Ever thought about the incredible people behind the great taste of Zan Fish? So have we, which is why we got to know more about the owners, Maria and Nickos Zannetou at Zan Fish. Join us as we delve into the story behind Zan Fish and find out some fun facts about Maria and Nickos in this month’s manager’s spotlight.
1. How long have you owned Zan Fish?
We started in 1995 and once we got married, we subsequently took over Maria’s family fish and chip shop which was on Stenson Road. The shop has been in Maria’s family for years going all the way back to the 60s!
In 2001 we brought our Village shop and in 2004 our Sinfin shop. After moving to Cyprus in 2005 and whilst living abroad, we added the Heatherton branch to our Zan Fish brand. We moved back to Derby in 2010 and spent a whole year with our marketing and designing teams perfecting our branding. By 2011 we branded all of our shops to the Zan Fish look that is well-known and loved, and added Allenton and Spondon to our chain in 2016.
Whether we’ve been in Cyprus or Derby we’ve always carried Zan Fish in our hearts and looking at how far our brand has come, we’re very much proud owners. It’s taken over 10 years to get to where we are now, but we’ve loved every moment.
2. Which Zan Fish store do you manage?
We manage the Village shop, but we also overlook the rest of our shops.
3. What are your day to day duties as a manager and owner at Zan Fish?
We all work together as a team to make sure our shops are run correctly and in the most efficient way. One thing about us is that we’re not afraid to get stuck in, from cleaning the floors, to helping on the fryers - we do it all to help our team, and we all work really well together.
4. What’s your favourite thing about working at Zan Fish?
We love how different everyday is. One day you can be doing a stock take and the next you get the chance to meet and serve so many different types of people who all have one thing in common - they love our food! It’s great.
Aside from all the fun customer interaction, we love the fact that we’ve been able to carry on a business that’s been going on for generations and that we’ve followed our parents and grandparents' trade. It’s become our passion as much as it was theirs.
5. What’s your favourite Zan Fish menu item?
Now that’s a tricky one for us both - if we had to choose we’d say it’s our signature fish cooked in our secret recipe batter. It’s normally our Saturday night treat!
6. What are your hobbies outside of work?
When we’re not at work you can find us in the gym, running or playing golf - we’re quite the active pair.
7. What would you say are some of your proudest achievements/moments?
We’ve got a few actually - one of them was when we sponsored Derby county for a few seasons and had our Zan Fish express, serving our fish and chips at every home game. It was so much fun to get involved with the local community and we’re big sports fans so that made it even better.
We would say another highlight is the fact we now have our own Zan Fish wholesale business, ensuring our quality products are never compromised. This is a great accomplishment for us and puts into perspective how far we’ve come over the years.
Without a doubt our proudest achievement so far is being given the chance to extend our services as far as Hong Kong. We helped set up a fish and chip shop called ‘The Chippy’ in Hong Kong, with Nickos flying out to South East Asia 7 years ago to help them achieve their goals, by setting up their shop and training their staff.
Although it's been a tough few years with COVID restrictions being some of the strictest in Hong Kong specifically, they’ve come out the other side, with the initial customer response to The Chippy being extremely positive.
There is a clear desire for Great Fish and Chips in Hong Kong and we’re so happy we were a part of something truly revolutionary and special.
The Chippy has taken on Zan Fish’s attitude of striving to serve quality food, in the most efficient way, with minimal waste.
In terms of the future of the Hong Kong based fish and chip shop, they’re also looking into potentially setting up a shop in Bali. If this goes ahead we’ll be helping with the set up again and working as hard as possible to ensure the success of this second shop. Keep your eyes peeled for more about this soon.
We’ve loved getting to know Maria and Nickos Zannetou at Zan Fish.
From the inspiring story behind Zan Fish to their favourite heart racing hobbies, we’ve learnt so much and feel that little bit closer to the Zan fam.
Be sure to visit your local Zan Fish store and try out Maria and Nickos’ favourite dish, you know you want to. Long live the great taste of Zan!
