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Pesky Fish is a new platform that connects British fishermen directly with chefs, allowing for the day's catch to arrive at the restaurant in as little as six hours.
Speaking to The Guardian, founder Ben King explained, “I wanted people to have the experience of enjoying a beautiful piece of fish at a fair price with every fillet traceable back to the skipper who caught it earlier that day.”
“The existing supply chain made prices too volatile, quality too variable and traceability almost impossible. Why is the fish we eat 2-3 weeks old? Why has it had to pass through four or five pairs of hands to get to my plate? Why is 80% of it imported? It just didn’t make sense and became an itch that never went away.”
The platform has in mind both the fisherman and the buyer, offering benefits to both parties.
For fishermen, Pesky’s marketplace offers various services from the moment the daily catch lands at the dock, from pick up to distribution, giving fishermen access to the buyers for all their catch. Fishermen can even upload photos of their catch, letting wholesalers, fishmongers and chefs know what is available on the day.
From the buyer's perspective, the company gives them a marketplace to buy the freshest fish, using live updates on what is being caught and when. The fish is delivered by Pesky to the restaurant or fishmonger, guaranteed to arrive within 24 hours of the moment of landing, but even in as little as six hours via their delivery network.
Pesky uses data on seasonality, wave heights, winds and currents to provide forecasts on the types and quantities of fish that could be landing around the country, informing both the fishermen and buyers on what to expect.
The company, founded by a team of fish aficionados, hopes to bring more transparency to the industry and support a more sustainable market, both economically and ecologically.
Pesky Fish currently counts Michelin-starred Iyoki by Jeremy Chan, Noble Rot and Parsons within their growing supply network.
