Category: Surrey Success Stories

Aerosensor: from F1 to founding a Surrey business

Published 23 October 2025

Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

Aerosensor is a technology firm in Dunsfold Industrial Park led by former F1 engineer Dr Barney Garrood. Thanks to the Surrey Economic Growth Fund, it is creating a new wind-tunnel facility and highly-skilled STEM jobs.ย 

Aerosensor is one of a growing number of Surrey businesses with innovation at its heart.

It is developing new aerodynamic measurement probes for automotive and aerospace applications. And thanks to a five-figure grant from the Surrey Economic Growth Fund, its operation is now expanding.

The grant will support extra staff, infrastructure and the design, build and testing of the probes. โ€‹ย 

Dr Barney Garrood is founder of Aerosensor. He explains that he started the business in 2023 to create probes for cycling – but then started selling devices to F1 too.ย 

โ€œWe have continued doing that and the market has grown to other motorsports and even marine industry,โ€ he said.ย 

He explained that in order to make and develop the probes, the firm needed a wind tunnel to calibrate and test them. 

โ€œWithout our own wind tunnel, we were at the mercy of how booked up other facilities were. I even had to travel to Bristol once to test one probe. So I decided to build our own wind tunnel.”ย 

Aerosensor: a global leader

The new wind tunnel will be transformative for Aerosensor.

Barney explains: โ€œHaving our own wind tunnel means we can halve our turnaround time to develop our existing probes that will make them world leading.

“There are only three other companies in the world that make these things. Having that facility on site is going to massively accelerate our development time and allow us to develop more advanced probes. Itโ€™s moved the business forward by about a year.โ€ย 

He added: โ€œThe grant enabled us to fully kit out the wind tunnel with tools and instruments we need. Weโ€™ll also be hiring new staff and technicians. I have over 20 years of experience in F1 and weโ€™re going to take people on and train them up in a highly skilled job.”ย 

The growth of his business will have an impact on the wider Surrey economy beyond jobs too.

For example, he also uses external suppliers in the county. And he has helped to enhance Dunsfold Industrial Parkโ€™s legacy as an aerodynamic centre.ย 

He adds: โ€œDunsfold Park has a history of aerodynamic development. The Harrier Jump Jet was developed here. And thereโ€™s a lot of racing car heritage here, and with fantastic high-tech motorsport such as McLaren in the area, it is the ideal place.โ€

About the Surrey Economic Growth Fund

Do you have a business idea that can drive growth across Surrey?

The Surrey Economic Growth Fund is overseen by Surrey County Council with the sole focus of driving economic growth across the region.

Applications are now live for the Business Growth Grant scheme, closing at midnight on 16 November 2025.

It is open to all small and medium size businesses in Surrey.

The award is a match-funded grant of between ยฃ10,000 and ยฃ75,000, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs.

Funding can support: 

  • Purchasing new equipment or technology
  • Developing new products or services
  • Expanding operations or facilities
  • Investing in staff training and upskillingย 

We particularly welcome applications from rural businesses, farms, and those contributing to the rural economy.

Questions? Get in touch via our Contact Us form.

A man in a black jumper stands next to a blue wind tunnel with aerosensor on the side in white lettering

Slitherine Software: doubling turnover in 12 months with Business Surrey’s support

Published 22 September 2025

Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

Slitherine Software is a fast-scaling gaming and defence tech company based in Epsom. With our help, it has implemented new recruitment and HR processes – helping the company to double forecasted turnover to ยฃ30 million and increasing headcount by 15% in just 12 months.

The Slitherine Software team approached Business Surrey in 2024. Directors were facing internal pressures over HR and recruitment processes – especially as it looked to rapidly scale.

As CEO Iain McNeil explains: โ€œWhat worked when we were 20 people wasnโ€™t going to work as we passed 100. We needed help simplifying and scaling our internal processes fast.โ€

They needed streamlined, practical documentation and better access to talent, without the overhead of complex systems – and thatโ€™s where Business Surrey stepped in.

Our Growth Hub team delivered hands-on tailored support that included:

  • Diagnosis to explore the key issues impacting growth
  • A complete review of their employee handbook and removal of unnecessary or duplicate policies
  • Advice on creating practical processes for staff management
  • Support with junior recruitment pipelines, including potential university channels

About Slitherine Software

Slitherine Software is a specialist video game developer and publisher focused exclusively on strategy and wargames.

