Pre-tax profits at Whitworths have swelled to their highest level in nearly a decade, as the dried fruit and nut company cashes in on growing demand for wholefoods ingredients.
Hitting £4.6m in the 52 weeks to 28 December 2024, Whitworths’ pre-tax profit beat the company’s chequered 2016 to 2023 run, when it registered just three years in the black.
Stronger sales right across the company’s portfolio, supported by new branded distribution wins, helped to push turnover up 5.6% to £148.4m, and operating profit more than doubled to £7m.
“Many of the company’s markets are in growth, driven by today’s consumer trends of healthy eating, snacking and baking habits,” said CEO Mark Fairweather in accounts filed at Companies House.
The company has forecast a continued “moderate growth” in sales in 2025, in line with its 2024 performance.
Whitworths attempted to capitalise on the health trend, launching a major rebrand of its packaging that emphasises the “immense nutrient power” of nuts, seeds and dried fruit.
Also campaigning for nuts to be included in the 5 a day scheme, the brand has relaunched SKUs with taglines such as ‘fight fatigue’, ‘feel strong’ and ‘feel well’ for its nut and seed mixes.
“We’re not simply responding to the growing demand for wholefoods ingredients,” said commercial director and director of health Phil Gowland, “we’re trying to actively shape it.”
He added Whitworths’ strategy to drive market growth was based on education, lobbying of policymakers, and product innovation.
The company has built “strategic partnerships” with the British Diabetic Association and pharmacists, and is “engaging directly with policymakers to ensure positive nutrition – foods that provide essential fibre, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats – receives as much focus as the current agenda on restricting “less healthy” foods”, Gowland said.
Whitworths matched its customer-facing investment with continued upgrades to its factory, due for completion in 2025.
Replacing all production halls and building new capabilities, including chocolate-coating production, the company has also expanded its warehouse capacity for greater in-house inventory, and upgraded water and power supplies for future development.
It has also demolished all its old derelict factory buildings on the estate to reclaim around eight acres of land for future expansion.
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