Last Fish Wholesalers in Coventry Saved from Troubled Waters
(Reported in the Birmingham Post – February 2006)
The home of the UK seafood industry has come to the rescue of Coventry Fish and Poultry, which faced closure.
A buyer from Grimsby has been found for the wholesale company based at Marshbrook Close, Aldermans Green Industrial Estate, after the business went into administration.
Warwick firm Cranfield Recovery has organised the sale of the city firm to Central Seafoods, a business based in England’s fishing capital Grimsby.
Coventry Fish and Poultry sells fresh fish to restaurants and chippies in the city as well as frozen food products to numerous outlets plus dry goods.
Tony Mitchell, managing director of business rescue and personal insolvency specialists Cranfield Recovery, was delighted to secure the deal to safeguard the future of the wholesalers.
He said: “The acquisition has certainly proved the ‘catch of the day’ for Central Seafoods.
“The business has an excellent reputation for quality and reliability, with a base of customers stretching from Warwickshire to Leicestershire.
“It is pleasing to see this last bastion of Coventry’s fish wholesalers has been saved as a going concern after running into financial difficulty.”
Central Seafoods manager Russell Roe said the deal means fish and chips will still be on the menu in Coventry.
He said: “It will be business as usual. We are keeping the business going and all the existing staff – and we aim to keep supplying the people of Coventry with delicious fish suppers.
“We are pleased to have worked with Cranfield Recovery to take over the Coventry operation and add to our existing national network.”
Central Seafoods distribute tons of cod, haddock and other fish to outlets all over the country.
The company was set up in 1983 and is responsible for a vast amount of the portions of fish and chips which end up on the nation’s tables.
