U.K. company Potted Fish Co., started just five years ago by Jonathan Bailey when he was still a teenager, is fast becoming a household brand.
“It all started with a crab that needed eating up. I mixed the brown and white meat together with some spices and sealed it with a layer of butter on top to preserve it. When I shared it with friends a few days later, they thought it was wonderful and their reaction sparked off an idea for a small business. I never dreamed it was going to be a career changer!” he said.
Bailey, a self-confessed “foodie,” began visiting his mother in the southwest of England each weekend, where he bought crab and developed recipes in the kitchen of a local farm shop. “I picked and packed crab from Monday to Thursday, with some help from mum, then returned home to London to sell my products at weekend markets, all the while juggling my property business,” he said.
When Bailey showcased his first three products, old English crab, chili crab and smoked paprika crab at a national food show, three retailers courted his business and Potted Fish Co. products hit the shelves.
A sudden surge in orders brought logistical issues, which Bailey temporarily solved by buying ready-picked crabmeat and outsourcing production. When managing the business from a distance also became an issue, he relocated from London and rented a small unit on an industrial estate outside Newton Abbot in Devon, which has excellent links to the transport network.
“The new unit allowed me to develop the range, adding potted smoked mackerel and potted shrimp, along with crab cakes and prawn cakes,” he said. “My aim was to develop mid-range, quality products at an affordable price, that would be attractive to independent retailers as well as the multiples.”
Potted Crab Co. products are now a firm favorite with ASDA’s “aspirational" shoppers, retailing at around GBP 2.50 (USD 3.70, EUR 3.42) per pot.
“Added to pasta with some spring onions, lime and chili, my potted crab can be turned into an exotic meal for four people in under ten minutes, for very little cost,” said Bailey.
Potted Fish Co. crab cakes were launched in selected ASDA stores just last week, and by the second day, they had sold out and the order increased.
“It’s great that people are getting to know and trust our brand and to recognize the quality and provenance behind it,” he said.
Sales are also going well in Tesco and online retailer Ocado, in independent stores including Budgens and NISA, and there are plans to launch in other major retailers including Whole Foods Market.
Bailey noticed a big difference in uptake of his products after he employed a couple of brand ambassadors who undertake tasting sessions in stores and at local food festivals.
“People are generally wary of crab; they may not be familiar with the taste and texture, and it is useful to show them how versatile our products can be. Once tried, they usually fly off the shelves,” he said.
Bailey has also worked to develop an export market and now has products on sale in Switzerland, with launches due in retail outlets in Hong Kong, Thailand, China and New Zealand. The United States is also a short-term target market.
Production is now up to around 7,000 units per day, six days per week. “That’s a long way from the 120 units a day I used to produce by hand when I started out,” laughed Bailey.
With new product launches proving to be costly in terms of product development, testing, packaging and marketing, Bailey is taking things slowly. “I have lots of ideas for using local seafood such as scallops and mussels, and have 25 products lined up to trial. I am working with a development chef, testing new products through the farm shop, and using feedback to get them just right before approaching retailers,” he said.
Next to be launched is a range of gluten-free fish fingers and a gluten-free fish pie, which Bailey is very excited about.
He is currently working to complete a new website, www.pottedfish.co.uk, which will focus on sustainability, provenance and heritage, and include plenty of hints and tips about how to use the company’s products. The site will also feature an online cookery school.
With a handful of business awards already on the shelf and celebrity cooks getting in touch to say how much they love his products and ideas, Bailey and the Potted Fish Co. look set for a bright year ahead.
