• Swindon & Wiltshire Awards
• Friday June 27 2025

South West’s fastest-growing private companies revealed in new Sunday Times list

The South West’s fastest-growing businesses will be revealed by the Sunday Times this weekend – and Business Biscuit is giving readers a sneak preview.

The annual ranking identifies and celebrates Britain’s 100 leading entrepreneurial businesses, and showcases the people behind these most dynamic private companies.

This year The Sunday Times 100 Fast Growth list excludes companies that sell their own technology, which now feature in the sister table, The Sunday Times 100 Tech, which was launched in January 2025.

Topping the South West list is Hawkstone, the brewery based in Gloucestershire whose largest shareholder is TV star-turned-farmer Jeremy Clarkson. It has seen annual sales growth over three years of 134.11 per cent and its latest sales are £21.3 million.

At third place is Bristol-based recruitment consultancy Talentia Group, which has grown by 76.87 per cent over the past three years and enjoys sales of £38.1 million.

Weston-super-Mare electrical engineering firm Green Frog Connect is at fourth place on the South West list with sales growth of 74.97 per cent and annual sales of £47.0 million.

Frome-based Sweet Bee Organics, which makes skincare and health products, are in fifth place with sales growth of 66.10 per cent and sales of £11.7 million.

And at sixth place is Swindon-based electrical engineering firm Sinewave, with sales growth of 62.01 per cent and sales of £20.3 million.

The research for The Sunday Times 100 found on average the top 100 fastest-growing companies have increased their sales by 111 per cent a year over the last three years to a combined £3.4 billion in sales. This figure is up by £500 million year-on-year, with the 2024 top 100 fastest growing companies achieving £2.9 billion in sales.

In total these companies employ 15,300 people, having created 10,500 new jobs in the last three years, with all of them planning further hires in the next 12 months – equating to around 5,300 additional roles.

More than a third of the national list are based in London. twenty-eight of the businesses have female founders or co-founders. Nearly two thirds of the companies were founded in the last decade. The oldest company on the list is St Ewe Free Range Eggs, from Cornwall, which is placed second in the South West list.

The majority of companies are self-funded. Only 39 of the companies on the list have raised external equity funding since 2011. Approximately half of the companies on the list trade internationally.

Jon Yeomans, business editor of The Sunday Times, said: “The Sunday Times 100 is the definitive annual ranking of Britain’s fastest-growing private companies and demonstrates the remarkable entrepreneurial spirit thriving across Britain.

“DFYNE’s meteoric rise is a testament to the power of innovation and resilience in the private sector. It’s inspiring to see how these businesses are not only achieving phenomenal growth, but also creating thousands of new jobs and opportunities.”

Mo Syed, head of Barclays Private Bank and Wealth Management UK, said: “We are proud to be the lead sponsor of The Sunday Times 100 Fastest Growing Companies once again.

“This prestigious ranking celebrates the innovation, ambition and resilience of Britain’s entrepreneurs – qualities that we at Barclays Private Bank are privileged to support.

“As these dynamic businesses scale and evolve, we’re committed to being the trusted partner for their strategic wealth, investment and succession planning, supporting them at every stage of their personal and business journey.”