One of the UK’s leading fresh produce companies might be media shy, but it’s certainly not bashful when it comes to trading fresh produce.
Based in Canterbury, Kent, but trading within the UK, and also – to a far lesser degree - to Ireland and mainland Europe, A Gomez grew its turnover by more than £3.6 million in the most recent financial year to £124.5m.
During the financial year the data covers, A Gomez employed nearly 500 members of staff. Added to that, one of the company’s directors, Jim Parmenter, plus company secretary, Scott Rutherford, were on the board of fifth-tier professional football club, Dover Athletic. Parmenter, in fact, headed-up a consortium which rescued the club from the brink of extinction in 2005.
Explaining in the accounts report how A Gomez achieved the turnover of £124.5m in the year to 30 September 2013, Rutherford said: “We are pleased with the growth in the revenue of the company, in a period where a number of investments were made in the operational capacity of the business, which has led to overall profitability falling in 2012. This increase in operational capacity should lead to the ability in future years to further grow turnover.”
He added: “The directors are pleased with the investments in the business, that will allow for the company to continue its ambitious growth strategy, and meet the demands of our customers in future years, with whom we continue to develop our strong business relationships.”
