Budgens gets fish from sea to shelf in less than 36 hours

Budgens is guaranteeing fresh fish into stores less than 36 hours after being caught in the sea in its latest category development initiative to differentiate Budgens from the competition.  The 36-hour promise beats the supermarkets and demonstrates Budgens’ commitment to ‘real food for today’s communities’ in providing the freshest fish to market.

The ‘catch of the day’ initiative, which launched with plaice and Torbay sole, combines innovation with tradition as Budgens brings fish back to Fridays.  Having been caught in small fishing boats in Cornish waters in the early hours of Thursday morning, the fish is bought from the local fishermen at Looe Market at 6.30am, then packaged and en route to the nine trial stores, via the group’s depot in Wellingborough, by 10.30am ready to be sold Friday morning.

By developing relationships with local fishermen, and selling and promoting these more diverse fish in contrast to the more usual cod and haddock, Budgens is helping to protect the fisheries and promote sustainability.

To add theatre in store, the fish is displayed on a stand alone chiller or dedicated section of a chiller featuring a pre-printed ‘catch of the day’ header board with space below for the retailer to chalk up details of the catch of the day.  And to bring the fixture alive, retailers are provided with scallop shells, lemons, lime, samphire, fish stock and hollandaise sauce for decoration.  And, for customers wondering what dish to create with the fish once they’ve bought it, cooking instructions and recipes are also included in the point of sale.

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