All-Ways Fryday in Poole, Dorset is celebrating winning 80 bags of Goldensheaf Batter Mix, courtesy of Kerry Foodservice
When Ken McKenzie, owner of All-Ways Fryday, learned he’d won 80 x 16kg bags of Goldensheaf Light Batter Mix in a competition celebrating the brand’s 80th anniversary, he was, in his own words, “absolutely shocked”. Not because he doubted his luck, but because he had been on a cruise without phone reception. Once the news finally reached him, he was delighted.
For Ken, the win wasn’t just a lucky break, it was deeply fitting. Goldensheaf Light has been his batter of choice for nearly 36 years, virtually his entire time in the industry. “One of the T.Quality sales directors recommended it and, although we’ve tried other batters over that period, Goldensheaf Light has consistently delivered what we need,” he comments.
Its appeal, he says, lies in its clean, natural profile. Ken has long been committed to keeping his fish and chips free from additives and artificial flavourings, and Goldensheaf Light fits that ethos perfectly. Ken adds: “We wanted our fish and chips to be natural with nothing added and Goldensheaf Light has always ticked the boxes.”
Ken and his team mix the batter using a secret method. While he won’t divulge the full formula, he reveals that chilled water is key, and the batter is made in small batches. “We use defrosted frozen water,” he says. “We freeze it overnight, and then use it just on the cusp in the morning to mix it up and then we keep it in the fridge.” It’s this care and attention to detail that helps the batter maintain its signature crunch and golden finish.
Ken’s journey into fish and chips wasn’t a straightforward one. Before entering the trade, he was a national sales manager in the cosmetics industry. But after being inspired by a local chippy near his first home in Bristol, he decided to make a career change. He offered to work three months unpaid in a shop just to get a foot in the door, an offer that paid off. Within weeks, he’d transformed a struggling business, growing its weekly takings tenfold. From there, he bought his first shop, and over the years, he’s owned several, including one that won the prestigious Seafish Fish & Chip Shop of the Year in 1996.
Now down to one site – All-Ways Fryday – Ken still runs a busy and respected shop. His aim is the same today as it was 37 years ago – to give his customers what they want, explaining: “In this area of Poole, we have some very good fish and chip shops so there’s a lot of competition and we’re all striving to be the best. Goldensheaf Light has done us well and we have won numerous awards with it, including Fish & Chip Shop of the Year and being named in The Fry Top 50 Takeaways.”
The 80 bags of batter are much appreciated by Ken, especially with operational costs climbing. “We usually order 60 bags at a time,” he says. “So winning 80 is a great bonus. It will save us a couple of thousand pounds. Thank you Goldensheaf for such a generous prize and congratulations for 80 years of producing great products.”
Kerry Foodservice 0800 138 1938 eu.kerryfoodservice.com
