Rank | Company | Location | Year end | Annual sales rise over 3 years | Latest sales £000s | Staff | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Clinigen GroupPharmaceutical services provider | Burton on Trent | Jun 11 | 242.05% | 35,024 | 48 | Added £23m in sales this year through acquisitions |
2 | Secured MailBulk mail service provider | Warrington | Jul 10 | 232.76% | 32,556 | 61 | Collects 400m letters nationwide each year |
3 | Diet ChefDiet meal retailer | Edinburgh | Jul 11 | 228.69% | *11,852 | 45 | Founder’s first job was as personal chef to the Mountbatten family |
4 | Mobile Account SolutionsPhone and tablet provider | Hertfordshire | Mar 11 | 194.45% | 27,331 | 10 | Supplies mobile phones to Childline and Amnesty International |
5 | TopCashbackCashback website operator | Staffordshire | Jan 11 | 189.27% | 15,512 | 17 | Claims that the average customer receives £50 cashback per year |
6 | MedstromNHS product supplier | Derbyshire | Feb 11 | 166.72% | *5,543 | 75 | Supplies high-tech cots that can x-ray and weigh critically ill children |
7 | Côte RestaurantsRestaurant operator | Central London | Jul 11 | 166.35% | 35,583 | 894 | Backed by Richard Caring and is run by the former owners of the Strada restaurant chain |
8 | Veetee FoodsPackaged food manufacturer | Kent | Dec 10 | 163.83% | 11,145 | 38 | Sells 25m trays of premium ready-cooked rice each year |
9 | Notonthehighstreet.comOnline retail marketplace | Richmond | Dec 10 | 154.65% | *15,080 | 45 | Estimates that it has received £50m in free PR from free press coverage |
10 | Lois JewelleryJewellery wholesaler & bullion dealer | Birmingham | Mar 10 | 150.13% | 263,009 | 12 | Melts down about 150kg of gold each day |
11 | AES InternationalFinancial services provider | West London | Apr 11 | 144.89% | 5,471 | 19 | Started out providing financial advice for expats in hazardous regions and professions |
12 | Austin FraserRecruitment consultancy | Reading | Feb 11 | 142.12% | *7,101 | 28 | Its first office was a garage owned by the father of one of the founders |
13 | Be Wiser InsuranceInsurance broker | Andover | May 11 | 139.07% | 12,148 | 141 | Checks more than 30 insurance companies when searching for quotes for customers |
14 | Electricity Network SolutionsElectricity infrastructure servicer | Northamptonshire | Sep 10 | 136.05% | †9,735 | 115 | Refurbished 900km of overhead electricity lines last year |
15 | Staysure.co.ukOver-fifties insurance provider | Northampton | Dec 10 | 134.01% | *14,583 | 62 | Operates an expatriate office in Spain |
16 | PhoVietnamese restaurant chain | Central London | Feb 11 | 132.59% | *5,374 | 130 | Up to 2,000 people are served freshly cooked dishes at its Westfield site each day |
17 | Actegy HealthHome healthcare devices | Ascot | Jun 11 | 130.44% | *22,911 | 27 | Has recently opened a new office in Montreal |
18 | sofa.comOnline sofa retailer | Southwest London | Feb 10 | 128.82% | 6,852 | 37 | Paid $200,000 for its internet domain name |
19 | Mobile Phone XchangeMobile phone recycler | Northwest London | Dec 10 | 128.01% | *10,235 | 18 | Claims to pay on average £57 to customers for their old mobile phones |
20 | Baird & CoBullion merchant | East London | Dec 10 | 115.27% | 417,167 | 53 | Makes 50,000 wedding rings a year |
21 | First UtilityEnergy supplier | Warwick | Dec 10 | 114.53% | 60,537 | 145 | Its smart meters send out readings of electricity usage every 30 minutes |
22 | Liquid FridayPayroll services provider | Portsmouth | Jul 11 | 112.72% | *31,405 | 1,450 | Provides financial services to contractors and temporary workers |
23 | La Fosse AssociatesTechnology recruitment consultancy | Central London | Sep 11 | 109.08% | *11,294 | 38 | Supports 250 children in a Malawi orphanage |
24 | feelunique.comOnline beauty products retailer | Jersey | Mar 11 | 105.50% | *16,056 | 118 | Gives its VIP club customers 10% off their favourite brand for life |
25 | Ella’s KitchenBaby food producer | Henley | Jun 11 | 99.89% | *30,289 | 35 | Claims that one of its products is eaten somewhere every second |
