To celebrate the start of Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight, Gordon Hillan, KFE Area Sales Manager for Scotland, champions the country’s vibrant fish and chip industry

How many miles do you travel and how many fish and chip shops do you visit each year?

Scotland has approximately 1,000 fish and chip shops, 320 of which are KFE customers. I cover an average of 1,000 miles every week (one of the reasons the company has moved to electric cars) and try to see them all periodically as well as follow up on new leads.

How have you seen fish and chip shops in your area change over recent years?

The biggest change I’d say is the quality of food being produced with the help of high efficiency range technology and ease of equipment use.

What’s the mark of a really good fish and chip shop?

A good looking shop, excellent customer service and quality food – in that order.

What’s your favourite dish on a fish and chip shop menu?

Always haddock and chips. There are no processed foods in there which complements my attempt at a healthy eating programme!

What food do you think Scots do better than chippies anywhere else?

Battered black pudding. Scottish puddings have fewer lumps of fat than southerners’ so it is much smoother and more pleasant to eat.

Is it true that Scots will fry anything?

No…that’s because my Scottish defence system kicks in when I’m asked questions like this by an English person! But in reality, aye we will.

Is there anything unusual you’ve seen on a fish and chip shop menu?

Battered deep fried cheese. I can never get used to that and they come in multiple varieties!

Anything that shouldn’t work but does?

Top-end quality shop fits in poor areas; they work brilliantly. Just because it’s a less affluent area doesn’t necessarily mean that residents are less demanding of quality.

During your time in fish and chips what has left the biggest impression on you?

I still get impressed by absolute dynamite fish and chips which are produced by many of my customers in a variety of ways. The end product is always a delight to see.

What’s the key to surviving the turbulent times the industry is currently experiencing?

Stick to what you do best. If you need to increase prices then do so but don’t start cutting quality because your customers will notice immediately. This wave will settle and the customers you have now are the same ones you’ll have when the dust settles, but if you compromise on quality they’ll go elsewhere.

If you would like to discuss your frying range requirements, you can contact Gordon on 07843 641116.