Member Article

Lincolnshire egg producer crowned Midlands Family Business

Lincolnshire egg producer and packer LJ Fairburn & Son has been awarded the highest accolade for family firms in the region by being crowned The Midlands Family Business of the Year.

Alford-based Fairburn was announced winner of the headline Award last night (Thursday 12th November 2015) at the prestigious black tie Midlands Family Business Awards Ceremony and Dinner at Leicester’s Athena in front of 300 guests from the Awards 44 finalists, independent judges and sponsors, including their organiser and headline sponsor, The Wilson Organisation.

Today led by the third generation of the Fairburn family, the business started producing eggs in Alford, Lincolnshire in 1951. It has significantly expanded and transformed to become one of the largest independent egg producers and packers in the UK, delivering more than 13 million British lion approved eggs every week, with over 180 employees and an annual turnover in excess of £50 million.

Now in their sixth year, the Awards are run by third generation family business The Wilson Organisation, and are the Midlands’ only independent, not-for-profit initiative to recognise and celebrate the work, achievements, innovation, operations, growth and performance of family businesses.

Judging the headline category this year were Mark Samworth of Samworth Brothers, Annabel Prow of Wilsons, Chris Romans of PwC and Kurt Jacobs of Insider, who said: “Fairburn is one of Lincolnshire’s largest employers, and has been operating for more than 60 years. It demonstrates all that is great about family businesses – ambition, growth, drive and inspiration. Alongside, the family and the business has maintained the values at the heart of a family firm, operating with loyalty and integrity at every level. They are highly worthy winners of the Midlands Family Business of the Year title, in what was a hotly contested final with incredible finalists once again this year.”

Highly Commended by the judges in the category were Children 1st Day Nurseries of Nottingham, and Derbyshire’s Glossop Cartons. Finalists were A1 Flue Systems, Bower Electricals and Roadlink International.

Winner of the category for family businesses with annual turnover of less than £5 million – the Best Small Family Business - was Derbyshire’s Rock Fall UK, manufacturer of safety footwear widely used worldwide on offshore oil rigs, in cold stores, and the utility and electronics industries. Highly Commended were Churchfields Farmhouse Ice Cream of Droitwich, Worcestershire, and pie manufacturer Brockleby’s of Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire.

Sponsors of the Awards this year are Affinity Asset Finance Limited, Barclays, Bedrock, Family Business Futures, PCMS Group, PwC, RSA, Royal London, and Yu Energy.

For the full line-up of Winners and Highly Commended in the ten categories for 2015, visit the Midlands Family Business Awards website www.familybusinessawards.co.uk .

Photo shows: Lincolnshire egg producer and packer LJ Fairburn & Son is the Midlands Family Business of the Year. Receiving the trophy was the company’s Daniel Fairburn (centre), pictured with Chris Romans (PwC)(left), and Charlotte Perkins (The Wilson Organisation)

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Midlands Family Business Awards .