Mrs Yorkshire podcast: Our family has owned Whitby Seafoods for more than 40 years - we sell a million portions of scampi per week

Now, 40 years later, the company, renamed Whitby Seafoods, turns over £70m and sells a million portions of scampi each week. It's the best-known scampi brand in the UK and is used at gastropubs nationwide.

When Mr Whittle purchased the company in 1985, he transformed it in a bid to create the ‘world’s best scampi.’

Now, Mr Whittle’s daughter Laura Whittle, who now helps to run the family business, has shared with Sophie Mei Lan for the Mrs Yorkshire podcast how her family has transformed the business to leave a lasting legacy for the fishing community.

This year marks the 40th anniversary since the Whittles took over. Together, the family have built a lucrative company which produces 140 tonnes of Scampi per week.

Ms Whittle said: “We've grown a lot. We supply every supermarket in the UK with our Whitby brand.

“We do chilled and frozen products and serve lots of pub groups, they put our scampi on their menus.

“It's become really, really popular and we're very happy with that. We sell about a million portions of scampi a week.”

Laura said scampi is in her blood.

Ms Whittle said: “I would have been about eight years old, I remember him coming home with all the different scampi that he wanted us to try.

“It’s been part of my life working for Whitby Seafoods. I've been here since I was 21, and I'm a lot older than that now.”

Ms Whittle said that being local is a big selling point, as is the quality of the scampi they make.

She said: “I think people really care about what quality scampi they're eating.

“They want it to be sweet. They want it to be a solid white tail. They want it to be lovely crisp bread crumbs.
It's got to be really delicious.

“I think we've always made being delicious the most important thing about what we do. The product has to be absolutely amazing. I think that's why it's been successful.

“We do a range of deep-fried seafood that tastes good.”

The company now makes everything from premium scampi to a more affordable range. They also do calamari.

Ms Whittle said: “When we take the really big langoustine tails and just peel them, we take the vein out. I love the taste of our gluten-free scampi; it's my favourite. It is absolutely delicious.”

While they've added new lines to their ranges over the years, how people cook and eat scampi has also changed.

“I like it with chips”, Ms Whittle added.“I think there's nothing wrong with the classic - chips, tartar sauce, and a bit of salad.

“I really like it like that but I know people put it in wraps or have it with a baked potato or have it on a salad for lunch, such as a Caesar salad, but with scampi. It’s quite versatile.

“It's quite good for a starter with some drinks, and a dip.”

Despite its versatility, breaded scampi is “very British” and doesn't have a global market.

Ms Whittle said: “The French would be horrified at what we do, putting world class langoustine in breadcrumbs and frying it.

“When we sell scampi abroad it's to Brits abroad.”

Ms Whittle added that European supermarkets only stock Whitby Scampi when they're having an ‘English Week.’

She explained: “People on the continent would like their langoustine with the shell on. They don't eat a lot of breaded food and more the pity.

“Our market is very much the UK and talking about British food and British-made.”

As a result, Whitby Seafoods and Whitby Scampi have been largely protected from importing and exporting issues.

It's not just logistically helpful that it's caught, produced and sold in the UK, but the Whitby name is “really important,” said Ms Whittle.

Ms Whittle said the Whitby name is always something her father has taken great pride in.

She said: “We're really proud of being from Whitby and we're really proud that our product, Whitby Scampi, is made in Whitby.

“It’s not a marketing con from some bigwigs in London, we're the real deal.

“We really are making this product within sight of the famous Abbey. The Whitby name is valuable to us.”

Ms Whittle said that scampi is the most commercially important fishery in the UK.

“It’s really important that we support it, but I think we could sell more,” she said. “We’re working on increasing supply and then selling more scampi.

“We want more people to eat it more often. The average person only eats scampi one to two times a year.

“Scampi is sustainably caught by British fishing boats. There is no nasty secret here. You know, sometimes some foods you find out, oh, I don't know if I like that, but it’s all good news about scampi and it's really good for you.”

To mark its 40th year, Ms Whittle said each pack of Whitby Scampi sold will give back to the Fishermen’s Mission, a charity they work closely with.

She said: “We need to support our fishing community, it's one of the most dangerous professions.”

Ms Whittle’s father, who is now “semi-retired,” still keeps a close eye over the company as Ms Whittle and her brothers are now leading the way.

“We're completely obsessed”, Ms Whittle added.

Ms Whittle continues to taste scampi everyday to quality check it.

She said: “At 10.30 am, all the managers try the scampi to ensure that it (every line) is as good as it possibly can be.”

While Mr Whittle has taken a step back from the company he still acts as chairman.

Ms Whittle added: “When my dad goes out, he always tries scampi wherever he is, if it's not exactly right, he gives us a call.”

While business is booming for the Whittles, they are not looking to sell it on to make money, and have vowed to keep Whitby Seafoods in the family and to remain in Whitby.

Listen to the full story behind Whitby Seafoods on the Mrs Yorkshire podcast here.