Fever-Tree

Turnover: £102m (+72.1%)

Operating margin: 32.8% (+3.3ppts)

This premium drinks mixer brand is one of the City’s great success stories of recent years. Floated in 2014, its share price has rocketed along with sales as it exploited previously untapped demand for high-end mixers. Outsourced production and low capex has enabled rapid expansion while it has moved to new flavours and channels to continue its huge growth.

Barfoots

Turnover: £129m (+17.1%)

Operating margin: 7.3% (+0.3ppts)

West Sussex-based fresh produce supplier Barfoots has steadily grown revenues by tapping into strengthening consumer demand for ‘semi-exotic’ domestically sourced vegetables. It has diversified production through international expansion to provide all year crop sourcing and has spent heavily on optimising production.

Natures Way Foods

Turnover: £151m (+11.1%)

Operating margin: 7.3% (+1.8ppts)

Own-label salad supplier Natures Way has benefited from the shift to convenience shopping and healthier food-on-the-go options. A £15m factory investment in 2012 has enabled the company to deploy more efficient processing techniques and to react quickly to changing consumer demand for new ingredients like kale and quinoa.

McCain

Turnover: £451m (+2.5%)

Operating margin: 13.9% (+0.7ppts)

It has been a tough time for established brands, but McCain has proven category leaders can succeed if they adapt. The frozen potato specialist has emphasized its nutritional credentials, while introducing higher yield ‘restaurant style’ varieties such as Peri Peri Fries. A £100m investment in its factories has boosted efficiencies.

Froneri

Turnover: £204m (+0.9%)

Operating margin: 21.5% (+3.7ppts)

The result of the recently merged R&R and Nestlé ice cream businesses has defied a declining category by offering retailers a ‘total category’ approach - helping supermarkets manage their entire range. The merger of the businesses broadened Froneri’s category presence while it has developed highly efficient operations compared with competitors.