The Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table ranks Britain's private mid-market growth companies with the biggest sales in their latest accounts. This league table is published by Fast Track every October, followed by an awards in November. It ranks the companies is based on the profit margins and the increase in sales on a year-on-year basis among other factors. Following are the top 9 Asian companies that have secured a place in this year's league table (along with their position on the list):
1. Southall Travel(11th) – This London-based travel agency climbed up the ranks from its 18th position in 2017 because of an 8% increase in its sales in the 2017-18 annual year. Undertaken by Kuljinder Bahia in 1997 when he was merely 24 and operating with a staff of just 40 people, this company has seen an overhaul. From merely selling flights to British Asians traveling to India they have now reformed into designing holiday packages and vacations to all international destinations. With an 11% increase in its profit margins, the company last year launched two new divisions: ST sports and ST Fly focussing on the students.
2. Arora(108) – The hotel Operating business located in West London has seen a massive downfall from last year's position at 81 to be at 108 this year. This is especially interesting given that the company has reported a 35% increase in its annual sales and a whopping 25% increase in its annual profits in the 2017-18 calendar year. What began as a B&B service for Heathrow's airline staff, Surinder Arora's business expanded to comprise property, construction, and hotels over the years. And in 2016 he opened an InterContinental Hotel and 101 luxury flats near to the O2 in London's Docklands. Last year the company entered in an agreement with Hilton to operate hotels at Gatwick and Heathrow airports which brings the number of its London sites to nine.
3. HKS Retail(117) – Established by the Thakrars, this fuel forecourt operator was established in 1984, in Coalville near Leicester. In the last 34 years, it has acquired more than 70 sites across the UK, partnered with Costa, Subway, and Greggs and increased its retail purchases as well. All of this has led to the company reporting a 40% increase in its annual sales and a bonanza 70% spike in its profit margins.
4. East End Foods(147) – The Indian Food Supplier in West Bromwich has reported just a 4% rise in sale circulation but a massive 60% increase in its profits. Founded by Tony Deep Wouhra, 76, this company was first established in the 1970s as an Indian food store in Wolverhampton. And in the span of a few decades, the company has become the largest importers and processors of ethnic foods in Britain. From supplying rice and spices to supermarkets, restaurants and Asian stores it has now gone on to also operate as cash-and-carry outlets.
5. Smartway Pharmaceuticals(159) – Exporting pharmaceutical and medical products mostly, this company was started by Hitendra Patel in 1997 with his wife in the Wimbledon area of southwest London. It dabbles into the online market where the prices are available for the generic and branded products and then sources, packs, and delivers them to any corner of the world. This year it reported an increase in sales by 47% and a hike of 73% in profits.
6. Sun Mark(179) – Launched in 1995 by Rami Ranger, this is a wholesale business that supplies a range of foods to approximately a 130 countries in its largest markets of Africa, Middle-East and East Asia. It is a relatively small scale business with just a 2% increase in its sales and 6% in its profits. But the West London branch specializes in its own brands such as the non-alcoholic Rejoice Sparkling drink and sells products on behalf of Heinz, Nestle, and Unilever.
7. Wealmoor (181) – This firm specializes in the distribution of herbs, exotic fruits, and vegetables such as coriander, pomegranates to name a few, to the UK supermarkets. Avnish Malde, the chief executive of the company has driven an increase of more than 50% in the company profits in the last year of 2017 alone.
8. NEC(186) – Based in Birmingham, it organizes more than 750 live events each year, including the BBC Good Food Show and Crufts at its exhibition venues. With Paul Thandi as the chief executive, the sales for the company reached a target of £162mn taking their profits to a 16% increase.
9. MiQ(193) – The digital marketing agency has had a good run this year with its sales jumping up to 70% and recording a profit of 58%. Founded in 2010 by Gurman Hundal and Lee Puri, this company helps client to use data to target their marketing. In a short period, the company has managed to penetrate the markets of Germany, North America, India and Australia with the help of its proprietary software. This software provides directed advertising campaigns for brands such as Sony.
