Home-cooking craze gives boost to Lakeland

Brits trying their hand at home baking, jam making and growing fruit and vegetables to save money has helped Lakeland to a jump in sales and profits.

The family-run retailer – famed for its gizmos that middle Englanders never knew they needed and then find themselves unable to live without such as a spider hoover – saw profits shoot up from £4.3 million in 2008 to £6.8 million last year. Revenues were up 5.3% to £141.9 million, according to accounts just filed at Companies House.

"With people eating out less and TV cookery shows sparking interest, we have seen a huge rise in sales of baking products, while the fairycakes craze has made our electric cup cake maker a best-seller," said marketing director Tony Preedy.

"Our preserving products for making jam are getting bigger every year. We are now trying to bring the same innovation that we gave to the kitchen to the garden."

Other top sellers included pods for cooking "perfect" poached eggs, its Cobb portable barbecue and pineapple corer and slicer.

Sales also received a boost earlier this year when BBC celebrity chef duo the Hairy Bikers used Lakeland's aluminium crumpet rings on their show.

"We weren't selling very many, then sales rocketed immediately," said Preedy.

In 1998, the company was one of the earlier beneficiaries of the "Delia effect" after the television cook featured its omelette pan on her series.

Lakeland was founded in 1963 as a mail order business by agricultural feed salesman Alan Rayner, who sold home-freezing and plastic products from his garage in the Lake District.

He retired in 1974, handing the business over to his three sons Martin, Julian and Sam. They expanded into a broader range of kitchen products, dropped "Plastics" from the name and started opening stores.

Lakeland now has 48 shops across the country, including ones in Bluewater, Guildford, Kingston and Bromley. Its 49th shop will open next week in Epsom. Sales are now split almost in half between online and mail order and its shops.

Earlier this year, the retailer was named the most popular shop in Britain in a Which? survey, winning praise for its innovative products and customer service.

Poach Pods; for making poached eggs
Toastabag; for making toasted sandwiches
Microwave Lidded Saucepan
Lakeland Electric Cupcake Maker
Frosting Decoration Pen; a battery powered icing pen for cakes
Cobb Barbecue Cooking System; a portable barbecue
Pineapple Corer and slicer
Non-Stick Foil