Middleton Foods announces Winner of The Peter Hill Award

Middleton Foods is delighted to announce SALT Fish & Chips in Cumbria as the Winner of The Peter Hill Award 2024. Located by the beach in beautiful Seascale, SALT prides itself on using Cumbrian produce and focuses on high welfare and high ethics; it was deemed a truly deserved winner by the judges for this money-can’t-buy set of prizes – worth over £15,000!

The Peter Hill Award was launched by Middleton Foods in memory of its late CEO, Peter Hill, to reflect Peter’s passion for his beloved fish and chip industry. Speaking about the Winner, Ryan Baker, Sales Manager, Middleton Foods says:

“We’re delighted to announce Ben, Amy and their team at SALT Fish & Chips as the very deserving Winner of The Peter Hill Award 2024! The judges were really impressed with their drive to set up a new business, and their determination to make the shop an integral part of the community. SALT has already started the process of striving for excellence, and the support Middleton Foods can give them will help them to achieve their goals.

“Peter loved the industry so much and was always keen to support and nurture new talent in the trade he adored. The Peter Hill Award recognises newcomers to the industry, encourages new talent, promotes quality and excellence and allows us to give something back to the trade – SALT Fish & Chips and everything it stands for, really stood out to our judges. We know Peter would be delighted they’ve been chosen as the Winner. Huge congratulations to SALT Fish & Chips.”

Commenting on their achievement Benjamen Seed, Owner, SALT Fish & Chips says:

“We are incredibly honoured to win this wonderful award especially given the standard of our fellow finalists. It shows that the hard work we put in isn’t going unrecognised and I’m really glad we can share this with our customers. Huge thanks to our amazing team here who haven’t only been committed to their roles but have also motivated me to strive for more. Finally, I just want to say thanks to Middleton Foods and the wider fish and chip community for welcoming us into the family and providing an abundance of support. I am forever grateful. Ben, Amy and the SALT team.”

As well as the kudos of being announced Winner of the inaugural Peter Hill Award, the spectacular prize won by SALT Fish & Chips is worth over £15,000 and includes – £1,000 worth of Middleton Foods stock; design of their own, ‘own label’ bespoke batter mix; two places at the KFE School of Frying Excellence; two places on the NFFF Fish Frying course; 1-1 ForkedUp training with Calum Richardson, for 3 months; two tickets to the Fish & Chip Shop of the Year Awards 2025 (with hotel accommodation and travel expenses); a years’ support from Middleton Foods very own Batter Boys and additional support for National Fish and Chip Day 2025.

The Award was a hotly run contest, with a fantastic number of entries. Five Runners-Up – Catch, Porthleven, Cornwall; Frydays, Kendal, Lancashire; Sea Blue Fisheries, Clowne, Sheffield; The Anchor, Bexley, Kent; and The Friary, Beauly, Scotland – win £300 worth of Middleton Foods stock and two places at the KFE School of Frying Excellence.

Middleton Foods wanted to keep their great friend Peter’s memory alive. Creating The Peter Hill Award, which reflects Peter’s passion for his beloved fish and chip industry, is a true legacy to Peter. Middleton Foods would like to thank the independent expert judging panel – Fred Capel, Nigel Hodgson and Calum Richardson – as well as Nikki Williams, Field Sales Manager, KFE and NFFF too, for their support.

Middleton Foods, the UK’s leading manufacturer of foodservice pre-mixes, is a family owned and operated business, proudly manufacturing food products in the heart of the UK using modern machinery combined with the latest manufacturing techniques. For further information please call Middleton Foods on +44 (0)1902 608122 or visit www.middletonfoods.com/the-peter-hill-award.