A New Look for ABBCO: Why We Chose the Private Plate A88 CCO

3 Dec

At ABBCO, we spend so much time talking about ponds, koi, and fish welfare that we rarely stop to talk about the business itself. But behind every relocation, build, or maintenance visit, there’s a brand we’re continually shaping — and sometimes the smaller details say just as much as the big ones.

Recently, we added something new to the van: a private plate that fits the company perfectly — A88 CCO.

Here’s the part most people don’t realise:
this registration didn’t exist before.
We actually approached the DVLA ourselves and requested that it be released. After approval, it became available — created specifically for ABBCO.

It wasn’t random luck. It was intentional.

Why We Did It

When you run a specialist business — especially one that involves travelling across Essex, London, and further afield — your van is basically your moving shopfront. Customers see it when we arrive for fish transport. Neighbours clock it during pond builds. People ask about it in car parks.

So a plate that ties directly to the company name just made sense.

It tells people:

We take pride in what we do
We’re not temporary or “here today, gone tomorrow”
We’re serious about the ABBCO brand
We invest back into the business

It’s one of those subtle details that reinforces the identity we’ve worked hard to build.

First Impressions Matter (Even in the Pond World)

Anyone who knows us knows we don’t cut corners.
From the way we catch fish using sock nets, to how we transport koi in their own pond water, to the detail that goes into filtration installs — everything has intention behind it.

The same thinking went into the plate.

When customers see a van turn up with clean branding and a personalised plate that matches the company, it delivers a message:
“We care about the details — and we’ll bring that same mindset to your pond.”

It’s not flashy. It’s professional.

A Little Bit of Personality Never Hurts

A business can do incredible work, but people still want to work with humans.
They want to see the character behind the brand. The plate is one of those small touches that adds personality without going over the top.

And because this plate literally didn’t exist until we asked the DVLA to release it, it feels even more like a part of ABBCO — something unique to us.

We’ve already had:

Clients asking how we managed to secure it
Trades on site giving it the nod
Pond owners laughing about how “on-brand” it is

It’s the kind of detail people remember — even if they’re not trying to.

Keeping ABBCO Moving Forward

The private plate is one small part of where we’re heading.
Every month we’re making improvements to how we work, how we move fish, and how we build ponds. New equipment. Better tools. Smarter systems. Cleaner branding.

ABBCO has always been about doing things properly — not the cheap way, not the rushed way, but the right way.
The plate is another step in that direction. A small update, but a very visible one.

More Than a Plate — It’s a Milestone

If you’ve followed ABBCO from the early days, you know how much this business has grown. Fish transport has evolved. Pond builds have levelled up. The processes have become sharper. And the plate? It’s simply a marker of that progress.