Funding creates 11 jobs at Fleetwood-based wholesaler My Fish Company

A family-run fish wholesaler in Fleetwood has created jobs with the help of Lancashire’s business growth hub Boost.

My Fish Company Ltd worked with Boost and its North West Access to Finance team to secure a micro loan from Lancashire County Council’s Rosebud Business Finance fund, enabling it to create eight full-time and three part-time jobs.

Founded in 2015 with 17 staff, today the business employs a team of 47 and delivers seafood products via a fleet of 11 vans.

My Fish Company, led by founders Gary Apps and Kim Ashton, works with more than 300 independent customers across the North West, including Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa in Cumbria, 60 Hope Street Liverpool, Hotel Football Manchester and supermarket chain Booths.

My Fish Company’s Gary Apps

Kim, who oversees the HR and financial side of the firm, said: “Our business is focused on three things, people, product and passion for the industry.

“We have well over 200 years of fish industry experience in the team and thrive on helping more young people into the industry. We want to tackle the skills shortage in the industry.”

She continued: The funding we received through Boost has enabled us to take on and train additional staff. It has also allowed us to increase our vehicle fleet, which in turn has meant we can expand our geographical footprint across the North West.“

Gary commented: “We want to be known for supplying the highest quality fish and seafood to hotels and restaurants across the region. Jonathan Nelson from the Access to Finance team really took the time to understand our business, meeting with us on three separate occasions and submitting the application to Rosebud on our behalf. We couldn’t have grown so quickly without his support.”

North West Access to Finance’s Jonathan Nelson said: “It’s great to see the company continuing to grow so quickly.

“Gary and Kim have a relentless passion for the fishing industry in Fleetwood and this filters through to the rest of the team. It’s the reason they have been able to come so far in such a short space of time.”

Boost is run by the Lancashire LEP and County Council, with funding support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

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