Retail and wholesale giant, Musgrave has opened its third successful Chipmongers franchise in Northern Ireland, in Ballymena, creating 12 jobs and investing £90k in the local area.
The owners are couple, Gareth Montgomery (39) from Ballymena and Katrina Fox (40), originally from Birmingham, but a resident of Northern Ireland for 6 years. The entrepreneurial pair have three kids between them, Mia (11), River (6) and Forrest (9 months) and are passionate about good food and good service.
Gareth is delighted to be bringing a successful brand to the place where he was born, he explained: “Ballymena is a place known for its fish and chip shops, so I’m really excited to be bringing something different to the area that people won’t have seen or tasted before.”
Gareth and Katrina had been on the lookout for a business to invest in and after reviewing the Chipmongers business plan, they realised this was what they had been looking for.
“We were immediately struck by the logo and the colours used in the branding and when we chatted the opportunity over with the Chipmongers team, we realised the potential. But it was when we tasted the food that our minds were made up. The food is incredible quality and the variety is so good that everyone can get something they like”, said Gareth.
Gareth has a unique insight into what the people of Ballymena enjoy when it comes to food, he explained: “I run Patton’s Bar in Cloughmills, I went to Dunclug Secondary School, now Dunclug College, and I managed Ballymena United Reserves for a season, so I know what tastes are locally and I think the time is right for a fresh, modern twist on a traditional favourite.”
Already there is an exciting buzz about the notion of the traditional chippy being given revamp, so what are the dishes that Ballymena people are already coming back for?
Gareth explained: “Chipmongers, which is located on the Ballymoney Road, prides itself on our food being freshly prepared and the use of only quality ingredients. Our delicious chips are freshly prepared on site and customers love the option to ‘Shake a Flavour’ on their chips, including ‘Rosemary Salt’ and ‘Cajun Salt’, or the very popular ‘Chicken Salt’. As well as the traditional chip shop options, including curry and gravy chips and our succulent fish in a beautifully light crispy batter, we have something for everyone!
“We have a variety of tasty chip toppings including sticky Korean BBQ pulled pork, chilli con carne with sour cream and grated cheese and ‘baconnaise’ sauce with grated cheese. A must for burger lovers is the Chipmonger Burger which has a ‘satisfying crunch’, 4oz of 100% fresh Irish beef burger, crispy onions, smoked cheese, mixed leaves topped with hickory BBQ sauce served on lightly toasted brioche bun.
“We have many other mouth-watering dishes like our Chicken or Fish Goujon Boat and our Chipper Nipper meals to keep the little ones satisfied”, concluded Gareth.
