The three finalists in the running for the prestigious title of NFFF Quality Award Champion, part of the 2020 National Fish & Chip Awards, have been announced today.

The shortlisted businesses are:

• Hillycroft Fisheries, Morley, West Yorkshire
• Shillingford’s, Neath, West Glamorgan
• The Real Food Café, Tyndrum, Perthshire

Organised by Seafish, the public body that supports the £10bn UK seafood industry, the National Fish & Chip Awards have been inspiring excellence within the UK’s fish and chip sector for over thirty years. The NFFF Quality Award Champion is one of 14 categories up for grabs in the national competition. It is an extension of the National Federation of Fish Friers’ quality accreditation scheme – a rigorous industry benchmark that showcases best practice in the fish and chip industry. The award category is only open to businesses that currently hold an NFFF Quality Award and the ceremony crowns the ultimate champion of this prestigious accreditation programme.

To reach this stage, the shortlisted businesses were required to demonstrate that they met the NFFF’s quality benchmarks which included assessment of the overall quality of premises, working practices, key ingredients, cooked products, hygiene standards and staff training. Most importantly, it looked at how businesses promoted the significance of this quality mark to customers.   

Marcus Coleman, Chief Executive at Seafish, said: “This award is at the heart of the wider awards programme; recognising and celebrating businesses that go above and beyond to provide the highest quality fish and chips in an environment of equally high standards.

“As well as delivering a superior product and service, these businesses have demonstrated excellence and set fantastic standards for the wider fish and chip industry to aspire to. Congratulations to them.” 

Andrew Crook, President at The National Federation of Fish Friers, added: “Launched in 2011, the NFFF Fish & Chip Quality Award is offered to the industry to improve operating standards and showcase best practice to UK wide consumers. The NFFF works in conjunction with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) as part of the appraisal and accreditation process for the award to ensure that sustainable fish is highlighted to award holders.

“Incorporating our award into the National Fish & Chip Awards gives accredited shops the chance to compete to become the champion amongst all NFFF Quality Award holders. The standard of entries received this year was once again very high and the judges were impressed by the dedication show by the businesses.” 

The winner of the NFFF Quality Award Champion category will be announced at the National Fish & Chip Awards ceremony, held at the Royal Lancaster London Hotel on 23 January 2020.

For more information about the awards visit: https://www.seafish.org/fish-chip-awards or follow @fishnchipawards / #fishnchipawards on Twitter.