social media. 

Refurbishment

Investment has also played a key role in keeping the business current. In 1991, an old counter range made way for a high efficiency five pan island range. This has since been followed by two further island ranges, plus a full refurbishment in 2018 when the shop was stripped back to its shell before introducing new flooring, tiles, signage and air conditioning. Oly comments: “I love the island set-up,” Oly says. “You’ve got more space, everyone’s got their station and you can get more food out more quickly.”

The team comprises around 14 staff, including six full-timers, all drawn from the local area. Uniforms were refreshed last year, moving from traditional white polo shirts to burgundy to match the shop’s branding. “We’d always had white, but they’d get washed with other colours and come back all looking different. Now everyone’s smart and consistent.”

Menu development is ongoing, with chicken fillet bites, burgers, scampi, sausages and children’s meals complementing the core offering. Oly is exploring options such as loaded chips with shredded chicken and cheese or sweet chilli sauce, alongside the possibility of a digital loyalty scheme to reward regular customers.

Ultimately, however, his focus remains on continuity, adding: “I want to keep customers coming in, keep the shop alive and keep everyone’s job going,” he says. “If you don’t have as good a year as other years, so be it, as long as you’re making a profit and the shop’s still here and everyone’s still working and enjoying it – and that’s me included.”

Despite the pressures facing the wider industry, Oly remains optimistic, adding: “I feel there’s a lot of negativity around, and I get why, but it’s such a shame. I say, come on, let’s knuckle down and fight. This is all I know. As a kid, I must have been born to do it.”