With a catalogue of 450 titles – including major IPs like Terminator and Starship Troopers – the company sold more than two million games in 2024.

Headquartered in Epsom, Slitherine also has offices in Athens, Milan and Warsaw.

Its detailed wargames are also used by 150+ defence organisations in 25 countries for training and analysis, including under a renewed Enterprise licence with the Ministry of Defence.

Our Impact

Thanks to the Business Surrey team, Slitherine now has a lean, user-friendly HR framework aligned with how the business actually works.

This has made people management more efficient and scalable – crucial for a company that has grown to 110 employees and is managing multi-million-pound government and commercial contracts.

With better internal systems, Slitherine is not only managing todayโ€™s growth more effectively, but is also future-proofing for international expansion. In short, it now has operations fit for growth.

As CEO Iain McNeil says: โ€œWorking with Business Surrey has been a painless and productive experience. Their team are passionate about what they do and itโ€™s all for free so youโ€™d be mad not to make the most of it!

โ€œBusiness Surrey provided straightforward, no-nonsense HR support that removed complexity and gave us clarity. Weโ€™d recommend Business Surrey to any growing business wanting to accelerate growth โ€

Fully-funded support to grow your Surrey business

Looking for help to grow your Surrey business? Get in touch!

Business Surrey is a Surrey County Council service providing free, accessible support for all businesses. Our government-funded Growth Hub provides complimentary support tailored to your business.

Contact the team via our website to find out how we can support your company to start, grow and thrive.

You can also sign up to the Business Surrey newsletter for the latest updates and advice on growing your business.

A group of people pose for an image while standing outside. Two historic buildings stand behind them.
Six people with their backs to the camera are playing video games. Above them is a promotional image for StarShip Troopers, a game by Slitherine Software

3TOP Aviation embarks on growth plans thanks to ยฃ20 million loan from UK Export Finance

Published 8 September 2025

Funding and grants, Surrey Success Stories

3TOP Aviation, a market-leading aircraft trading and refurbishment specialist, has secured multimillion-pound investment to meet growing international demand. This is thanks to support from UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UKโ€™s export credit agency.

The Leatherhead-based firm acquires mid-to-end-life aircraft and engines for onward trading, leasing and refurbishment. They also dismantle aircraft and rebuild the associated components for onward sale to clients, helping to make the aerospace industry more sustainable.

The company โ€“ which employs 18 staff in Surrey plus 16 outside the UK โ€“ aims to grow into new global markets and product lines such as new generation aircraft.

As a result of the UKEF-backed financing, 3TOP Aviation is also planning to expand its UK workforce by 20%.

Plus, it is relocating some of its warehouses in France and the US to a larger site in Leatherhead, bringing further benefits to the local economy.

The financing has been secured with backing from UKEF issued under its General Export Facility. This guarantee enabled HSBC UK to provide a trade finance facility of up to ยฃ20 million, supporting 3TOP Aviationโ€™s export growth.

Chris Emechete, Managing Director of 3TOP Aviation, said:

“We are delighted to have secured substantial funding from UKEF which helps strengthen our position as a leading UK exporter of commercial aircraft aftermarket services and allows us to further exploit new opportunities around the world.

“We are very active in the aviation market globally, so capital backing from UKEF, a major credit export agency with an impeccable pedigree and reputation, aligns perfectly with our growth plans and aspirations.”

Tim Reid, CEO at UK Export Finance, said:

“3TOP Aviationโ€™s story shows how our support empowers UK businesses to create prosperity at home while growing their footprint internationally.

“Their impressive growth in turnover from ยฃ3 million to ยฃ70 million in just four years demonstrates the huge potential for British firms by tapping into global markets. Thatโ€™s where UKEF comes in: weโ€™re here to ensure that lack of finance never stands in the way of firms achieving their true export potential.

“3TOP Aviation brings more than 25 years of industry expertise to the sector, with international offices spanning the United Arab Emirates, United States, Singapore, Germany and India. In the last four years, 3TOP Aviationโ€™s business has boomed with revenue growing from a post-Covid low of ยฃ3 million in 2021 to ยฃ70 million in 2025.”

Grow your business with UK Export Finance

UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UKโ€™s export credit agency. It’s a government department, working alongside the Department for Business and Trade as an integral part of its strategy and operations.

3TOP Aviation is one of more than 660 companies accessing support from UKEF in the last financial year. It has provided a record ยฃ14.5 billion in new financing, supporting up to 70,000 jobs.

