The story behind SD Parr’s success in the candied fruit market

SD Parr & Co Ltd has been a major player in the candied fruit industry for over 40 years.

Founded in 1980, the business has grown and adapted to market changes, while always keeping strong relationships with its customers and suppliers. Today, SD Parr is fully owned by the Spanish food company Helios and runs its business from offices in Cudworth.

Acting as an agent and broker for candied fruits in the UK, SD Parr’s main supplier is Helios. Based in Valladolid, Spain, they process the candied cherries SD Parr is so well known for. But the company also sources products from elsewhere. Their candied oranges and lemons, for example, are from Dutch supplier, Royal Steensma.

SD Parr works with a variety of customers, from bakeries to food service companies, both big and small. Many have been buying from SD Parr for years. Some will purchase container loads of cherries at a time, but the company also handles smaller and bespoke orders too. One well-known client is JG Foods Ltd which buys cherries from SD Parr to package under their Grape Tree label.

Though SD Parr only delivers within the UK, it supplies international customers too. Freight forwarding companies simplify the exporting process by handling all the shipping for these. Importing products, once handled internally, is now managed by a third party agent too.

Office Manager Linda Bailey says:

“Since Brexit, we’ve been using a customs clearance agent for goods coming into the UK. We send them all the paperwork, and they do everything else to clear customs. They’re experts in the field and it works well for us.”

AA food quality accreditation means quality you can trust

SD Parr holds a BRC accreditation, which is an important food quality certification. This global standard requires annual audits to ensure products are of the highest quality. Importantly though, everyone in the supply chain holds similar quality accreditations too, including the distributor.

“Many customers will now only deal with companies holding recognised quality accreditations. We’re proud of our last BRC audit where we earned an AA grade, the highest you can get. We’ve always achieved either A or AA grades, giving customers the confidence that our products meet the highest standards.”

Though recent years have not been easy, Linda believes their loyal customers have helped SD Parr weather the storm. She adds,

“We’re lucky to have customers who trust our quality and who have stuck with us over the years.”

The Business Village is a great place to work

SD Parr moved from Cheshire to The Business Village in 2007 when their processing factory closed. Helios bought the company and, although now fully owned, SD Parr has continued to operate independently.

Linda says,

“The location and flexibility sold us on The Business Village. We needed a good-sized office, and this has everything. The staffed reception is a bonus, and it’s close to the motorway which is perfect for our visitors.”

The office in Cudworth handles all day-to-day operations. It’s a perfect location, near to the warehouse in Goldthorpe, owned by Ken Mallinson & Son. This close setup makes for easy travelling between the two, helping streamline processes.

Being at The Business Village has also helped SD Parr in other ways.

“We cut our telecoms cost significantly by moving to an in-house provider around six years ago. We’ve had amazing support from the management team too. Kevin Steel was great when we set up our CRM system, making sure we were comfortable using it, and it didn’t cost us a penny.”

Looking to the future, Linda says the company is always keeping an eye out for new opportunities. Helios has recently sent samples of new products they would like to introduce into the UK market. Although it’s early days, she thinks there’s some potential in premium outlets.

“The feedback from the samples has been good, but it’s all about finding the right niche. Customers in farm shops and delis are often willing to pay a little more for quality products, so we’re looking for that type of customer to come on board.”

In closing, Linda reflects on what she believes makes The Business Village special.

“It’s been a fantastic home for SD Parr. We have everything we need to run the business smoothly and to continue growing. There’s a real sense of community here and an excellent reception team. Having free parking is just the icing on the cake!”

Website and contact details: https://www.business-village.co.uk/tenant/s-d-parr-company/