A Kiremko frying range is delivering oil and gas savings for Freddies in Banff, Aberdeenshire, while also boosting capacity
Caroline Morrison took over Freddies in January 2020, returning to a place that’s always been part of her life. The shop once belonged to her grandfather, who ran it during the Second World War and continued to operate it until he sold it in 1986.
“My dad used to tell me how on a Friday night, pipe bands would come out, the cinema would kick out, dancers would come out, and they’d be queued all the way along the street. They even got shut down by the police once and ended up selling through the window.”
By the time Caroline took on the chippy, it had been closed for over a month, trade had dwindled, and the two pan frying range – more than 25 years old – was barely functioning, “I thought making £140 from 11 in the morning to nine at night was fantastic,” she comments.
Having trained on a Kiremko range in her previous job, Caroline didn’t hesitate at contacting KFE for a more reliable and efficient frying range, adding: “KFE took the time to really listen to what I wanted, they didn’t make assumptions, they understood my needs and delivered exactly what I was looking for.”
In July 2022, she had a three pan high efficiency Kiremko counter range installed. It has transformed the way Caroline works, enabling her to basket fry, ensuring a steady stream of freshly chips are always on hand. The difference in speed and temperature control has also had an impact.
She comments: “The pans hold their temperature when you drop the fish in and, if you turn a pan off and need it back on, it takes seconds to come back up to temperature. With the old range, if you switched a pan off, you’d be as well asking the customers to wait half an hour.”
Energy savings
The biggest change has come in the energy savings, which Caroline noticed immediately.
“With the old range, I had to switch it on at least an hour before service for it to heat up. The Kiremko takes 35 to 40 minutes, so that’s an instant saving.”
Despite now running a busier shop with more output and an extra pan, her gas bills have stayed the same – even though the cost per unit has more than doubled. “When I first took over the shop, gas was about 4p a unit. Now my gas is 10p a unit, I’ve got an extra pan and I’m frying way more food, but my gas bill is still the same.”
Featuring built-in filtration, the range has also helped cut down oil costs. Caroline adds: “I don’t throw any oil out at all now. I transfer the oil from one pan to another and top up as I go.
“I’m saving at least £200 a week on oil. That’s a lot of money – it’s helping cover the cost of the range.”
These efficiencies have helped keep the business viable, with Caroline adding: “You’ve got so many bills to cover now, and everything’s going up. Wages are horrific, especially for the younger staff. You need to save money wherever you can and the range is doing that for me.”
Freddies is in the finals of two categories at this year’s Scottish Fish & Chip Awards, recognition that feels especially meaningful to Caroline, who earlier this year experienced a full-circle moment. She comments: “One night, a customer told the girls the queue was out the door and all the way down the street. It was just like in my grandfather’s day.”
