A food producer and distributor has opened a new warehouse which it believes will help it double sales to more than £50 million.

Bennett Opie, a fourth generation family-owned supplier of pickles and sauces, launched its new warehouse a mile from its manufacturing base in Sittingbourne.

The new site is expected to play a crucial role in ambitious growth plans and has doubled the firm’s warehousing and logistics capacity to more than 6,000 pallets.

The company, founded in 1914, says will allow it to double current sales of £25 million within five years.

Managing director William Opie said: “The new warehouse is a large investment for the company but it is fundamental to take us to the next stage of expansion.

“Business has doubled since 2008 so it’s imperative, given our track record, that we have everything in place to double our sales once again in the next five years.”

Bennet Opie is looking to enter new markets in the Far East, Middle East and the USA, which it believes have “huge growth potential”.

Online sales and food services are key priorities in the domestic market.

Mr Opie said: “Without detracting from our core UK business, effort will be placed on developing key export markets.

“In many countries, there’s a huge fan base for all things British, which, along with a growing expat community that enjoy tasty reminders of home, are key drivers for growing export sales.

“In many countries, there’s a huge fan base for all things British, which, along with a growing expat community that enjoy tasty reminders of home, are key drivers for growing export sales..." - William Opie, Bennett Opie

“We have already seen significant growth in the Far East and China in particular is a target market. There has also been a surge of interest from the Middle East after we exhibited in Dubai last year.

“We are not going to rest on our laurels and will still be investing and working hard to develop the UK market, but, it’s fair to say that we need a greater standing within food service and to have more prominence online.”

The firm has made several appointments to support its growth plans.

In recent months, Ian Geddes has joined as logistics manager, Jemima Vickers as quality assurance manager, Richael Hoad as finance manager, Andrea Constable as marketing co-ordinator, Beverly Brice as sales administrator and Graham Cook as IT technician.

Apart from producing a range of products under their own Opies brand, the brand are also fine food importers and distributors.

In the UK it represent like Monin, Lingham’s Chilli Sauce, Barry Norman Pickled Onions, Ferns Curry Pastes, Delcie de Provence cherries and Clement Faugier chestnuts.