Exporter of the Year 2018

Over the past three years sales have grown consistently and the business is predicted to achieve its target of more than £60m this year, in line with expectation.

From humble beginnings – with a team of five – this division now consists of more than 42 dedicated and highly experienced specialists, some of whom are based around the globe, including Ireland, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and USA.

Two categories of operation currently lead the way – cake, with Mr Kipling and Cadbury Cakes, and ethnic sauces with Sharwood's – and the products can be found in 40 countries, with Premier Foods offering over 800 SKUs internationally.

One guiding principal has helped Premier Foods continue to deliver on its ambitious trajectory: it partners with local retailers, providing them with two fundamental tools - home-grown shopper behavioural and trend insight matched with products that meet those specific needs.

Premier Foods has broken away from the traditional export model where only third parties do bidding on their behalf. Instead it has added a further layer whereby the company also speaks directly to retailers, building long-lasting, insight driven relationships. The company invests in research into the local market – information that retailers don't necessarily have access to – and then builds a range of products to meet the distinctive geographical needs. Where appropriate, world exclusive products are added to ranges to meet unique local preferences.