Partner Article

Fruitful future for Blaydon firm

A NORTH EAST fruit haulier is targeting a 50% growth in turnover over the next three years thanks a £200,000 investment and lucrative ties in the supermarket industry.

With the help of a major cash injection from the Growth Fund, Blaydon based Kent Connection expects to add 12 people to its 48-strong workforce and turnover £6m within the next three years.

The organisation already transports fruit throughout the region as well as Scotland - offloading produce to high profile clients such as Tesco, Del Monte and Dole and now aims to tap into new markets.

Finance director Michael Clarke said: “Both the recession and fuel prices have caused problems for many companies in our sector, and have indeed forced quite a few out of business, but we’re now starting to see an upturn and are very well positioned to fill the gaps in the market that have been left behind.

“We have an extremely strong business development team, and feel very confident that the combination of our industry expertise, a modern transportation fleet and an ideal geographical location will mean we’re able to prosper over the coming years.”

Kent Connection was set up in 1982 to service the needs of regional fruit wholesalers, but with the evolution of the UK retail sector towards a few household-name brands, it quickly changed its focus towards working with them, and now operates from a five-acre site adjacent to the A1.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .