CATCH – THE ACCIDENTAL FISHCAKE CHAMPIONS!

Was there ever a grand plan to become The Codmother?

I can’t say that it was up there like performing on a West End stage or having my own radio show… but here I am running The Fabulous Catch Company in the beautiful New Forest on the south coast of England.

We make an exciting range of posh fishcakes, many of which have achieved a prestigious Great Taste Award. We’re raising the profile of the humble fishcake – from a rather unappetising bright orange ‘puck’ served for school dinners and in greasy chippies – into a rather splendid, healthy lunch or supper dish, with no frying tonight!

Island born
Hayley Elston holding a crab
Hayley Elston, The Codmother

Passionate about supporting our declining fishing industry and doing our bit to protect diminishing fish stocks, our mission is to provide our customers with excellent food while supporting the region’s fishing crews. 

We buy from local growers and other local food producers to make a fabulous range of ready-to-eat products that combine traditional flavours and modern tastes.

The Catch vision is a simple one; to make the finest handmade, sustainable UK produce possible and to make your taste buds happy!

Hayley Elston

SUSTAINABLE. SEASONAL.
LOCAL. DELICIOUS.

All our fish is from sustainable sources and our produce, whenever possible, is from a seasonal larder local to our kitchen in the beautiful New Forest.

A sensational seasonal special – flaky haddock, parmesan, white truffle and asparagus grown locally in the New Forest.

Coated in our secret recipe crumb, our traditional British fish fingers are handmade with chunks of the finest white fish.

Award-winning fishcakes handmade from sustainably-caught white fish with a subtle sprinkling of aromatic spice.

We’ve only gone and won Aldi’s Next Big Thing!

You can buy Crabulous Crabcakes at Aldi stores across the country.

CATCH – THE BEGINNINGs

Back in 2012 and following a long career as a Food Projects Consultant, Hayley decided to put her passion for supporting the declining fishing industry and protecting the diminishing fish stocks into action. And so the Catch brand was born!

Hayley Elston started her ‘sustainable revolution’ on the Isle of Wight, making the now legendary ‘Festival Fish Finger Sandwich’ for Camp Bestival. The Fabulous Fishy Fingers were made entirely from the catch of the Yarmouth Fishermen’s Association (now the Needles Fishermen’s Co-op, a bona fide co-operative) .

Such was the success of The Fabulous Fishy Finger that Catch began hand-making other unique fish delicacies for the retail and restaurant trade, including gourmet fishcakes, crabcakes and crab bisque, proudly supporting sustainable fishing.

A NET FULL OF AWARDS  

Catch has a long and proud heritage of recognition through awards. We won our first Great Taste Award in 2013 for our Crabbie Crabcakes and Proper Posh Crab Bisque and have continued to scoop awards year after year.

SOME MICHELIN STARDUST

We’ve been lucky to have the support of Herbert Berger, a long-standing chef with a Michelin star pedigree. Known by the team as HB, he has always had a hand in the creation of the products that we add to the range. 

Austrian-born HB is a three-time Michelin star chef and has been actively involved in The Fabulous Catch Company since 2016.  

A Catch investor, Herbert’s creative culinary genius has guided many of the Catch recipes, ensuring each product in the range tastes sublime.