26 | Your Golf Travel.comGolf travel retailer | Central London | Dec 10 | 99.28% | 26,405 | 59 | Has set up Golf for Heroes, which allows injured soldiers to play golf for free |
27 | Ashbury Construction ServicesBuilding contractor | Ipswich | Mar 11 | 99.05% | *6,178 | 11 | Founder started in the building trade as a bricklayer at the age of 16 |
28 | Global PersonalsOnline dating service provider | Windsor | Aug 10 | 98.41% | 13,693 | 77 | Says it has created more than 6,000 dating websites for 1,400 companies |
29 | BullionVault.comGold dealer | West London | Oct 10 | 94.51% | 304,248 | 17 | Founded when Gordon Brown, as chancellor, sold off half of Britain’s gold reserve |
30 | Surfdome.comOnline lifestyle retailer | Wembley | Dec 10 | 92.11% | 7,261 | 50 | Founder originally planned to open an indoor surf centre |
31 | Fever-TreeMixer drinks manufacturer | Southwest London | Dec 10 | 91.13% | 6,664 | 11 | Says it uses the highest quality quinine sourced from Congolese ‘fever trees’ |
32 | DatacenterDynamicsPublisher & conference producer | Central London | Dec 10 | 90.12% | *10,331 | 70 | 2,500 delegates attended the company’s annual London conference this year |
33 | Pathology GroupRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Sep 11 | 89.17% | *35,964 | 52 | Donates funds to hospitals in the Czech Republic to buy equipment |
34 | Joseph JosephHousehold goods manufacturer | Central London | May 11 | 88.06% | *22,475 | 37 | Its colourful kitchenware has been a recent hit with customers in Mexico |
35 | FidelitiChildcare voucher administrator | Warrington | Mar 11 | 86.76% | 41,298 | 19 | Customers for its vouchers include employees of Virgin Trains and Heinz |
36 | Shortlist MediaMagazine/digital publisher | Central London | Aug 11 | 86.28% | *15,263 | 78 | Co-founded by the former editor of FHM magazine |
37 | GRITITWinter gritting specialist | Uxbridge | Sep 10 | 82.98% | *5,176 | 100 | Founders met on a gritting job and thought they could do better |
38 | RED5Gift and gadget retailer | Hull | Mar 10 | 81.80% | 10,824 | 205 | Products include a rubber duck speaker for listening to music in the bath |
39 | Make It CheaperBusiness cost saving service | Central London | Mar 10 | 78.77% | *5,024 | 62 | This price comparison service claims to broker 90,000 contracts a year |
40 | MPM productsPet food producer | Cheshire | Dec 10 | 78.15% | 8,702 | 20 | Premium cat food varieties include tuna-and-ostrich |
41 | LifetimeTraining provider | Bristol | Mar 11 | 77.75% | 23,639 | 239 | Has extended its fitness training services to retailing, hospitality and care provision |
42 | State OilFuel wholesaler | Weybridge | Feb 11 | 77.38% | 419,681 | 92 | Blends imported diesel with up to 50% biofuel at its facility on the Thames |
43 | MiromaMedia barter company | Central London | Jun 11 | 76.94% | *50,555 | 15 | Enables clients to trade inventory for advertising space |
44 | Mayday HealthcareRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Sep 10 | 72.65% | 56,768 | 102 | Makes its fourth consecutive appearance in the Fast Track 100 |
45 | APS SaladsTomato supplier | Cheshire | Dec 10 | 72.19% | 34,979 | 84 | Sells 300m tomatoes each year to British supermarkets |
46 | Liquid PersonnelRecruitment consultancy | Manchester | Mar 11 | 70.79% | 12,442 | 24 | Co-founder sold his car to raise the money to start the business |
47 | Amber TavernsPub operator | Preston | Jan 11 | 70.49% | 18,494 | 15 | Often spends more on refurbishing a pub than on the purchase price |
48 | Clinical ProfessionalsRecruitment consultancy | Reading | Apr 11 | 69.92% | *5,471 | 62 | Makes placements in 22 countries |
49 | MarkitFinancial information services | City of London | Dec 10 | 69.86% | 432,524 | 1,736 | Recently launched an iPad app to help its clients monitor financial data on the move |
50 | Low Cost Travel GroupTravel operator | West Sussex | Oct 10 | 69.79% | 27,054 | 145 | Claims to have become the exclusive holiday supplier to easyJet and Lastminute.com |
