The Ceres Podcast

For Episode 250 of The Ceres Podcast, Stelios is joined by the Podsquad: David Miller, David Nicolaou and Mark Petrou.

David Miller kicks things off with the latest potato and fish market update, including the impact of drought, smaller potato crops, changing demand and what operators could be paying in the months ahead.

From there, the conversation widens into the pressures facing fish and chip shops: rising wages, taxes, supplier costs and increasingly tight margins, along with the steps operators are taking to simplify their businesses and protect profitability.

The team also tries to make sense of some unusual consumer behaviour. Customers say they are stretched, yet certain restaurants, experiences and discretionary purchases remain busy. Are people simply spending less often, but expecting much more when they do?

That leads into a wider debate about the future of fish and chips: will the trade become more premium and artisan, or are the strongest operators simply the ones concentrating on doing fewer things exceptionally well — fresh, hot food, great service and a clear point of difference?

They also discuss customer complaints, social media, shrinking menus, finding the right customers rather than trying to please everyone, and whether simplicity could be one of the best routes to growth.

Finally, David Nicolaou raises a recent experience with environmental health officers, PPDS labelling, allergens and "food hypersensitivity", prompting a discussion about what the terminology actually means and what operators need to understand.

A wide-ranging Podsquad episode covering the market, the customer, the operator and where the fish and chip industry may be heading next.

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In Episode 249 of The Ceres Podcast, Mark Petrou is joined by Kate Mills, Business Development Manager at Stokes Sauces.

Kate shares her remarkable journey from growing up in a family-run hairdressing business, through careers in textile design, sportswear and insurance, to becoming one of the most recognisable figures in the UK fish & chip industry. Along the way she explains how family values, creativity and a passion for people shaped her approach to business.

The conversation then explores the story behind Stokes Sauces, from Rick Sheepshank's commitment to quality ingredients and British manufacturing, to building an award-winning brand now sold around the world.

Mark and Kate also take a deep dive into the changing foodservice landscape, discussing:

• How GLP-1 weight loss medication is changing customer behaviour.
• Why protein is becoming a major purchasing driver.
• The growth of fried chicken and what it means for fish & chip shops.
• Portion sizes, menu engineering and improving margins.
• Consumer trends, online ordering and attracting younger customers.
• Why premium condiments can elevate both the customer experience and profitability.

Rather than simply identifying challenges, Kate shares practical ideas that fish & chip shop owners can implement today to remain relevant, profitable and competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

Sharpen your decision making with the Ceres Calculators.

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In Episode 248 of the Ceres Podcast Podsquad, Stelios Theocharous is joined by David Miller, Kelly Barnes and Mark Petrou for another wide-ranging discussion on the biggest issues currently affecting fish & chip shops.

This episode covers:

• The latest market update on cod, haddock, hake and potato prices. • Why falling potato prices may not last as long as many expect. • The UK's new Statutory Sick Pay changes and what they mean for independent businesses. • How employers can balance supporting genuine illness while protecting their businesses. • Handling customer complaints, online reviews and protecting staff morale. • Whether farmed cod could become part of the future of the fish & chip industry. • Insights from the English Fish & Chip Awards. • Trading through extreme summer temperatures and adapting staffing to changing customer demand. • Practical discussions on stock control, labour planning and maintaining profitability during quieter trading periods.

As always, the Podsquad shares honest opinions, practical experience and real-world advice from operators who work in the industry every day.

Hosts: Stelios Theocharous David Miller Kelly Barnes Mark Petrou

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Cos Michael returns to the Ceres Podcast for a follow-up conversation, building on the discussion from Episode 230.

In this episode, we explore some of the biggest challenges currently facing fish and chip shop operators, from fish supply and rising costs to changing customer behaviour and the realities of modern trade. Cos also shares a remarkable EHO inspection story that resulted in a long-standing five-star business being downgraded overnight, before successfully challenging the decision through the appeals process.

From there, we discuss why speed, simplicity and operational efficiency are becoming increasingly important, whether many businesses are carrying more complexity than they need, and how operators can make better decisions using strategic frameworks such as the Boston Matrix.

