Flatfish Ltd © 2021-24. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy
Blog
Flatfish Secure a Win at the 2021 Q Awards
In 2021, Flatfish launched our first added value fish lines as part of our aim to encourage more people to eat more sustainable fish.
The pandemic brought a lot of turbulence to our usual routines and lives. Restaurants were closed, and as a result, UK consumers fell back in love with home cooking. A study conducted by a UK retailer found consumers were cooking up to 4x more meals at home than ever before. While cooking confidence was high and interest in specialist fish species grew, our NPD team saw an opportunity to create products that satisfy the craving for high-quality fishery products and present different options to the current market offering.
One species chosen was halibut to create a dish fit for royalty. Two halibut fillets with a lemon, caper and parsley butter, topped with fresh capers and parsley. Pan-seared to ensure crispy skin and finished with the tangy caper and lemon butter making a mouth-watering dish even the best chefs would be proud of. Our flaky, snow-white halibut, known as the King of the Sea, is sustainably farmed in the crystal clear fjords of Norway. The farm, which has a reputation for sustainable practices, carefully looks after the halibut from hatchery to final pens giving the best end product. The result is a meaty, succulent texture guaranteeing this fish will win hearts and satisfy palates.
The other species selected was our PGI status smoked fish, used to create a smoked haddock rarebit with a cheddar and parsley crumb. The smokey flavour of the fish, perfectly complemented by the topping of creamy cheddar, brown ale, and a drop of English mustard creates a dish that will leave you longing for more. Designed to induce nostalgia in anyone who tries it, the flavours hug your tastebuds, moving you to a warm, comforting place. We smoke the haddock in our specialist smokehouse located in Grimsby, which has over 100 years of heritage. The smoking techniques, mastered through experience and knowledge passed from one generation to the next, result in a perfectly balanced, artisanal smoked fish.
We loved these lines so much we decided to enter them into the 2021 Quality Food Awards. The Q Awards recognise and celebrate the best food products available in UK retail. We were delighted to learn the panel of esteemed judges agreed with us, despite the tough competition. Our smoked haddock rarebit was the category winner, and the halibut with a caper, lemon, and parsley butter won highly commended product. This recognition manifests the pride and care taken by our team when curating the new products. We listened to our customers’ needs, designed and launched products that resonated with their consumers. We are thrilled to have had such a successful entry into the added value market.
If you would like to enquire about our capabilities, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our team today.