Sleaford Quality Foods announces 21% growth

Sleaford Quality Foods (SQF), cross-category supplier of multiple packaged foods to the manufacturing and foodservice sectors, has announced 21% growth for year ending 31 March 2022.

End of year sales reached £43.1m as the company bounced back to profitability despite the challenges of Covid, Brexit and other trading difficulties. The pandemic in particular hit the business hard with foodservice & hospitality sales significantly down in the two years prior as nationwide lockdown restrictions severely impacted key end markets.

James Arnold, managing director of Sleaford Quality Foods commented: “Following a very difficult 2020/21 the business has achieved a strong recovery.

“As hospitality restrictions were gradually unlocked and with the support of our suppliers, customers, and the hard work of all colleagues, the business has witnessed a radical reversal of fortune.”

The announcement comes as news emerged that Sleaford’s parent company Jain Irrigation Systems, based in Jalgaon India, completed the successful debt restructuring of its India business.

James added: “SQF’s strong performance and the introduction of our continuous improvement plan means we will be making a major investment this year in new machinery using the latest technology to improve efficiency, increase capacity and offer customers a wider range of products and pack sizes.”

Sleaford Quality Foods was set up in 1968 and acquired by Jain Irrigation in 2010. The business specialises in the supply of over 650 dried and dehydrated food products from vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices, pulses through to seasonings and core ingredients. It also has its own Chef William foodservice brand and its free from, vegan products under the Our Earth brand.

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