Jimmy Buchan says technology got his Amity Fish Co through a crisis

North-east seafood supremo Jimmy Buchan has urged more independent small firms like his to embrace new technologies to help them through hard times.

The owner and managing director of Peterhead-based Amity Fish Company said it was only through e-commerce that his business survived the pandemic.

Soaring energy bills are the latest big challenge for firms throughout the UK.

Sea change

Mr Buchan said: “During the Covid crisis my business switched from exclusively supplying restaurants and the hospitality trade to delivering seafood products directly to people in their homes.

“This change led to the business doubling its turnover and allowing us to increase its headcount.

“I know times are tough for tens of thousands of small businesses.

“What I’d suggest to the hard-working entrepreneurs behind these firms is to see if new tech might help them reach new customers or reduce their costs.”

Times are tough for tens of thousands of small businesses.”

Jimmy Buchan, managing director, Amity Fish Company.

Amity was unveiled as the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSB’s) UK small business of 2022 earlier this year, beating more than 3,000 other entrants and dozens of regional and national winners.

The Peterhead firm, whose owner is also chief executive of the Scottish Seafood Association and starred in the BBC’s Bafta award-winning Trawlerman series during his time as a fishing skipper, became the third Scottish business in a row to be crowned FSB UK winner.

Highland businesses Woodlands Glencoe and Cruise Loch Ness scooped the prize in previous years.

FSB Scotland policy chairman Andrew McRae and Business, trade, tourism and enterprise minister Ivan McKee timed a recent visit to Amity’s Peterhead premises to coincide with the launch of the 2023 Celebrating Small Business Awards.

They are open to entrants in 12 free-to-enter categories.

Mr McRae said: “We know businesses are going above and beyond to make it through this crisis without adding to the hardships of their staff and customers.

“Jimmy embodies the spirit of business that will be needed to get through these tough times, but we all know that ingenuity and determination on their own won’t be enough.

“We need to see real financial help to ease the cost of doing business crisis now, before it’s too late and good businesses go under.”

Mr McKee said: “It is testament to the brilliant businesses in our midst that the overall UK winner of the FSB awards has, for the third time in a row, come from Scotland.

“There are opportunities for businesses through better use of technology – as demonstrated by Amity Fish, who invested in digital skills, allowing customers easy access to their products during the pandemic.”

The minister added: “A key theme of our National Strategy for Economic Transformation is how we improve digital adoption across the economy and with risings costs of doing business, it’s important all options are available to help weather the storm.”