Leyla Edwards and Dr Graham Jackson

Dr Graham Jackson and Leyla Edwards have been shortlisted for their work at KK Fine Foods plc based in Deeside, Flintshire.

Leyla started the company in 1987 operating out of her kitchen at home, producing quality and innovative recipe dishes for the food industry supplying pubs, restaurants and hotels.

In 2003 Leyla moved her business to the Deeside Industrial Park into a purpose-build factory. This expansion was the first of many and in 2014 the company completed a £4.2m expansion, combined with her entrepreneurial leadership she and her team helped the company grow to make more than £30m turnover.

Graham joined KK Fine Foods as the chairman in 2003 and has seen the company’s turnover and profits increase year on year. The company is one of the fastest growing businesses in the food sector. Last year the company created 90 new jobs, a further 50 jobs this year and with additional funding KK will be able to take on a further 60 full time jobs by the end of 2016.

The company works very closely with Glyndwr University, Wrexham and Coleg Cambria, Deeside with extensive training programmes to train its workforce of over 400.

KK also helps local charities each year by sponsoring dinners and promoting youth theatrical companies, which have so far has raised more than £30,000 for charities such as Blind Veterans UK, Gobowen Hospital and Alder Hay Children’s Hospital.

The company is very conscious of its corporate responsibilities to the environment, putting in place a sustainability programme in terms of waste production, a by-product of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement charters.