We finish by discussing the newly rebuilt Ceres Calculator Suite and why understanding your numbers is essential for making better business decisions in today's market.

In this episode:

• Current trading conditions across the industry
• Fish supply challenges and alternative species
• Rising costs and changing customer expectations
• Lunch trade, menu design and service speed
• A real-life EHO inspection and appeal
• The hidden cost of complexity
• Menu engineering and operational efficiency
• The Boston Matrix explained simply
• Strategic thinking for fish and chip shops
• The importance of understanding your numbers
• The new Ceres Calculator Suite

If you haven't already listened to it, make sure you also check out Episode 230, where Cos and I discussed staffing, customer service, technology, CRM systems, delivery platforms and the evolution of the fish and chip industry.

Sharpen your decision making with the Ceres Calculators.

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today.

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In episode #246 of The Ceres Podcast, Stelios is joined by the Podsquad team — Kelly Barnes, David Miller, David Nicolaou and Mark Petrou — for a May roundtable on the realities facing fish and chip operators right now.

The discussion covers trade in 2026, changing customer behaviour, rising food and supply chain pressures, pricing, market updates, social media, online reputation, copycat businesses, alternative fish species, and the difficult commercial decisions behind closing a site.

Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today.

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In this episode of The Ceres Podcast, Stelios is joined by Jamie Russo from Redcloak Fish Bar in Stonehaven and Charlie Collins from Frydales in Leicester for an honest operator-to-operator conversation about the current state of the fish and chip industry.

Originally planned as a Q&A episode, the conversation quickly turns into a deep discussion around what's really happening in the trade right now:

• Are shops actually making money?
• Why are fish prices still so volatile?
• Are delivery apps helping or hurting independent shops?
• Does the traditional fish and chip shop model still work in 2025?
• Are menus becoming too big and complicated?
• Why are customers spending differently now?
• And what happens next for the industry?

Jamie and Charlie both run successful fish and chip businesses day-to-day and are former Young Fish Frier of the Year winners, bringing practical insight from two very different parts of the UK.

This episode covers everything from cod vs haddock, frozen-at-sea fish, potato pricing, staffing pressures and rising costs, through to pizza businesses, customer psychology, supermarket competition and the changing future of takeaway food.

A candid, unscripted discussion between three operators living the realities of the trade every day.

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In Episode 244 of the Ceres Podcast, Stelios introduces the first Welsh roundtable, hosted by Zohaib Hussain of Zero Plus Fish Bar in Cardiff.

Joining him are Ryan Hughes of Ship Deck Fish and Chips in Caerphilly, Danny White Mier of Enochs in North Wales, and Jemma Hennighan Evans of Hennighans in Mid Wales.

Together, they discuss what fish and chip shop operators across Wales are seeing on the ground right now: getting more customers through the door, the reality of delivery platforms, how digital content and branding affect sales, the challenge of moving customers beyond cod, and where the industry may be heading over the next decade.

This is a practical, honest operator conversation covering pricing, community, menu development, customer behaviour, marketing, and the changing shape of the fish and chip trade in Wales.

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Mark Petrou is joined by Dr Claire Markham of Nottingham Trent University to discuss the social, cultural and economic role of rural pubs in Britain today. Together, they examine why the village pub remains such an important part of community life, why so many are struggling, and how nostalgia, commercial reality and changing habits are reshaping the future of these local institutions. It's a thoughtful conversation about belonging, survival and what happens when the places that hold communities together begin to disappear.

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It's the first full-squad catch-up of the year. We cover how January trade really played out, David Miller's fish and potato market update (including why cod prices look stable for now), and why "cheaper alternative species" marketing often backfires. We also get practical on price anchoring, portion strategy, and why Just Eat/Deliveroo can add incrementalsales if you price it properly. Plus: how to win younger customers without bloating the menu—and a TikTok hiring test that delivered 75 applications in a day.

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Mark Petrou & Danny Hennessy discuss how fish and chip shop valuations have changed dramatically — and why most owners don't realise it. In this episode, they break down how shops are valued today, why profit now matters more than turnover, how banks really view the industry, and what owners should be thinking about if an exit is on the horizon.

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