What’s the catch?

Cod and haddock are becoming harder and more expensive to source, prompting some fish and chip shops to experiment with alternative species they might not have considered a few years ago

Millers Fish & Chips, Haxby, York

Species: Tilapia

Size: 5oz

Menu Price: £5.50

Haddock: £8.20

Millers trialled tilapia as a special last month, giving customers another option alongside cod and haddock. But rather than just batter it, head frier Abby Barker experimented with different flavours to offer something unique on the menu. “After researching tilapia, I discovered it is a freshwater species originally from Africa and the Middle East. With this part of the world known for its spices and flavour, I developed a spice rub combining curry powder, cayenne pepper, turmeric and coriander.”

Millers added the rub to fillets before battering, giving the cooked fish a dark golden colour while allowing the delicate, mild flavour to come through with a hint of spice on the finish.

The five ounce fillets, which have a smaller flake than haddock, are bought in already cut, skinned and boneless, making them easy for staff to serve. Priced at a very reasonable £5.50, customers were able to build their own meal by adding sauces and sides and still get value for money.

Social media promotion was a key part of the launch, with videos of the fish being prepared that showcased its distinctive golden colour and spice rub, drawing curiosity and encouraging uptake. Staff at the counter also explained the fish and its spices to customers. “When customers didn’t know what they wanted, the front-of-house team pushed tilapia and explained about the new special and the spices,” says Abby.

Tilapia proved popular, with around 75 fillets sold during the initial trial. Its mild flavour, enhanced by the spices, offered an alternative for diners wanting something different.

Brockley’s Rock, Brockley, London

Species: Rock salmon

Size: 10–12oz

Menu Price: £10.45

Cod: £10.30

Rock Salmon at Brockley’s Rock offers customers another option in addition to cod and haddock. Sourced primarily from Cornwall, with occasional imports from North America, the fish is delivered whole, cleaned, skinned and then portioned in-house. The shop serves it both battered and grilled; when grilled, it is finished simply with olive oil, salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon, highlighting the fish’s natural flavours. The meat is soft and flaky, with a richer, more pronounced taste than cod, making it popular with customers seeking something different.

“It has become our third best seller after cod and haddock,” explains owner Kyri Karoulla. “It’s really nice to be able to sell a fish from British waters and it fries in exactly the same way as cod and haddock. It’s one for people who want a little bit more flavour.”

Its success is part of a wider strategy to diversify the menu, with Brockley’s Rock also offering mackerel and hake, and plans to introduce saithe too. The focus is on providing choices that go beyond the traditional fish and chip offering, with Kyri adding: “It gives people another option so they don’t have to come in and say straight away, ‘I‘ll have cod and chips’.”

The Scrap Box, York

Species: Saithe

Size: 5–6oz

Menu Price: £7.95 (with chips and a sauce)

Haddock & Chips: £10.95

Saithe was added to The Scrap Box menu thanks to strong industry support and promotional efforts by the Norwegian Seafood Council. The shop sourced MSC certified Norwegian saithe from Smales, delivered skinned and pre-portioned.

“The Norwegian saithe we used was caught by the Langøy vessel that I had been on earlier in the year with the Norwegian Seafood Council so it was reassuring to have seen the effort that goes into catching and processing it,” says owner Aman Singh. Serving fillets roughly five to six ounces, The Scrap Box paired saithe with a portion of chips and sauce for £7.95 and added it as a lunchtime special.

“It was on the menu board as fish and chips, but we put underneath that it was MSC certified Norwegian saithe and we sold around 10 fillets a day. That is around the same amount of cod we sell, as we are predominantly a haddock area,” explains Aman.

Although saithe was straightforward to prepare, cooked in the same way as cod or haddock, and removing pin bones was easier due to the smaller fillet size, staff had to explain the slightly darker grey colour of the flesh to customers. “Despite the colour, I really liked it and so did the team and that was important because they were really upselling it. They all got behind it.” They also made use of leaflets and information about the fish’s provenance, MSC certification and nutritional properties, provided by the NSC to help drive sales.

Customer feedback has been largely positive and its introduction is part of a broader strategy to increase the variety of fish on the menu, with plans to trial hake and other species. Aman hopes that one or two of these trials will become permanent menu items, further diversifying offerings for its customers.

The Cod’s Scallops

Species: Hake

Size: 200–220g

Menu Price: £16.90 (with chips)

Cod & Chips: £15.50

Hake has become a popular alternative at The Cod’s Scallops, taking pride of place as its third biggest seller behind cod and haddock. Sourced from Peterhead or Cornwall, it is supplied portioned ready to use for consistency across all five of its sites. “We serve it skin on and it’s cut from really thick fillets so it’s always nice and chunky,” explains owner John Molnar. Describing it as sweeter than cod but with the same chunky flakes, he offers it fried or baked in a BBQ rub.

“A lot of people have it baked,” says John. “It’s a very forgiving fish. If you overcook it slightly, it still stays beautiful and moist. We keep the skin on to keep the flesh together a bit more.”

The staff actively educate customers on the origins and qualities of the fish, helping build interest in alternative species.

Two Gates Fisheries, Barnsley, West Yorkshire

Species: Woof fish

Size: 6–7oz

Menu Price: £9.95 (with chips)

Cod & chips: £9.95

Woof Fish is a local speciality revived after two customers mentioned to owner Craig Butcher how they regularly travel to Whitby for it. Historically known as Scarborough Woof, it is caught in local waters and landed in Peterhead, Scotland, then portioned into thick, steak-like pieces by fish merchant Dennis Crooks. Known for its sweet flavour and large flakes, the fish takes a little longer to cook than cod or haddock due to the thickness of the steaks. It is offered battered as well as crumbed.

“Sales were initially slow, but giving out samples helped customers overcome any hesitation,” says Craig. Also helping to raise awareness and drive sales is a small display board on top of the frying range, highlighting the fish’s origin and qualities. “It creates a great talking point,” explains Craig. “And it gives us and members of the team the opportunity to explain where it’s from, where it’s caught, where it’s landed and how popular it used to be.”

Although not a cost-effective option – costing a little more than cod and haddock – Two Gates offsets the price difference by the fact that potato prices are slightly cheaper at the moment. “It’s another species to give people a little bit more choice. Woof fish is an effective way to diversify our menu while still maintaining traditional fish and chip appeal.”