The Ceres Podcast

About The Ceres Podcast

Practical conversations for people who run food businesses. The Ceres Podcast is a long-form podcast for people in food, hospitality, and the fish and chip trade. Hosted by Stelios Theocharous of Ceres | Pure Food Innovation, alongside Mark Petrou, Kelly Barnes, David Nicolaou, and David Miller, the podcast brings together operators, chefs, suppliers, producers, and hospitality voices for honest conversations about the realities of the industry. We talk about what is actually happening on the ground: pricing, margins, customer behaviour, menu strategy, marketing, trade pressures, and the decisions that shape real businesses. No rushed soundbites. No glossy nonsense. Just practical experience, hard-won lessons, and proper conversations with people who care about the trade. If you run a food business, work in hospitality, or want to understand where the industry is heading, this podcast is for you.

Publisher

Ceres | Pure Food Innovation

Category

arts · business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

30 Nov 2018

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

251 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   250: The Podsquad – Rising Costs, Strange Consumers & the Future of Fish & Chips

   For Episode 250 of The Ceres Podcast, Stelios is joined by the Podsquad: David Miller, David Nicolaou and Mark Petrou. David Miller kicks things off with the latest potato and fish market update, including the impact of drought, smaller potato crops, changing demand and what operators could be paying in the months ahead. From there, the conversation widens into the pressures facing fish and chip shops: rising wages, taxes, supplier costs and increasingly tight margins, along with the steps operators are taking to simplify their businesses and protect profitability. The team also tries to make sense of some unusual consumer behaviour. Customers say they are stretched, yet certain restaurants, experiences and discretionary purchases remain busy. Are people simply spending less often, but expecting much more when they do? That leads into a wider debate about the future of fish and chips: will the trade become more premium and artisan, or are the strongest operators simply the ones concentrating on doing fewer things exceptionally well — fresh, hot food, great service and a clear point of difference? They also discuss customer complaints, social media, shrinking menus, finding the right customers rather than trying to please everyone, and whether simplicity could be one of the best routes to growth. Finally, David Nicolaou raises a recent experience with environmental health officers, PPDS labelling, allergens and "food hypersensitivity", prompting a discussion about what the terminology actually means and what operators need to understand. A wide-ranging Podsquad episode covering the market, the customer, the operator and where the fish and chip industry may be heading next. Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book (https://bit.ly/fisht1ps) and boost your business today. Ceres Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CeresPFI) Ceres Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/CeresPodcast) 📮Join the Ceres email list to keep updated and get monthly offers.

2. 

   30 Jul 2026

   #249 - Kate Mills (Stokes Sauces) | Family Business & Food Trends

   In Episode 249 of The Ceres Podcast, Mark Petrou is joined by Kate Mills, Business Development Manager at Stokes Sauces. Kate shares her remarkable journey from growing up in a family-run hairdressing business, through careers in textile design, sportswear and insurance, to becoming one of the most recognisable figures in the UK fish & chip industry. Along the way she explains how family values, creativity and a passion for people shaped her approach to business. The conversation then explores the story behind Stokes Sauces, from Rick Sheepshank's commitment to quality ingredients and British manufacturing, to building an award-winning brand now sold around the world. Mark and Kate also take a deep dive into the changing foodservice landscape, discussing: How GLP-1 weight loss medication is changing customer behaviour. Why protein is becoming a major purchasing driver. The growth of fried chicken and what it means for fish & chip shops. Portion sizes, menu engineering and improving margins. Consumer trends, online ordering and attracting younger customers. Why premium condiments can elevate both the customer experience and profitability. Rather than simply identifying challenges, Kate shares practical ideas that fish & chip shop owners can implement today to remain relevant, profitable and competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Sharpen your decision making with the Ceres Calculators. Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book (https://bit.ly/fisht1ps) and boost your business today. Ceres Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CeresPFI) Ceres Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/CeresPodcast) 📮 Join the Ceres email list to keep updated and receive monthly offers.

3. 

   23 Jul 2026

   #248 - Potato Prices Fall, SSP Changes, Farmed Cod & Running a Fish & Chip Shop in a Heatwave

   In Episode 248 of the Ceres Podcast Podsquad, Stelios Theocharous is joined by David Miller, Kelly Barnes and Mark Petrou for another wide-ranging discussion on the biggest issues currently affecting fish & chip shops. This episode covers: • The latest market update on cod, haddock, hake and potato prices. • Why falling potato prices may not last as long as many expect. • The UK's new Statutory Sick Pay changes and what they mean for independent businesses. • How employers can balance supporting genuine illness while protecting their businesses. • Handling customer complaints, online reviews and protecting staff morale. • Whether farmed cod could become part of the future of the fish & chip industry. • Insights from the English Fish & Chip Awards. • Trading through extreme summer temperatures and adapting staffing to changing customer demand. • Practical discussions on stock control, labour planning and maintaining profitability during quieter trading periods. As always, the Podsquad shares honest opinions, practical experience and real-world advice from operators who work in the industry every day. Hosts: Stelios Theocharous David Miller Kelly Barnes Mark Petrou Download your FREE copy of the Fish & Tips E-Book (https://bit.ly/fisht1ps) and boost your business today. Ceres Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/CeresPFI) Ceres Podcast (https://www.facebook.com/CeresPodcast) 📮Join the Ceres email list to keep updated and get monthly offers.

Who has been a guest on The Ceres Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Kate Nicholls
• Charlie Collins
• Antony Akathiotis
• Nigel Hodgson
• Graham Reed-Stephenson

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

12,925

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 71 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

77

Social presence

0

YouTube

76

Engagement

85

Contact The Ceres Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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Questions about The Ceres Podcast