Macknade, a Kent-based food hall specialising in Anglo-Italian cuisine, has taken its sustainable business to the next level by launching a new fish butchery. Teaming up with the suppliers at Pesky Fish, to provide the finest – indeed freshest – quality seafood with 100% traceability from boat to plate.
Over the last few months and years, the company has expanded its range of environmentally friendly products while significantly reducing plastic waste. In line with this outlook, it has also actively encouraged customers to bring their own Tupperware when visiting. The fish butchery introduced to Macknade will follow similar practices, enabling shoppers to buy the tastiest catch of the day with a clear conscience.
Stefano Cuomo, Managing Director of Macknade, believes the new counter will make an excellent addition for numerous reasons. “Each and every single fish will be traceable right down to the boat and fisherman who caught it. Our partners at Pesky Fish, we’re proud to say, use only non-destructive methods for catching. The range provided by us, meanwhile, will constantly be changing and developing depending on what has been sourced. This will allow our most adventurous customers to branch out from the norm and try something different. Best of all, our butchers will always be able to advise on methods for preparing and cooking, as well as what to serve alongside your deliciously fresh seafood.”
The fishing seasons will have a big part to play in what’s on offer at Macknade, which in itself promotes the welfare of British waters. Then there is Pesky’s sustainability index, a system that scores fish species according to their stocks and availability in the wild. Any species deemed to be at risk will naturally rank lower on the scale, thus taking the worry out of which fish you should or shouldn’t buy.
“We plan to mirror our approach to meat with an ethos grounded in provenance, knowledge and skill,” continued Mr Cuomo. “Our aim at Macknade is to continually move forward to a sustainable world where, as humans, we are equitable stakeholders alongside our fellow flora and fauna. How we consume fish is central to this.”
The butchery will be but the latest expansion of Macknade’s award-winning food hall, a business which last year celebrated its 40th birthday. Six generations of Stefano’s family have been involved in its development from a tent on a farm to a thriving delicatessen and café. Now, with a new store open in Ashford’s Elwick Place, Macknade continues to build on its foundations – all the while championing environmentally-friendly practices.
