A MAJOR food importer has more than doubled its annual turnover after a Christmas boost.

Ozgur Tarim, which is based in Little Yeldham, imports dried fruit and generated more than £23 million in 2019.

Since launching in 2017, the business now supplies a quarter of all dried fruit, imported from all over the world, from nations such as Turkey, Greece, Belgium, China, India and South Africa.

The company also received a festive boost as managing director Marcus Welch says 15 per cent of all dried fruit which is imported into the UK is used in Christmas products such as mince pies and Christmas pudding.

The company started with just £2 million of credit from Lloyd Bank and generated £11.3 million in its first year.

It now aims to build upon its success in 2020.

Mr Welch said: “This is only the beginning for us but we are so proud of what we have achieved already and look forward to growing our business further in the coming years.

“The support we’ve had from Lloyds Bank, who have been by our side throughout the process, has been amazing.”

Mr Welch added: “Having the access to the lines of credit we did meant we could start out on the right path and invest in our growth from the beginning.”