Former medical devices salesman James Eagle launched The Pished Fish in 2014, transforming his backyard smoking hobby into a thriving artisan salmon business. After experiencing Scandinavia's salmon-centric cuisine, Eagle viewed UK's smoked salmon as an afterthought. His redundancy provided the impetus to create something better, using alcohol and botanicals to give salmon what he calls a "rock and roll persona."

The Camberwell-based startup evolved from a "glorified filing cabinet" smoker in Eagle's garden to a full-time operation in East Sussex. The company has grown 20% annually since 2020, breaking the £1m revenue barrier through 2025. Their biggest single day brought in £10,000 in sales, while Christmas 2024 saw an impressive £40,000 in just 24 hours, forcing the website to temporarily close.

Despite challenges including record fish prices and post-COVID market shifts, The Pished Fish maintains a deliberate slow-growth approach rather than chasing expansion. Eagle focuses on building a compelling brand and direct-to-consumer relationships, leveraging a 50,000-strong email list for personal customer engagement. The Sussex-based smokehouse now employs eight full-time staff while targeting a £2m turnover in the next three years.