UKEF works with over 100 private credit insurers and lenders to help UK companies access export finance. It complements not competes with the private sector.

UKEF helps UK companies to:

  • win export contracts by providing attractive financing terms to their buyers
  • fulfil contracts by supporting working capital loans
  • get paid by insuring against buyer default

Its export finance managers provide free and impartial consultations, helping UK companies to check they are getting appropriate support and exploring how to bridge any gaps.

You can also arrange a consultation with your local export finance manager via the UKEF website.

Finance support for Surrey businesses

Are you a Surrey business looking for finance? Not sure where to start?

From start-up business funding to business growth funding, Business Surrey helps you at all stages of your business journey.

We can help you access the financial support you need to enable your business to prosper and open the door to business growth.

Our funding and grants page outlines some of the current opportunities available to Surrey businesses.

You can also get in touch with our team of experts via our Business Support Form.

Receiving inspector closely examines a low-pressure turbine disk from a CFM56-5B engine at 3TOP Aviationโ€™s facility in Leatherhead, Surrey.

From pop-up to permanent: how a Multiply course helped Rita achieve her dream business

Published 6 March 2025

Advice and support, Surrey Success Stories

When Rita gave up her job in a creative agency for health reasons, she knew she wanted to do something different next: she wanted to help people in some way, and make use of the love and knowledge of plants she learned from her grandmother, (also named Rita). Here’s how a Multiply course helped make that happen.

Rita landed on the idea to open a plant shop with a difference – one with a strong community ethos and emphasis on mental health.

Rita and Nonna Rita - how a Multiply course helped Rita

โ€œI just envisioned a place where it would be more of a community-based business. I wanted to not just have a plant shop, my goal was to create a space for people to feel more themselves.โ€

However, she wasnโ€™t sure how to get started. She felt lacking in investment funds and business knowledge, and crucially, was also lacking in confidence about her numeracy skills.

And thatโ€™s where Rita discovered Multiply. Funded by government, Multiply courses were created to help adults without Maths GCSE to improve their maths skills and number confidence. There have been a huge range of different courses offered under the Multiply programme, including many with a practical element, or focusing on specific interests that are related to, but not limited to, maths and numeracy.

Rita was able to take a Multiply course on ‘How to start your own business without money’ run by The Rebel Business School (a Multiply provider for Surrey County Council). It didnโ€™t cost her anything, and boosted her number confidence from a score of 1 out of 5 before the course, to a score of 4 out of 5 on completion.

Importantly the course helped her to understand tax, VAT, and the basics of setting up and running a small business so that she felt confident to make the leap and start her own. She says,

โ€œIn terms of numeracy, [the course] really boosted my knowledge. And then I got the confidence when I got through it.โ€

Following the Multiply course, although Rita still didnโ€™t have any funds to invest in starting a business, she took the resilience and adaptability skills sheโ€™d learned on the course and applied to a business competition to win a pop-up-shop premises in Guildford.

โ€œI didn’t have a lot of things to help me to go where I wanted, but [the course] pushed me to find alternative routes. They taught me skills of dig deep, keep looking, just keep going, it will happen, you’ve just got to keep searching, it might take longer but you’ll get there. And how to barter, how to get things.โ€

Rita won the pop-up premises, and made such a success of it that her plant shop, Rita Botanicals (named after her Nonna Rita), now has a permanent home in Guildfordโ€™s White Lion Walk. All thanks to that initial Multiply course she took.

How a Multiply course helped Rita open her dream shop

And has Rita fulfilled her dream of running a business that is also a place for the community to benefit from? She says,

โ€œIt’s like this bridge between generations and a common interest, which is really nice to see. And also a lot of people get educated on nature again, because they don’t have the means to get out and about. ย Whatever they’re going through it encourages them to bring it home. And I think that really helps a lot of people with their anxieties as well. I have a lot of people with depression that come through and I see how much they feel more at ease in the shop and I love that. So it’s not just a business it’s more of a place as well.โ€

Support for Surrey businesses

Although the Multiply programme comes to an end in March 2025, there are still many opportunities for Surrey residents to gain skills. Find out more on the Surrey County Council website.

And if you’re looking for support for your Surrey business, speak to our team of experts who can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more viaย our business support form.

You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.

