Waste Not, Profit More: How Frydales Turned Fish Trimmings into a Best-Seller

In today’s tough trading conditions, forward-thinking operators are looking beyond the usual solutions. For Charlie Collins of Frydales in Syston and Leicester, it meant turning what was in front of him on the cutting board into a customer favourite — and a major contributor to gross profit.

“My duty is to make the business as profitable as possible,” Charlie says. “Not just in this climate, but always. If you make tough decisions when things are okay, then you benefit in times of hardship.”

And that’s exactly what he did when he transformed his approach to fish trimmings by introducing homemade fishcakes using the Ceres Fishcake Mix and Rustic Breadcrumbs.

Seeing Value Where Others See Waste

When Charlie moved from 16/32 cod to 8/16, he noticed a rise in fish trim.

While many shops might just toss these trimmings in the bin or give a larger portion to have less trim, Charlie had a better idea: develop a new product that customers would actually want.

“I hate the word waste,” he says. “The best way to eliminate it is to never create it in the first place — or to turn it into something customers want.”

He had tried selling fish bites and even explored ideas like Yorkshire fishcakes and fish pie, but nothing quite stuck. What he needed was a consistent, simple, staff-friendly solution that delivered on taste and profitability. “Profit isn’t just in your primary product. It’s in what you do with everything else.”

The Ceres Fishcake System: A Game-Changer

Charlie had attempted homemade fishcakes before, but poor texture, inconsistent colour, and breadcrumb issues held him back. This time, things were different.

“Stelios at Ceres suggested mincing the fish instead of poaching it like we did before. That took some of the density outand now cooks quicker — just four minutes at 170°C. The Rustic Breadcrumbs don’t burn, and the texture is far better.”

His simple recipe — 2kg minced fish, 1L water, and 500g Ceres Fishcake Mix — was easy for the team to follow and scale. They now produce up to 100 fishcakes at a time, forming 3 to 3.3oz discs. The workflow is smooth: mince and mix on day one, freeze, dip, and breadcrumb quickly and back in the freezer.

“All the staff can do it. It’s now part of our routine. Freezing makes them easier to handle and ready for service when we need them.”

Better Fillets, Better Fishcakes, Better Margins

One surprising benefit? Fillets improved.

“We were selling a 10/11oz large, but 1-2oz of that would be thin or tail. Those bits now go into fishcakes. Customers get a better fillet, and I get a better gross profit — twice.”

Using trimmings that would’ve been discounted or over-portioned now fuels a product with gross profit margins of around 85%.

And if you think 1-2oz here and there doesn’t matter? Think again.

Loosely speaking, if you’re unintentionally giving 12oz instead of 10oz:

50 portions a day = £28 loss/day

6 days a week = £168/week

52 weeks/year = £8,736 per year lost on just 2oz too much fish.

That’s not just about food cost — that’s pure profit walking out the door. By trimming and repurposing the fish properly, Charlie has flipped a quiet loss into a strong revenue stream.

The Rustic Advantage

At first, Charlie was hesitant to use Ceres Rustic Breadcrumbs.

“I wanted the fishcakes to look generic — I didn’t want customers noticing the change. But once I tried them, I was fully converted. They look better, hold their colour, and the texture is just right.”

The rustic coating gives the fishcakes a thicker, more appealing appearance in the hot cabinet — something customers are noticing and responding to.

“They’re bigger, thicker, tastier. Customers are pointing them out.”

Selling Like Hot… Fishcakes

The reception has been strong. Despite a little resistance from a few vocal customers, sales are speaking for themselves — especially in kids’ meals and lunchtime deals.

“People who don’t like something are always loud. But if sales are going up, that’s what really matters.”

The fishcakes fly out the door at £3.99 in a lunch deal or as part of half-price kids’ meals on weekends. Their high-profitmargin means Frydales can offer genuine value without compromising on the bottom line.

Support That Simplifies Success

Charlie credits his success not just to the products but also to the guidance and support he received.

“Stelios was great. He helped us create a system that’s easy to follow. He’s always on hand — no question is too stupid.”

That hands-on support helped turn a good idea into a winning product.

“A No-Brainer” for Shop Owners

Would Charlie recommend it to others?

“Yes, it’s a no-brainer. With very minimal effort, you get a better product and a more profitable menu item. It even improves your fillets — and gives you something unique.”

So, if you’re looking to stop throwing money away — or unintentionally giving it away — maybe it’s time to follow Charlie’s lead.

Try the Ceres Fishcake Mix and Rustic Breadcrumbs and turn your trimmings into something your customers will love.