Prestigious award won by Grimsby firm serving up seafood sustainably for UK's leading supermarkets

IMAGE: Richard and Steven Stansfield collect the UK retail Supplier of the Year Award at The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) UK Awards 2026.

Grimsby seafood business Flatfish Ltd has won one of the biggest accolades in the industry it has diligently served for decades.

The family-run company has been named UK Retail Supplier of the Year 2026 at the Marine Stewardship Council Awards.

It recognises the relentless drive for sustainability with substantial investment, passion and pride in performance at the state-of-the-art facilities, massively expanded in recent years. Sector-leading standards and processes have also been underlined.

And the best-in-class service for major UK high end retailers saw the judges turn to the business established almost 50 years ago by Steven Stansfield. Joined by his younger brother Richard as it began to develop, both were on stage for the presentation at London's Fishmongers' Hall.

Richard said: “We’re incredibly proud and honoured to receive this prestigious award. It is a fantastic achievement, and one that means a great deal.

“We’d like to sincerely thank all the UK retailers who nominated us. The fact they have recognised what we do, the standards we strive for, and the commitment we put into our business, means more to us than they probably realise. Then to be recognised by the Marine Stewardship Council, an organisation that champions sustainability and responsible seafood sourcing, makes this award particularly special."

Flatfish is now a subsidiary of Japanese multi-national Nissui Corporation, who acquired a controlling interest in the business in 2019, with the Stansfields remaining at the helm. They have made investments to ensure it surpasses retailers' expectations, while adding a consumer delivery service, Regal Fish, to the group. 

“Behind every product we supply, every customer we serve, and every challenge we overcome, there are people working hard every single day to make it happen," Richard said, of the near 240-strong workforce. "We want to say a massive thank you to our entire team. They go the extra mile, care about quality, take pride in what they do and help us deliver on our promises day-in and day-out. This award belongs to them just as much as it belongs to us.”

Thanking customers and partners, Richard reflected on major milestones such as achieving 100 per cent green power and being the first seafood company on the King’s sustainable charter. He added: “This award isn’t just about what we’ve achieved this year. It’s about the journey, the relationships we’ve built, the standards we’ve set, and the belief that we can always do more.

"Quality with sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do. It’s a responsibility, we have; a responsibility to our oceans, our customers and to the people who enjoy our products.

“Steve and I are proud of what we’ve built, proud of the people around us, and proud to be part of an industry that has such an important role to play.”

Winning the UK Retail Supplier of the Year 2026 at the Marine Stewardship Council Awards is the latest in a long line of achievements for Flatfish Ltd, including:

• First recipient of the Pride in Seafood Award from UK Fisheries Minister

• London Stock Exchange 1,000 Companies to Inspire Britain

• Lead sponsor to bring British Fishcraft Championships to Grimsby

• Waitrose putting their name to the new site in a sector first, with director of agriculture Heather Jenkins officially opening the facility

• Twice-named as the leading UK seafood producer

• Industry adviser status with sector organisation Seafish

• Regular industry official and dignitary visits to see innovation in action, with many contributions to television programmes, including the popular Mega Shippers docu-series