Skills Bootcamps careers – upskilling Surrey

Published 5 March 2025

Skills and workforce, Surrey Success Stories

A passion for change

After nine years in retail, Claudia was driven by a passion to change how excess and unwanted products were managed within her organisation. This led her to enrol in a Sustainability Skills Bootcamp, eager to dive into Life Cycle Assessment and waste management for a more sustainable future.

She saw an Instagram ad from Surrey County Council. This perfectly aligned with her sustainability interests and sparked her decision to enrol.

The Skills Bootcamp journey: learning and thriving

The Skills Bootcamp journey allowed Claudia to juggle full-time work and study with the support of the training providers at Activate Learning.

โ€œThe instructors were fantastic, making complex topics accessible and engaging.โ€

Practical exercises were the star of the show. These enabled real-world application straight back into the workplace. Learning about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) was incredibly rewarding.

Career transformation and bright prospects

Completing the Skills Bootcamp was a game-changer. Claudiaโ€™s new skills and knowledge impressed at interview, leading to a role in a new company with an active approach to sustainability.

A brighter, sustainable future

The Skills Bootcamp has empowered Claudia with the expertise to make a significant impact in her career. She is now equipped to champion sustainable practices in her industry. This case study showcases the incredible potential of practical, targeted education in driving real-world change.

“I highly recommend the Surrey County Council Skills Bootcamp in Sustainability.

This well-structured course provides a great balance of theory and practical application – making it easy to integrate sustainability principles into both personal and professional settings.

The course offers valuable insight into the vast field of sustainability, helping you identify areas you may want to specialise in.

For me, it was a fantastic addition to my skillset, and it played a key role in helping me secure a new job with a company that has sustainability at its core.

This course truly allows you to demonstrate your commitment to this field – it is a great stepping stone for anyone looking to make a real impact!”

Fast-track learning for businesses

We offer Skills Bootcamps in sectors that are crucial to Surrey’s future economy.

Therefore, they can also be used by local businesses to upskill current employees at a discounted rate.

Large employers will need to contribute 30% of the cost. Small or medium employers (SMEs) will contribute 10%.

There is no cost to a business recruiting someone who has recently completed a Skills Bootcamp.

To find out more about the courses on offer, delivered through out training providers, visit the Skills Bootcamps website.

Please note that funding for the current round of courses runs until the end of March 2025. Therefore, some courses may now be unavailable or have reached capacity.

Support for Surrey businesses

Not quite the right fit for your business? Speak to our team of experts who can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.

You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.

Rakuten Symphony – a Surrey Success Story

Published 19 February 2025

Surrey Success Stories

Rakuten Symphony is the latest of our Surrey Success Stories, a collection of video case studies of businesses โ€“ large and small โ€“ that are putting our region on the map. Click on the video below to discover how this Surrey firm with Japanese roots is reimagining the telecommunications market.

Who are Rakuten Symphony?

Rakuten Symphony is a British firm with a Japanese mentality.

It is one of more than 70 services which form the Rakuten group, a global company with Japanese roots which has more than one billion members.

Located in Weybridge, Rakuten Symphony provides cloud-native, open radio access network and operational support systems solutions to the telecommunications industry.

Its journey started five years ago with the mission to disrupt and reinvent the sector. Its aim is low-cost, fast and high-quality network coverage for every single person. And a key part of driving is digitalising all of its business processes.

A cutting-edge facility in Weybridge opened in April 2023 with support of Japanese and UK governments. This supports the testing of Open Radio Access Network (RAN) and third-party technology, while also allowing mobile operators to come and see how it works.

This approach attracts customers from across the globe. Last month, an agreement was signed with Telkom Kenya to test Open RAN technology throughout Africa. And this month, Rakuten Symphony started testing in Ukraine with a view to developing critical digital infrastructure in the war-hit country.

Rakuten Symphony: where east meets west

Rakuten Symphony’s Japanese roots are evident throughout its UK headquarters.

It’s also evident in its employees, who must embody Rakuten Shugiย (or Basic Principles) through their professional roles.

There is high value on innovation and entrepreneurship. Plus, a focus on the Rakuten group’s overall mission to improve the way people live and drive progress in society through our revolutionary services.

But another crucial ingredient is the region of Surrey, with the benefits supporting business objectives and employee wellbeing.

As UK Managing Director Nastasi Karaiskos says: “There’s a great talent pool to tap into, an accessible area, beautiful place to work, great connections to the motorways, close connections to the airports, close connections to the trains.”

Looking to relocate your business to Surrey?

