Frozen food distributor Central Foods has been named in the top 25 fastest growing businesses in Northamptonshire.

The firm – one of the UK’s leading frozen food distributors to the foodservice sector – was placed 24th in the list compiled and released by accountancy and business advice group BDO.

The Northamptonshire Growth Report tracks the growth of the leading performers in the county – ranking the top 50, based on three-year growth rates. Central Foods achieved 12.88% average growth over the three years.

Managing director of Central Foods, Gordon Lauder, said: “As a company founded in Northamptonshire 23 years ago, we are delighted to have been included in this report which details the fastest growing businesses in the county.

“Central Foods is experiencing significant growth and we currently distribute more than 64,000 cases of food a week to our foodservice customers – up more than 16% on the previous year.

“We pride ourselves on being ahead of food trends, which means we can supply our customers with food that their customers, in turn, will enjoy. Our free-from range, featuring gluten-free and plant-based products, is doing particularly well, as more consumers opt for a vegetarian, vegan or flexitarian diet, and the demand for gluten-free products rises. However, we supply more than 400 products across a full range to pubs, hotels, coffee shops, schools, universities, restaurants, hospitals, sports and leisure venues, takeaways and other outlets in eight different countries via more than 240 wholesalers.”

Based at Collingtree, near Northampton, Central Foods began in a small-scale way from home in 1996 and has steadily grown to become one of the leading frozen food distributors to the foodservice sector.

It offers a one-stop shop, sourcing products from around the world and the UK and supplying them to wholesalers and caterers across the foodservice industry.