51 | Oliver James AssociatesRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Dec 10 | 68.65% | 17,592 | 50 | Founded by childhood friends James Wase-Rogers, Oliver Castle and Nick Godson |
52 | Patisserie ValeriePatisserie and cafe operator | Birmingham | Sep 10 | 67.79% | 33,424 | 1,027 | In the past 18 months the company has created more than 500 jobs |
53 | SDK JewellersOnline watch retailer | Reading | Feb 11 | 67.66% | *8,630 | 30 | Operates Watchshop.com, which claims to stock 9,000 different watches |
54 | International ApplicationsIndustrial & consumer goods distributor | Oxfordshire | Mar 11 | 66.94% | 16,433 | 22 | Exports goods across Europe, Africa and the Middle East |
55 | Climate EnergyEnergy efficiency consultancy | Essex | Jul 10 | 66.94% | †30,880 | 63 | Began offering energy advice on behalf of local authorities in Essex |
56 | Badger Office SuppliesOffice products supplier | Lancashire | May 11 | 66.55% | 9,683 | 51 | Has recently invested £3m in a new 80,000 sq ft industrial unit |
57 | OneE TaxTax planning specialist | Bolton | Dec 10 | 66.24% | †17,536 | 35 | Its last tax solution cost £1m to create, most of which was spent on lawyers’ fees |
58 | Chain Reaction CyclesOnline bike retailer | County Antrim | Dec 10 | 66.01% | 109,420 | 365 | Sponsored the International Triathlon Union World Championship Series in 2011 |
59 | GBEBuilding services provider | Kent | Sep 10 | 64.48% | 13,331 | 16 | Installed mechanical pipes 90cm in diameter for the Olympic village |
60 | Euro Communications DistributionTelecoms reseller | Wolverhampton | Mar 11 | 63.58% | *8,823 | 40 | Recycles 5,000 mobile phones a week |
61 | Nexus Vehicle RentalVehicle rental broker | Leeds | Sep 10 | 62.84% | 33,504 | 73 | Sourced refuse trucks for use in an episode of the BBC’s The Apprentice |
62 | Cartridge SaveComputer consumables reseller | Stockport | Dec 10 | 61.65% | *8,221 | 31 | Uses techniques designed for testing fighter jets to sell printer cartridges online |
63 | Jack WillsFashion retailer | Northwest London | Jan 11 | 61.14% | 92,230 | 1,870 | Company was named after a grandfather of one of the co-founders |
64 | Grand UnionVenue and bar operator | Central London | Mar 11 | 61.00% | *7,495 | 228 | Its Wandsworth branch has a 48-foot bar surrounding an oak tree |
65 | Sprue AegisSafety products manufacturer | Coventry | Dec 10 | 60.22% | 29,873 | 72 | Has developed a carbon monoxide sensor the size of a pound coin |
66 | Timothy James ConsultingRecruitment consultancy | Bristol | Oct 10 | 60.08% | 16,823 | 70 | Helps recruit finance directors for public and private companies |
67 | Mammoth ScreenTelevision programme producer | Central London | Oct 10 | 59.91% | 8,228 | 10 | Makers of the Inspector Morse prequel, Endeavour |
68 | TXO SystemsTelecoms infrastructure reseller | Windsor | Jun 11 | 59.79% | *8,748 | 32 | Received advice from telecoms billionaire Sir Terry Matthews on growing the business |
69 | Genuine SolutionsMobile accessories distributor | Surrey | Jan 11 | 57.82% | *18,030 | 81 | Won the Queen’s Award for International Trade in 2011 |
70 | Buymobilephones.netOnline phone retailer | Derbyshire | Mar 10 | 57.69% | 30,962 | 75 | Now offers cash for old phones as part of its new recycling scheme |
71 | Waterfall ServicesContract caterer | Cheshire | Mar 11 | 57.52% | 43,261 | 2,231 | Provides contract catering for the YMCA |
72 | Intuition IT SolutionsIT recruitment consultancy | West London | Apr 11 | 57.47% | *6,384 | 16 | Has recently celebrated turning over £1m in a month for the first time |
73 | Age PartnershipEquity release adviser | Leeds | Dec 10 | 57.11% | 5,604 | 75 | Set up by former directors of Ultralase, the laser eye-surgery business |
74 | Thomas FranksContract caterer | Oxfordshire | Sep 10 | 56.29% | *7,457 | 275 | Uses locally sourced ingredients for food freshly produced in each restaurant |
75 | LorclonCivil engineer | West London | Mar 11 | 56.09% | *6,996 | 130 | Sales have been boosted by the London Olympics and the Docklands railway extension |
