Tony's Talk - The Origins of Chippy Curry

September 1, 2020 Robert Fernandes

Left with this 100kg several local chippies were approached and told they could have it ‘at cost’. Two shops took the product and very quickly asked for more despite the fact that the price had to increase to cover production costs.

In the 1960’s a Mr. Knight, Mr. Wood and Mr. Stern set up a little business in Orchard Street, Salford making pie fillings for local bakers. One seemingly innovative baker asked for a curry sauce filling saying he was going to make chicken curry pies. The Staff at Dinaclass made up a trial 100kg but the baker walked away saying he had decided not to go ahead! Left with this 100kg several local chippies were approached and told they could have it ‘at cost’. Two shops took the product and very quickly asked for more despite the fact that the price had to increase to cover production costs.

It seems that Dinaclass Curry Sauce introduced a new dimension to the enjoyment of our iconic dish, especially after the culinary blandness of those post-war years!

Whitley’s became one of the first to recognise the opportunities that this innovation gave to our Customers and the volumes of Dinaclass we supplied increased steadily.

Very quickly ‘chip shop curry’ became popular throughout the North West to the extent where Messrs Knight and Wood had to start producing small retail packs of Dinaclass which were generally sold through butchers’ shops to meet a demand for home use!

In the 1970’s the success of Dinaclass encouraged major players such as British Pepper & Spice, Knorr, Ranks and others to spend considerable amounts of money in trying to break into this unique market. It was all to no avail and Dinaclass Curry Sauce Mix gradually spread into Fish ‘n Chip shops across most regions.

In early 1988 the Company was sold to Lucas Ingredients in first instance who transferred the production of Dinaclass from Salford to Bristol. It is now owned by global giant Kerry Ingredients who have developed variants along the way such as ‘Vegetarian‘ and ‘Chinese’ and even ‘Irish’!

Still sold in its original format Dinaclass (also packed as our ‘Q-CURRY’) is often referred to as ‘English Curry’. However, in today’s world people have moved on from ‘bland’ tastes and to meet their more flavoursome expectations we have produced our ‘Smooth’, ‘Hot’ and ‘Vincent’ variants. They have all been extremely well received by our Customers as they bring a new, modern dimension to our enjoyment of ‘chip shop curries’.

In addition, we offer the full range of Keejays authentic Chinese Curries, also. Mayflower, Maysan and Middleton’s variants.

The choice is yours to add a distinct flavour ‘twist’ to meet the aspirations of your Customers. ‘Chippie Curry’ really has become tremendously popular with many shops now offering two or three choices all the time.

The call of “English, Irish or Chinese?” or “Hot, Smooth or Vincent’s?” from the Serving Staff is now heard almost as often as the question - “Salt and Vinegar?”.