Looking for a vibrant UK region to base your business? Discover more about the benefits of doing business in Surrey by getting in touch with our expert team.

Thanks to our desirable location, reputation for innovation and collaborative business ecosystem, Surrey is a top business location of choice.

As part of Business Surrey, Surrey County Council can assist companies looking to invest and grow in Surrey via the Invest in Surrey service.

Whether youโ€™re a start-up, SME or international company, you can benefit from specialist expertise, local knowledge and business support.

Get in touch with the team today via our business support form.

Two men - one in a Rakuten Symphony polo shirt - look at a computer rack system which powers cloud based technology.

Supporting Sail Croatia with their carbon reduction strategy: a Business Surrey case study

Published 11 February 2025

Advice and support, Surrey Success Stories

Background:ย 

In 2024, Sail Croatia, a Surrey-based Mediterranean travel operator, approached Business Surrey for assistance in quantifying their carbon emissions and developing a carbon reduction strategy.

Despite their significant efforts to calculate their carbon footprint, they lacked confidence in their methodology and wanted external verification to establish a credible baseline before publicly sharing their emissions data or committing to further action.

Challenges:

  • Without an inhouse sustainability expert, the business lacked confidence in the existing carbon footprint calculation methodology they had used.
  • The team felt external verification was needed to ensure accuracy and credibility.
  • The business had identified the need to develop a comprehensive carbon reduction strategy, including short-term and long-term actions.
  • The senior management team knew that the sustainability plan would only be successful if it was to communicated effectively to the entire team to gain their buy-in and suggestions.

Solution:ย 

A decarbonisation consultant from Business Surrey was engaged to:

  1. Verify and Strengthen Carbon Footprint Calculations:
    • The Business Surrey expert advisor reviewed and validated the assumptions and figures used in the initial calculations to ensure they were robust and accurate.
    • The advisor also provided recommendations for emissions calculators to track emissions from travel, fuels, third-party services such as laundry, and catering.
    • And suggested ways to help Sail Croatiaโ€™s chefs design lower-impact menus.
  2. Develop a Comprehensive Decarbonisation Strategy:
    • Identified short-term wins and long-term actions for carbon reduction.
    • Proposed verifiable offsetting options for emissions that were difficult to avoid.
  3. Effective Communication and Team Engagement:
    • Assisted in communicating the carbon reduction plan in a relatable way to the entire team.
    • Ensured team membersโ€™ involvement, especially those new to the companyโ€™s sustainability efforts, to align the workforce with the vision of building a more sustainable business.

Results:

  • Enhanced confidence in the companyโ€™s carbon footprint data.
  • A solid foundation for long-term sustainability commitments.
  • Improved team engagement and alignment with the companyโ€™s sustainability goals.

Grant Seuren, Co-Founder/Director of Sail Croatia says, โ€œThank you for all your assistance, it has been really valuable to us. Overall, we now have a proper foundation that we can build on.โ€

Grant Seuren - Sail croatia founder. Business Surrey carbon reduction strategy

Support for Surrey businesses

Our team of experts can provide tailored advice to help your business grow and succeed. Get in touch to find out more via our business support form.

You can also register to receive our newsletter, packed with the latest information on events, funding and more, for all Surrey businesses.

Magical Mushroom Company – a Surrey Success Story

Published 20 January 2025

Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

Magical Mushroom Company is the latest of our Surrey Success Stories, a collection of video case studies of businesses โ€“ large and small โ€“ that are putting our region on the map. Click on the video below to discover how Surrey is harnessing nature to help it grow.

Magical Mushroom Company: growing from nature

Meet the Surrey company harnessing the power of nature to tackle plastic pollution.

Magical Mushroom Company launched in Esher in 2019. Since then has grown from startup to a scaling business producing millions of pieces of packaging for a huge range of companies across Europe.

The company harnesses the natural flexibility and strength of mycelium, the material structure of fungi, to grow protective packaging by combining it with agricultural waste such as hemp, cork and sawdust.

This offers a safe, sustainable and totally home-compostable alternative to plastic foams. Clients include Selfridges, Lush and drinks company Seedlip.

As well as packaging it has grown chairs, beehives, hampers, and even funerary urns!

Growing in Surrey

Magical Mushroom Company continues to grow from its Surrey roots.

Its base in Esher has provided a strong foothold for business in the capital while able it to recruit top local talent. It also provides employees a great quality of life.

