UK seafood supplier Chapman’s of Sevenoaks Ltd has teamed up with family-owned fishing and processing business Ocean Fish Group to establish a new seafood sourcing partnership.
The strategic joint-venture combines Chapman’s history of supplying premium seafood into the Greater London hospitality sector with Ocean Fish’s consolidated supply chain, including vessels, processing facilities and international procurement expertise.
Ocean Fish Group CEO Leigh Genge said the Cornwall-headquartered company was very excited to be entering the hospitality sector with a trusted partner that it has collaborated with for several decades.
“The Ocean Fish Group is looking to quickly capitalise on the clear potential for growth in Chapman’s, which will be built on a market leading reputation for premium quality and high-end service in London,” Genge said. “The home-counties based production site has significant additional capacity to accommodate increased volume and together with the financial support of the wider group and an integrated British fish supply chain, we believe that an unrivalled ‘sea to plate’ proposition has been created.”
Chapman’s works with the majority of the fishing fleets along the Kent, Sussex and Essex coasts, supplying leading restaurants and hotels, alongside premium events such as Formula 1 and the Chelsea Flower Show.
Its purpose-built, fully refrigerated 10,000-square-foot facility that’s 30 minutes from London ensures a fast, efficient and low food miles supply chain across the southeast.
“This exciting new venture allows us to double down on supplying truly exceptional British fish. Under the continued leadership of my long-term business partner David Theze and with increased access to group resources, we’re ready to grow, serve more customers, and strengthen our position in the market — while staying true to our values of quality, sustainability and craftsmanship,” Chapman’s Founding Director Keith Chapman said.
At the heart of the new partnership is a commitment to sustainable British sourcing, with both businesses combining day boats and quota across the southeast and southwest.
“This powerful joint-venture not only boosts sustainable British seafood supply to the country’s top restaurants and venues, it’s also a unique coming-together of businesses offering family values and industry scale – we like to say we’re ‘Large enough to deliver; small enough to care’ -
this shared ethos is what makes this partnership such an exciting opportunity for both companies; providing greater growth and scale, without compromise on our values,” Genge said.
