We are pleased to announce our latest information initiative – the Prolific North Top 100 Brands.
The information we have collated on the North’s biggest spending brands makes fascinating reading and shines a welcome light on familiar household names and also on several surprising names, particularly the numerous privately-owned concerns running highly profitable businesses from the North.
This new compilation has been produced with the support of Tangerine PR and The Juice Academy and we would like to acknowledge our thanks to MediaCom North, which pulled together key aspects of the research.
The Prolific North Top 100 Brands initiative complements our growing range of annual information features including our Top 50 PR Agencies, Top 50 Integrated Agencies and the Top 50 Digital Agencies initiatives.
You can read more about the methodology behind the research here, as well as an analysis from a brand expert here.
The Prolific North Top 100 Brands 2014, in association with Tangerine PR and The Juice Academy
Brand
Ownership
Location
No. of Employees
Expenditure £
Asda (Stores & Money)
Walmart (USA)
Leeds
143,125
98,911,417
Wm Morrison Supermarkets
plc
Bradford
132,000
81,502,360
Dfs Furniture
Advent International
Doncaster
3,500
75,635,531
Shop Direct Home Shopping
Barclay Brothers
Liverpool
300
50,322,670
Co-operative Group (retail, banking, funeral and pharma)
Co-op Group
Manchester
7,000
48,976,414
JD Williams
N Brown plc
Manchester
4,500
47,663,116
Halifax Building Society
Lloyds Bank Plc
Halifax
36,500
43,841,737
Kellogg’s
Kellogg’s Company (USA)
Manchester
700
43,482,170
Moneysupermarket
plc
Ewloe, Chester
500
26,617,944
Bensons Beds
Steinhoff UK Retail
Accrington
1,200
17,744,695
Webuyanycar.com
CC Automotive Group
Manchester
1,500
17,016,290
Scs Furniture Stores
Share & Sons
Sunderland
2,000
15,731,148
Arla Foods
Arla Foods,Denmark
Leeds
2,000
15,632,600
Beaconsfield Footwear
Independent
Skelmersdale
475
14,998,017
Cotton Traders
Independent
Altrincham
1,200
13,714,295
Damart
Damartex group, French plc
Bingley
500
12,788,510
Matalan
Independent
Skelmersdale
2,500
12,649,922
Iceland Frozen Foods
Independent
Deeside
600
12,635,241
Plumbs
Independent
Preston
300
11,062,204
Plusnet
BT Group plc
Sheffield
90
10,897,366
Sofaworks
Independent
Warrington
n/a
10,321,712
Phones 4u
4u group
Newcastle-under-Lyme
5,000
10,315,571
McCain Foods
McCain Foods Canada
Scarborough
20,000
9,468,294
Chums
Independent
Liverpool
60
9,391,871
MBNA Europe Bank
Bank of America
Chester
4,500
9,181,559
Kingstown Assoc
Independent
Driffield
300
9,061,262
Injury Lawyers 4u
Various law firms including JMW
Manchester
50
8,838,078
National Holidays
Shearings Group
Wigan
375
8,788,436
Jet2.com Flights
Dart Group plc
Leeds
600
8,727,104
Shearings
Independent
Wigan
2,800
8,550,435
Wren Living
EBUYER
Barton-on-Humber
500
8,002,100
Dr. Oetker
Dr. August Oetker KG, Germany
Leeds
2,000
7,907,297
Safestyle (Uk)
Style Group
Bradford
250
7,441,024
Bet365
Independent
Stoke
2,000
7,398,938
Warburtons
Independent
Bolton
6,000
7,254,443
Gladstone Brookes
Independent
Warrington
20
6,531,726
Sky Bet & Vegas
British Sky Broadcasting Plc
Leeds
23,000
6,466,409
Go Outdoors
Independent
Sheffield
1,050
5,638,826
Magnet
Independent
Darlington
3,000
5,511,525
Marks & Spencer Money
M&S plc
Chester
1,500
5,293,201
Laterooms
