Pictured: Patisserie Valerie's Chief Executive Officer Paul
May
Leading Midlands based chain Patisserie Valerie is celebrating a
fantastic year of business growth after being named on the Sunday
Times Virgin Fast Track 100 list this weekend.
The list features Britain's privately-owned companies who have
enjoyed the fastest-growing sales over the last three
years.
Companies on the list have seen an average of 87% a year sales
growth, totalling an impressive £4bn and tripled workforces
to 18,200 over the same period.
Patisserie Valerie has seen a significant expansion beyond its
London base during 2011, with over a 50% increase in the number of
outlets across the country and ranks number 52 on this year's
list.
The trendy high street patisseries offer everything from an
early morning breakfast to a sumptuous high tea as well as a
bespoke catering service and exclusive collection of wedding
cakes.
And it is this unique blend that has seen the chain carving out
a high street niche not met by traditional coffee house chains or
cake shops and has continued to drive the company's considerable
success.
The company, which was established in Soho in 1926 by Madame
Valerie and with headquarters based in Birmingham, has opened over
50 stores and created over 500 new jobs throughout the country.
This success follows the 2006 Risk Capital Partners backed
management buyout for £6m and has seen sales grow 68% a year
from an annualised £7.1m in 2007 to £33.4m in 2010.
Patisserie Valerie's Chief Executive Officer Paul May is
delighted with the company's inclusion on the Sunday Times Virgin
Fast Track 100 and credits its organic openings and acquisitions
for the successful national rollout.
"Despite the current climate of doom and gloom, we have
continued to bring investment and job opportunities to the UK's
high streets and encourage the interest of the public who welcome
the new stores," Paul said.
"If anything, the enthusiasm of the public has taken us by
surprise, so we have continued to look for high quality shopping
venues in which to open and continue to grow Patisserie Valerie as
a national brand.
"This has put us in a different market place and is why we have
been able to gain so many new customers in the last year, continue
to provide much needed jobs and revive the use of empty buildings
in UK towns and cities.
"Having Patisserie Valerie ranked on the Sunday Times Virgin
Fast Track 100 list is a true testament to the hard working team we
have on board at all levels of the business and is something we are
extremely proud of."
The Patisserie Valerie chain will continue to build on this
year's success into 2012 and beyond with a number of new openings
being planned across the UK.