Top Chip Shop Award by Seafood of Scotland
Competition that evinces keen interest in England and Scotland is the National Fish & Chip Shop of the Year Competition. Now in its eighteenth year, the competition is sponsored by the Frozen at Sea Fillets Association (FASFA) and Seafood Scotland.
Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) rewards excellence in the fish and chip business, the nation’s most popular take away. A number of Fish and Chip shops are short-listed all over the nation and public interest is strong all over Scotland to find out the top shop.
The shops receive an unannounced visit from one of the anonymous judges who will mark them on the quality of their fish and chips, customer service, hygiene and staff training. The best shop in Scotland will be announced in September along with the names of eighteen others winners from across the UK. In the next round the best ten shops across the country will be selected. The final winner will emerge out of these after a rigorous nine month long judging process.
Seafood Scotland has also introduced Catching for the Market Award to honor the Scottish catching sector’s excellence in supplying the UK’s fish and chip shops with top quality Scottish fish. Seafood Scotland was established by the Scottish seafood industry in 1999 and supports local food festivals, health and educational initiatives and national as well as international promotions of Scottish seafood. It is an independent trade organization established “for the industry, by the industry”. Seafood Scotland promotes Scottish seafood and its main goal is to enhance the competitive performance, quality practices and global position of the Scottish seafood industry.
Seafish and the National Federation of Fish Friers have released a report that reveals a fish and chips meal is not only the most popular take away in the UK. It is also one of the healthiest as it less calorific and has higher protein and omega 3 values than others like the Chinese or Indian take away foods. There are over 11,500 fish and chip shops across the UK selling more than 250 million meals annually with a turnover of more than £900 million. The sector employs some 61,000 people.
