Customer Case Study - Seniors

Alastair knows his chips and starts industry discussion

David Linton of FFF and Alastair
Horabin of Seniors.

When it comes to knowing his potatoes, Alastair Horabin of Seniors is a chip off the old block. In fact, thanks to neighbouring specialist potato growers and chip manufacturers, Fylde, Fresh and Fabulous, he's acquired an in-depth knowledge of the potato industry.

The eldest son of fish and chip shop proprietors, Rick and Brenda Horabin, Alastair is general manager of Seniors, the family owned business which has outlets throughout the Fylde. And after only four years in the business, at the tender age of 22, he has developed a successful new restaurant and won the North West Fish and Chip of the Year Award, finishing third in the national final.

Alastair had ambitions of selling as many varieties of fish as possible and educate people about the wonderful choice available, at that time he knew little about potatoes. He explained: "Although I was brought up in the business we always used the same traditional potato merchant."

"I always wanted to innovate and I was most impressed with the freshly prepared chips available from Fylde, Fresh and Fabulous. The concept of pre-prepared chips is nothing new, but they always lacked both quality and consistency due to time and distance involved in transportation. When I approached Fylde, Fresh and Fabulous I saw the future ~ and I've never looked back."

Using Fylde, Fresh and Fabulous freshly prepared chips made a major impact on Seniors' business. Preparing potatoes is a labour intensive process but there are now significant savings in staff costs and related administration; there is no need for a wet area and less capital investment in machinery.

Alastair Horabin said: "The simple FF&F chip has had a dramatic effect on our business! In 2006 Seniors built a 2,800 sq ft fish and chip takeaway and restaurant with no wet room and just a double door fridge as freshly prepared chips are delivered daily.

"Thanks to Fylde, Fresh and Fabulous, its consistent quality product and our trust in the company we had the confidence to make this significant leap forward."

Speaking at the fish and chip shop awards ceremony, Alastair started a heated debate about the merits of freshly prepared chips in contrast to dirty potatoes. He concluded: "The traditionalists believe that peeling dirty potatoes is essential for a chip shop. I disagree! When we took all the cost into consideration, the freshly peeled chip won hands down. Fylde Fresh and Fabulous provides the quality product needed and consistently meets our daily requirements."

Reflecting on Alastair's success, Fylde Fresh and Fabulous managing director, David Linton, commented: "More shops are now recognising the merits of the freshly peeled chip, not only for convenience but in economic terms as well".

"There are also industry-wide environmental issues. At FF&F we dry all our waste peelings for animal feed. In an industry using in the region of 600,000 tonnes of potatoes, this means that fish and chip shops are disposing of between 200,000 and 300,000 tonnes of waste. Most will end up in landfill. This can't be sustainable in the future, so at least we can provide a responsible, quality solution."