TUI Travel plc
Manchester
375
5,240,125
Help Link Uk
Independent
Leeds
175
5,174,386
Amplifon
Independent
Manchester
500
4,991,766
Haribo Dunhills
HARIBO, Germany
Pontefract
600
4,935,027
Done Bookmakers/BetFred
Independent
Warrington
n/a
4,662,755
First Direct
HSBC Holdings Plc
Leeds
2,500
4,470,834
Bettys & Taylors Of Harrogate
Independent
Harrogate
400
4,431,481
Great Rail Journeys
ECI Partners
York
250
4,317,153
Lakeland
Independent
Windermere
200
4,311,478
Nisa Todays Holdings
Independent
Scunthorpe
450
4,288,460
Victoria Plum
Independent
Hull
n/a
4,275,510
Sjm Concerts
Independent
Stockport
100
4,195,889
First4lawyers
Independent
Huddersfield
10
4,155,717
Youngs Bluecrest Seafood
Findus Equity Co SA
Grimsby
3,000
3,748,734
Yorkshire Building Society
Independent
Bradford
3,500
3,665,320
AB World Foods/Pataks
Garfield Weston Foundation
Leigh
700
3,538,132
Stepchange Debt Charity
Independent
Leeds
n/a
3,529,790
Vanquis Bank
Provident Financial Group
Bradford
600
3,492,991
Neville Johnson
Key Capital Partners LLP
Manchester
250
3,431,783
JD Sports
plc
Bury
5,500
3,417,533
Entertainment Magpie
Independent
Macclesfield
300
3,270,005
Adidas
Adidas-Salomon AG, Germany
Stockport
1,000
3,214,573
Adams Foods
Irish Dairy Board
Leek
400
3,073,449
Leger Travel
Independent
Rotherham
100
3,055,847
Swinton Insurance
MMA Holdings UK Plc
Manchester
5,500
2,999,482
Pure Collection
Independent
Harrogate
300
2,921,027
Joe BrownsClothing
Independent
Leeds
150
2,875,127
Mantis Mowers
Independent
Stockport
n/a
2,859,731
Barratt Developments
plc
Newcastle
6,000
2,616,179
Hampson Hughes Solicitors
Independent
Liverpool
n/a
2,525,992
Jacob’s Bakery
United Biscuits
Liverpool
393
2,521,201
David Nieper
Independent
Alfreton
275
2,489,133
Treyn Hols
Great Rail Group
York
250
2,460,649
Country Collection
WCF Ltd
Cumbria
90
2,365,177
Halewood International
Independent
Liverpool
450
2,307,411
Park Group
plc
Liverpool
200
2,305,846
Express Gifts
Findel plc
Manchester
700
2,286,896
Saucy Fish Co
Independent
Grimsby
800
2,275,591
United Carpets & Beds
plc
Rotherham
250
2,200,725
Scenic Tours
Melbourne, Australia
Manchester
20
2,146,839
National Tyre Services
Axle Group Holdings
Stockport
2,500
2,091,639
David Ormerod Hearing Aids
Sonova Holding & Boots
Llandudno
350
2,062,847
Yorkshire Bank
National Australia Group
Leeds
8,000
2,058,061
Flamingo Land
Independent
Malton
180
2,053,808
Litecraft Group
Independent
Manchester
100
2,036,468
Betta Living
Independent
Oldham
500
1,977,692
Cottages4you
Wyndham Vacation Rentals
Earby, Lancs
600
1,970,763
PZ Cussons
plc
Manchester
250
1,955,840
Slimming World
Independent
Alfreton
280
1,892,317
New York Bakery Co
Maple Leaf Bakery UK
Rotherham
12
1,844,795
Pets At Home
plc
Handforth, Cheshire
5,000
1,843,983
Abel & Cole
Phoenix Equity Partners
Hull
n/a
1,804,363
Cellar Trends
Independent
Swadlincote
150
1,760,291
J Parker Dutch Bulbs
Independent
Manchester
150
1,745,283
Boohoo
plc
Manchester
200
1,733,496
Costcutter
Bibby Line Group
York
150
1,704,200
Stoneacre Motors
Independent
Doncaster
2,000
1,602,695
Acorn Mobility
Independent
Steeton, West Yorks
500
1,602,503
Boundary Mill Stores
Libra Textiles
Colne
1,000
1,519,418
Missguided
Independent
Manchester
200
1,493,899
Read more about the methodology behind the research here, as well as an analysis from a brand expert here.