A HALAL food manufacturer based in Blackburn has won the headline prize at the English Asian Business Awards.

KQF, based in Wensley Fold, was selected as ‘business of the year’ at an awards ceremony in Manchester that was attended by hundreds of delegates.

The firm beat off competition from six other finalists including professional services specialists, high-tech manufacturers and food and drinks companies.

Judges took into account KQF’s dramatic growth in sales in the last year, and its innovation with regard to new product development, branding, quality control and the expansion of its export markets.

Over the last year, the George Street West company has almost doubled its turnover, won new clients in Britain and Europe and created 12 new jobs in Lancashire.

Managing director Faruk Vali said: “This is a very prestigious award for KQF and to be up there with some really big names is a great achievement. I would like to express my appreciation to our whole 62-strong workforce for their contributions to making this award possible.

We have come a long way in the last 12 months and much of it has been down to sheer hard work from the whole team.”

The company was also recently commended as a finalist in the E3 Business Awards, and has been selected as a finalist at the EN 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards on October 16.

Representatives for the firm will also attend the Butcher’s Shop of the Year Awards in November, where it has been shortlisted in two categories.