A West Bromwich-based Asian food firm has enjoyed an increase in revenue and profit over the last financial year. East End Foods has been a leading supplier and innovator in the UK Indian food market for over 40 years.

In the year to the end of April 2018 the group saw turnover increase by 3.2 per cent to £191.4m, up from £185.5m the previous year. Profit for the financial year increased from 3.75 per cent to 3.9 per cent with the total profit after tax coming in at £7.5m, up from £6.9m in 2017.

East End Foods is the largest importer of ethnic food ingredients in the UK. It supplies multiple large retailers such as Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and Morrisons, and the majority of independent retailers in the market, as well as restaurants and other catering establishments.

The company was founded by the Wouhra Brothers in 1972, when the five brothers saw a gap in the food market following the surge of Asians coming to the UK from India, Pakistan and East Africa. They spotted the lack of availability of ethnic food products and opened a small store in Wolverhampton, stocking raw ingredients and dried goods to supply this demand for Asian flavours.

The demand grew and so did the business and East End Foods became a nationally known wholesale supplier. The Wouhra brothers started to actively resource the best products available from growers worldwide. The result is the company growing to become one of the UK’s largest importers and specialists for spices, lentils, pulses and rice.

Despite its success and recent increase in revenue and profit East End Foods is keeping a close eye on the potential impact on the company of the UK leaving the European Union. There is continued uncertainty in the market and what effect Brexit will have on it.

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