250: The Podsquad – Rising Costs, Strange Consumers & the Future of Fish & Chips

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. Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book and boost your business today.  Ceres Facebook Page Ceres Podcast 📮Join the Ceres email list to keep updated and get monthly offers.