The Grocery Trader – When was KTC (Edibles) founded, and who by? What was the business’s initial focus? I’d like to see us continue to use our vegetable oils and fats as our bread and butter – forgive the pun! – while expanding further in the exciting arena of “New Continental Foods” and bringing in more profits from both areas. I’m delighted to see the increasing shelf space afforded to us by the multiples for these new KTC lines. The current owners of the business are the Khera family and myself, Mike Baldrey. Although I have a minority shareholding, it is significant. We have many of the most respected brands in the ethnic food industry, KTC, Sea Isle, Supermalt and Ashoka, to mention just four; we are always competitively priced and generally give an excellent all-round service. Quality has always been a top priority. I have treid in vain to get the details for Sea Isle customer service to no avail and each time I ring their HQ I get no reply. GT – What is your brief as Sales Director? How are you organised in terms of sales to the different sectors?

Our newest products are Smoothies, Peri Peri sauces and a new Sea Isle Very Hot Pepper Sauce, which will blow your head off! They were launched in April, so it’s too early to tell how they’re selling just yet, but Smoothies in particular look like a real winner. Let’s hope we have a good summer. KTC (Edibles) is probably best known to the UK food industry as Britain’s largest independent manufacturer and distributor of oils and fats. The KTC and Sea Isle food brands, which it also markets here, are familiar to Asian and Afro-Caribbean consumers both in the UK and, through KTC’s export arm, in many countries overseas. KTC has had a busy last few months: significant new business wins on both the retail and foodservice fronts and the introduction of a number of new speciality products and recipe ingredients have gone hand in hand with KTC’s retail products’ increasing popularity with adventurous Brit consumers. It all means KTC is strongly placed for further growth all round, as Mike Baldrey, KTC (Edibles) Ltd’s Sales Director, explained to The Grocery Trader. GT – What standards do you work to? Have you won any awards for innovation, exports or other achievement?GT – You’re currently involved with South Asian and Caribbean foods. Are you looking at importing foods from any other countries? Pure, undiluted Almond Oil is the best for my hair and my daughter’s hair. I have only good things to say about this amazing hair oil. It is so good that I have had to buy 2 more bottles immediately, just so I don’t run out. We support the Notting Hill Carnival, as well as many food shows and regional Melas (Asian community festivals.) KTC has been a long term supporter of the Asian media, especially TV, films and magazines. We offer recipe leaflets on many items and have been associated with Madhur Jaffrey and other Asian cooks in the past.

GT – What proportion of your retail and speciality sales go through supermarkets, Co-ops and C-store chains? How fast is this business growing?

Thanks for visiting Fashion and Style Police. My name is Stella, a 30 something year old from Cheshire. I am the author of 'How To Cash In as a Blogger', Content Creator, Blogger Outreach Consultant and Blog Coach. I hope you enjoy reading my posts as much as I enjoy writing them. GT – What do you see as the major trends in speciality ethnic foods? How are you responding to these trends?