Kendal Nutricare wins the prestigious Queen’s Awards for Enterprise

Kendal Nutricare, proud manufacturer of Kendamil, is today celebrating Royal approval after winning a coveted Queen’s Award for Enterprise on this, the day of HRH the Queen’s 94th birthday. The Queen’s Award is recognised internationally and is widely regarded as Britain’s top business accolade, the equivalent of a company knighthood. 

Cumbrian-based Kendal Nutricare has won the Queen’s Award after growing global sales of its Kendamil infant formulas and baby cereals by over 360% during the last 3 years. Last month, the company was named one of Europe’s 1000 fastest-growing companies by the Financial Times, while this month Kendamil and Kendamil Organic were awarded the Gold prize for quality by the Monde Selection Awards, based on an 80-person independent expert panel.

Kendal Nutricare’s latest award is in recognition of a remarkable British start up story, after food entrepreneur Ross McMahon saved a loss-making factory in Kendal from closure in 2015. Today the family-run business employs 115 people, has annual sales of over £25m, and exports to over 30 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Kendamil now accounts for 10% of all UK branded food and drink exports to China, according to data from the Food and Drink Federation.

“Our formula for success has been to produce the most natural, ethical and traceable product on the market, made with full cream British milk from local farms and free from any nasties like palm oil and GMOs,” says Kendal Nutricare CEO Ross McMahon.  “That combination of British quality and all-natural ingredients has driven fantastic growth around the world where hard-working families are demanding greater quality and traceability of the products they use to bottle-feed their little ones.”

This focus on provenance, traceability and sustainability has seen Kendamil expand rapidly across both the UK and the world. Today Kendamil is stocked in over 1,700 stores across the UK (including ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrison’s and EH Booths) and in over 30,000 stores globally. During the COVID-19 crisis, the Kendal Nutricare team have worked tirelessly to guarantee supply to all online Kendamil.com and Amazon customers without disruption.

Ross McMahon added “This latest Royal endorsement is a testament to Kendal Nutricare’s world-class team in the English Lake District, our all-British supply chain and of course, the millions of happy Kendamil customers around the world for their loyalty and support. We are thrilled and honoured to receive this prestigious award.”

*Source: Food & Drink Federation Data: https://www.fdf.org.uk/exports-2019-q3.aspx

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