The Bay says do the digital switch,
and do it now

Hey Calum, we’re super excited to have a little chat with you. The Bay always comes across as such a positive and vibrant community, dedicated to sustainability and customers. So, on that note, let’s get started! What’s your role at The Bay?

→ I’m Calum Richardson. I left the Navy to follow my passion and founded The Bay in my hometown, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire. We opened in August 2006 and I’m now owning, managing and cooking. It’s just really great and I’m constantly trying to find new ways to make people happy through delicious food.

That does sound like a very fulfilling mission. And we know your team won several awards since 2006, including one of the most prestigious ones at the Cateys in 2020!

→ Yes it’s been an incredible journey! Our team has truly shown adaptability and innovation skills for The Bay. We’re excited for what’s coming next.

Absolutely! So I guess one of the key changes you made in the last years is removing paperwork and making the switch to digital food safety. What were your food safety processes like before joining Navitas Safety?

→ Honestly? Books, paper, more books and more papers!

Not that much time left for you then right? And so why did you decide to move over to digital food safety for The Bay?

→ I’m a true believer that foodservice businesses, including fish and chip shops have to stay up to date at all times. And to do so, technology and science are key. Everything was quite complicated when we were paper-based and so having all our Food Safety and Health & Safety records in one online system is a smart way to stay ahead of the game. I will also say that our Environmental Health inspectors are always impressed when introduced to it during a visit!

That’s great to hear your EHO visits go really well. Has the switch to digital food safety also changed the way you operate at The Bay?

→ 100%. First and foremost, it’s about how it empowered our team by distilling confidence and creating that reassurance atmosphere for our staff members. It’s easy to understand and operate. We just love having it all under control via one portal - everything from daily cleaning tasks to delivery checks. It basically saves a lot of time and prevents any mistakes. And for me as chef director, it’s great to know who completed each food safety task (e.g. who was responsible for accepting a delivery). This is easily traceable for me thanks to digital signatures and personal pins.

Excellent! And so coming back to the time-saving aspect. How much do you save each month in terms of manual work?

→ We are equipped with 7 smart pods from Navitas Safety which automatically record temperatures 24/7, as well as tablets for digital checklists. I can confidently say we’re saving 22+ hours a month of manual work since we said bye to papers and books!

That’s great to hear Calum! And so diving a bit deeper into how your team feels about it. Anything you’d like to share?

→ The team is doing great with it. Once again, it’s easy to understand and use. The Navitas Safety support team is also always super helpful if we need extra support - a lovely 10/10 to them! And in general, the key benefit is really the confidence that the team gained in their knowledge by using digital food safety processes. And with a confident team, it’s a smooth journey for us at The Bay, from supplier to plate!

And how’s that fitting with your sustainability mission for The Bay?

→ We’re using less paper and are more efficient. Switching to digital processes ensures there’s no mistake allowed and temperatures are always optimal. So it helps us cut food waste and paper use, a key aspect of sustainability alongside the sustainable local products we’re using.

What a great thing to hear Calum. Let’s wrap up with one last question. What would you say to another business who is thinking about moving to Navitas and a digital food safety system?

→ Do it, and do it NOW!

Thanks Calum, it was really nice talking to you. The whole Navitas Safety team is super proud to be working with The Bay and we’re looking forward to continuing pushing you to the top!

→ Thanks, same for us. Speak soon!

Calum Richardson - Chef Director | The Bay Fish & Chips