Speciality Food April 2025

Chapman’s retail and wholesale customers. JohnMingay, who has worked as a consultant for the Chapman family since the 1990s, has been instrumental in building this exciting new chapter. “I have worked with both Chapman’s and SubZero for the last few years, and with the father’s business before that, so I know what the potential could be if the two companies were tomerge,” he explains. At the time of discussions, SubZero had just moved into a new purpose- built factory unit –with roomand resources to spare. “Their intention is to use their bigger financial clout and the technical expertise they’ve A ll too often in the world of speciality food, heritage brands change hands in the name of investment and lose their hard-earned soul – but this is far from the case with Chapman’s, which is entering a new era in its family-run history with its focus on quality and heritage fully intact. The four Chapman brothers – Kevin, Simon, Paul and Steven – are unparalleled in terms of knowledge and experience of the fish industry, withmany decades under their collective belts. “We’ve been in the fish business for all of our lives,” begins Kevin Chapman, “right from when we left school and joined the family business”. After a period of working together, in 2007 the four brothers went in two different directions –with Kevin and Paul going on to formChapman’s Seafoods. While the brothers started out grading and packing fish for larger businesses, the stockmarket crash of 2008 hit home with Icelandic becoming harder andmore expensive to source, so the brothers thought creatively – and nostalgically – about their next steps. A family recipe, popular UK-wide Their mother’s fishcakes, once a favourite at the family table at home, were soon to become household go- tos nationwide thanks to the launch of Chapman’s fishcakes. “Dad was a fish filleter on the docks and used to bring home a lot of fish after work,” says Kevin, “so after working with a recipe developer to perfect the product we started selling themat farmers markets.” At-market consumer tastings went well, so before long the brothers were selling their fishcakes at farm shops around the country. “They were popular because they were a top quality product, not the usual mass- produced fishcakes you’d find at the supermarket,” says Kevin. By using fresh produce and transforming it as 16 MEET THE PRODUCER @specialityfood Family-run Chapman’s Seafoods is entering a new era, and there’s plenty for Speciality Food readers to be excited about you would at home – steaming and mashing potatoes andmixing them with familiar ingredients – the pair were making a name for themselves doing something they, and their family before them, could be proud of. The range was four-strong and covered popular flavours: Cod & Parsley; Salmon, Lemon & Dill; Haddock & Leek and Haddock & Bacon. Haddock Florentine, Smoked Salmon and East Coast Crab Cakes are more recent additions, and the total Chapman’s range now encompasses around 40 SKUs, ranging from handmade fish wellingtons to gourmet readymeals and natural fresh fish fillets and seafood. A fresh start for Chapman’s Chapman’s has undergone a number of iterations over the years, but arguably none are as exciting as the chapter soon to begin with Kevin’s brother Simon at the helm; a new, larger premises brings an impressive scope for innovation and growth – excellent news for the UK-wide fanbase of Chapman’s products and the retailers who sell them. “Last year, reaching retirement age, Paul and I decided to look for a buyer for the company,” says Kevin, “and our younger brother Simon showed an interest which we were thrilled about – it meant that the business would stay within the family and that our family name could remain at the centre of what we do.” Simon’s company, SubZero, has invested quite heavily in new equipment which will helpmake our productionmore efficient for The intention is to build on all the things that are good about Chapman’s but add in some efficiencies so that it’s able to service its customers even better than it has been doing for nearly 20 years developed over the years to grow Chapman’s while keeping family values at its core,” says John. Chapman’s will have a separate unit within the SubZero factory, so while the business will have access to SubZero’s sizeable resources it will be run as a separate business with its own kitchen and team. A boon for fine food retailers A family so steeped in fish knowledge and experience is a high value proposition for speciality retailers, who are set to benefit from the new iteration of Chapman’s. “The intention is to build on all the things that are good about Chapman’s but add in some efficiencies, production formats and up-to-date equipment,” says John, “so that it’s able to service its customers even better than it has been doing for nearly 20 years.” Exciting new flavours are on the horizon, but the traditional products that have earned Chapman’s a well-loved place in Speciality Food readers’ chiller cabinets are not going anywhere. “We have a traditional customer base who enjoy the classic flavours and formats we’ve been producing for years, and we have no plans to diminish that, but with our extra capacity we’re excited to experiment with some new options to tempt younger consumers,” Kevin says. This is far from a ‘buy a fine food brand for its credentials then knock down quality but not price’ situation. “Chapman’s products and quality won’t change –we will add to themandmake thembetter,” Kevin concludes.