76 | Senergy HoldingsEnergy consultancy | Aberdeen | May 10 | 55.48% | *89,716 | 450 | Has offices in Norway, the Middle East, Australia, North America and southeast Asia |
77 | Whitehall ResourcesRecruitment consultancy | Colchester | May 11 | 55.46% | *14,462 | 21 | A quarter of turnover is generated through placements overseas |
78 | Future Home CareHome care provider | Birmingham | Mar 11 | 54.92% | *15,264 | 707 | Provides home support enabling people with special needs to lead independent lives |
79 | Quercus PublishingPublisher | Central London | Dec 10 | 54.45% | 31,784 | 41 | Biggest seller is Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy |
80 | GO OutdoorsOutdoor equipment retailer | Sheffield | Jan 11 | 53.86% | 115,238 | 651 | 3i acquired a minority stake in a £28m deal earlier this year |
81 | WorldFirstInternational payments provider | Central London | Jan 11 | 53.86% | 11,996 | 97 | Claims to have transferred a client’s funds to Germany in less than seven minutes |
82 | JoulesClothing retailer | Leicestershire | May 10 | 53.53% | 51,167 | 465 | Tom Joule bought into his father’s company after selling wellies at a country show |
83 | East Midlands PharmaPharmaceutical supplies distributor | Leicestershire | Feb 11 | 53.19% | 6,496 | 35 | Founded by a biochemist and an aerospace engineer |
84 | Kennedy Pearce ConsultingRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Dec 10 | 53.08% | *†5,537 | 32 | Makes placements at all levels across the accountancy and finance sectors |
85 | WiggleOnline sports goods retailer | Portsmouth | Jan 11 | 53.01% | 86,787 | 131 | Company is chaired by cycling enthusiast and former Asda boss Andy Bond |
86 | Texel FinanceInsurance broker | Central London | Dec 10 | 52.98% | 6,174 | 14 | Has benefited from mounting worries about the financial stability of some countries |
87 | Next VenturesRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Dec 10 | 52.50% | 14,211 | 39 | Makes its third consecutive appearance in the Fast Track 100 |
88 | Liv-exFine wine exchange | Southwest London | Dec 10 | 52.24% | 52,564 | 21 | Has launched universal product codes for wine |
89 | Specialty PowdersFood manufacturer | North Yorkshire | Dec 10 | 52.17% | 10,834 | 44 | Recently diversified into sports protein drinks by acquiring a Dutch company |
90 | Goodman AssociatesMedia and advertising agency | Central London | Dec 10 | 51.78% | 12,105 | 10 | Places about 30,000 advertisements each year |
91 | Cath KidstonLifestyle retailer | West London | Mar 11 | 51.75% | *†67,264 | 518 | Former Claire’s boss Kenny Wilson recently joined the company as chief executive |
92 | TeacherActiveRecruitment consultancy | Birmingham | Dec 10 | 51.18% | 6,235 | 22 | Is opening three offices in the north of England to target that area in the next few years |
93 | Transglobal FuelsWholesale fuel supplier | West Yorkshire | Mar 11 | 51.13% | *30,205 | 11 | Sells 50m litres of fuel each year |
94 | Oak Furniture LandFurniture retailer | Swindon | Sep 10 | 51.08% | 25,913 | 113 | The average customer spend in its shops is double the average online spend |
95 | MenKindMen's gifts retailer | Surrey | Mar 11 | 50.88% | *18,187 | 220 | Sponsors men’s cancer charity Everyman |
96 | Marlin Financial GroupDebt purchaser | West Sussex | Dec 10 | 50.83% | *17,872 | 100 | Bought £60m of sub-prime debt this year, triple last year’s figure |
97 | Thomson Keene AssociatesRecruitment consultancy | Central London | Mar 11 | 50.66% | *7,620 | 28 | Company started in the spare bedroom of its founder |
98 | Ship Shape ResourcesConstruction services provider | Central London | May 10 | 50.63% | 19,822 | 35 | Claims to have spent more than £1m on the technology behind its payroll services |
99 | UK Flooring DirectOnline flooring retailer | Warwickshire | Mar 11 | 50.14% | *8,999 | 27 | Sells sustainably sourced wood floors and eco-friendly bamboo and cork flooring |
100 | Calcot Health & LeisureHotel and spa operator | Gloucestershire | Dec 10 | 49.64% | 10,812 | 345 | Rooms at its country house hotels start from £250 a night |
* Supplied by Company † Annualised figure