The Grocer has identified the biggest and best privately owned grocery retailers in the UK, in the first survey of its kind.
Scottish-based frozen food discounter Farmfoods is the UK's number one with a massive £199m turnover. It took the honour after doubling in size in the past 10 years while keeping a low retail profile.
CTN and c-store operator GT News is the fastest growing grocery chain in private ownership with sales growth of 46% in the past year and a strategy of finding more sites for its convenience format.
Booths is head and shoulders above the others as the top supermarket chain
It is an achievement that chairman Edwin Booth said was due to an absolute eye for detail. "You don't have to be big to be successful, you just have to be sharp and clever at what you do."
The biggest operator in Northern Ireland is Andrew Millar, and md Geoffrey Agnew said this was partly due to the supermarkets which had helped it focus on its niche.
The Scottish honour goes to CJ Lang & Son while Tates come up trumps in England and Wales both successful Spar operators.
Spar retailers are well represented in the listings, although Nisa did better, with its members accounting for half of the top 50 companies.
The 50 firms may only represent just over 3% of the UK grocery market but ACS spokesman James Lowman said family owned firms would continue fighting off competition from the multiples.
He said: "They have more control over their shops and can respond quicker to crises and changes that might be required by suppliers."
Alan Toft, director general of the FWD, said the chains should be able to meet future challenges."In spite of the might of the superstores it's good to think there are still businesses with the skills and ability to succeed and I see no reason for that to change in the near future."
l See page 33.
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