National Fish & Chip Awards shares details of marketing category finalists

An influential group of chippies have made a big impression in the Marketing Initiative of the Year category at the National Fish & Chip Awards and will be heading to London in February to find out which one of them will be verified as the best for campaign creativity.

Standing out in a sea of food outlets requires a stack of originality, buckets of authenticity and a heap of effort to engage customers. A hefty order to meet and that’s why the Marketing Initiative award is a chance to recognise fish and chip shops that are promoting the UK’s timeless treasure to great success.

For the last 38 years, the National Fish & Chip Awards has been building upon its reputation as the industry’s trusted barometer for standard setting. The competition is free to enter for all UK chippies – with a category for international outlets – and is an intense 360-degree business appraisal, which brings excellence to the forefront and sheds light on growth potential.

The judges for Marketing Initiative of the Year have been looking for strategies which resulted in effective storytelling, brand awareness, a strong online presence and audience engagement all coming together in a golden campaign. Anticipation for the awards has now skyrocketed as the conversation turns to the three finalists hoping to follow in the footsteps of 2025 winner Eric’s Fish and Chips in Thornham, Norfolk. They are:

Greater Manchester

Taylors, Stockport

London

Stones Fish and Chips, Acton

Yorkshire

The Scrap Box, York

“Keeping fish and chips at the forefront of people’s minds requires bold thinking and a good grasp of what will bring customers through the door on a regular basis,” says Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), which oversees the annual awards. “The experts reviewing the entries have spoken highly of the flair, playfulness and brilliant rollout of the initiatives. This category is always one where people’s energy and excitement for the sector is powerfully demonstrated and we’re really proud of the final three for the refreshing impact their making.”

Frozen potato processing business Agristo is the sponsor of the award and its UK country director Richard Storer says: “We’re incredibly proud to sponsor the Marketing Initiative of the Year award. At Agristo, creativity and innovation go hand in hand — and with AYE AYE, we’ve brought that same marketing mindset into the fish and chip sector. We’re looking forward to celebrating the inspiring ideas and initiatives that continue to move this industry forward.”

Caroline Southard, marketing manager at Eric’s Fish and Chips, speaks of the team’s win at the 2025 edition: “It’s been excellent to be recognised for our creative and inventive approach to marketing. Eric has always been a forward-thinking chef, experimenting and thinking up new dishes, such as our Japanese fish burger and our popular small plates.

“It was a natural jump for us to develop campaigns such as Tryday Fryday for kids, to help them taste new and different flavours – particularly good for the fussy eater. These types of approaches are a big win in our community, and our marketing has got more and more people interested in trying the different flavours we have to offer.”

The winner will be revealed at the awards ceremony on 25 February at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London.

Tickets for the National Fish & Chip Awards are available at  https://thefishandchipawards.com/event-tickets/. For more information and bits on the National Fish & Chip Awards, please visit: www.thefishandchipawards.com.