Indian food brand is market leader

AN INDIAN food firm that began 40 years ago as a family business selling home-made samosas yesterday defeated the challenge of the multinationals to be named Britain's fastest-growing brand.

According to the biggest brands survey, by Marketing magazine, Patak's Indian Foods increased sales by 92 per cent last year, outstripping Sega, Carling Black Label and Walkers Crisps.

The business, now based in Haydock, Lancashire, began in the 1950s when its founder, L G Pathak, arrived in Britain, started selling samosas from home and later bought a shop in north London. In 1990, it began television advertising and now has a turnover of pounds 19m and 20 per cent of the fast-growing Indian food ingredients market.

The survey shows that Coca-Cola remains Britain's biggest brand, with sales of pounds 411m. It is followed by Ariel and Persil soap powders, Walkers Crisps and Nescafe. The biggest-selling beer is Carling Black Label, while KitKat is the most popular sweet and Kellogg's Corn Flakes is the best-selling breakfast cereal.

The British spent record amounts on take-home luxuries, beers, snacks and over- the-counter medicines last year, according to the survey.