OUR STORY
Catch – the accidental fishcake champions!
Was there ever a grand plan to run a funky fish factory? 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 along the South Coast of England.
We make an exciting range of trend-setting posh fishcakes, many of which have achieved a prestigious Great Taste Award. Raising the profile of the humble fishcake – from a rather unappetising bright orange ‘puk’ served for school dinners and in greasy chippies – into a rather splendid, healthy lunch or supper dish, where no frying is required!
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 whilst supporting local fish markets. 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 produce the finest handmade, sustainable UK produce possible and to make your taste buds happy!
– Hayley Elston, The Codmother
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 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, crab cakes and crab bisque, all proudly 100% supporting local and sustainable fishing.
Multi award-winning Catch
Catch won its first Great Taste Award in 2013 for its Crabbie Crabcakes and Proper Posh Crab Bisque and has continued to scoop awards year after year, including being honoured with a coveted 2-star award for the Crabbie Crabcakes, The Bollywood Fishcakes and the Mac ‘n’ Hari Fishcakes in 2019.
Gourmet game available in season
Always keen to tickle the tastebuds of their loyal and supportive customers, Catch’s most recent project has been developing a range of delectable Wild Game products, including Game Galettes, Gamekeepers Pies, Venison and Blue Cheese Pasties, Venison and Game Bird Samosas, Foresters Game Soup, Venison Wellingtons and the award-winning Venison Scotch Egg.
Gluten-Free Fishcakes and Vegan Seacakes
The Fabulous Catch Company have now introduced Gluten Free and Dairy Free Wightcakes to their range and will happily supply as bulk orders the other gourmet fishcakes in their range as gluten-free and dairy-free.
Catch has recently developed the Seacake, a vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free delicacy that is evocative of the sea, made from delicious seaweeds, samphire and green vegetables.
Catch in the New Forest…and beyond
In 2016 Catch moved to beautiful renovated-for-purpose premises near the coastal village of Calshot in the New Forest. All Catch products are lovingly crafted by hand.
Catch supplies to restaurants, inns, cafés, fine food shops, top quality farm shops and speciality delicatessens, as well as direct to customers via its online shop. Catch also pops up at numerous leading food festivals and farmers’ markets across the South of England.