Magical Mushroom Company continues to evolve- and now the only firm in the world mass producing mycelium products.

Since 2020, the company has produced millions and millions of pieces of Mushroomยฎ Packaging, effectively removing thousands of tonnes of plastic packaging from landfill.

Thanks to a ยฃ1.1 million loan from Innovate UK, it has opened a UK-based raw materials plant so it can ramp up production.

With factories in Nottingham and Sofia, its capacity has grown to 200,000 units per week.

All this means it has about 50 full-time employees and on track to turnover ยฃ6 million in 2024.

Looking to relocate your business to Surrey?

Thanks to our desirable location, reputation for innovation and collaborative business ecosystem, Surrey is a top business location of choice.

As part of Business Surrey, Surrey County Council can assist companies looking to invest and grow in Surrey via the Invest in Surrey service.

Whether youโ€™re a start-up, SME or international company, you can benefit from specialist expertise, local knowledge and business support.

Get in touch with the team today via our business support form.

Two men looking at products in a Building Materials merchants
Man wearing gloves sprinkling sawdust into a container
An image of inside the Magical Mushroom Company factory in Esher, Surrey

3ti: a Surrey Success Story

Published 5 December 2024

Innovation, Surrey Success Stories

3ti is the latest of our Surrey Success Stories, a collection of video case studies of businesses โ€“ large and small โ€“ that are putting our region on the map. Click on the video below to discover how this Leatherhead company has become a leading light in renewable energy and EV charging.

3ti: fuelling cars with sunshine

Have you heard about the company that creates solar-powered pop-up car parks?

Our latest Surrey Success Story features 3ti, a Leatherhead company which is a leader in the renewable energy, battery storage and EV charging sectors.

Since being founded in 2019, the company has grown from 3 to 33 employees. And it’s forecast to turnover ยฃ10 million in 2024.

3ti’s products have generated eight gigawatt-hours of solar power โ€“ saving customers ยฃ2 million in energy costs and avoiding carbon emissions equivalent to planting over 32,000 trees.

The impact is also clear in the bottom line. The company is growing year on year and almost doubled its headcount in the last 12 months.

Innovation and sustainability

3ti stands for three technology infrastructure – meaning solar, batteries and EV charging.

The company combines these technologies in pop-up car park infrastructure.

3ti’s core product is Papilio3, a pop-up mini solar car park and EV charging hub made out of a converted shipping container.

As founder Tim Evans said: “When I drive home this evening, it will be powered by this afternoon’s sunshine.”

Being based in Leatherhead brings many benefits to the company.

It provides a fantastic quality of life for its employees. There are good schools, thriving communities and accessible countryside in easy reach. Plus there are fast connections to London, Gatwick, the M25 and beyond.

Being based in Surrey allows 3ti to access a highly-skilled talent pool powered by three leading universities.

Ryan Sherratt is a living example. He landed a job with 3ti straight out of university and is now putting his renewables learning into real-life practice with a growing business.

Looking to relocate your business to Surrey?

Thanks to Surrey’s desirable location, reputation for innovation and collaborative business ecosystem, Surrey is a top business location of choice.

As part of Business Surrey, Surrey County Council offers the Invest in Surrey service. We assist companies looking to invest and grow in Surrey.

So whether youโ€™re a start-up, SME or international company, you can benefit from specialist expertise, local knowledge and business support.

Get in touch with the team today via our business support form.

A white electric car with 3ti on its side is charging at a pop up solar car park made out of a shipping container.
Man sitting at a desk looking at a computer screen and smiling
Man using an electric charging plug to charge up his car. On the back of the white vehicle is a 3ti logo.

KFC UK: a Surrey Success Story

Published 29 October 2024

Skills and workforce, Surrey Success Stories

KFC UK is the latest of our Surrey Success Stories, a collection of video case studies of businesses โ€“ large and small โ€“ that are putting our region on the map. Click on the video below to discover why Surrey is a great place for this international brand to have its UK base .

KFC UK: an iconic brand with an iconic founder

It’s an iconic global brand with a founder as famous as its food. But how many of you knew that Colonel Sanders’ fried chicken legacy is rooted in Surrey as well as Kentucky?

It’s nearly a century since the white suited Sanders first started serving his fried chicken in a roadside motel in the United States. The taste is now exported round the world, including the UK.

Kentucky Fried Chicken – known better as KFC – opened its first UK restaurant in Preston, Lancashire in the 1960s.

And the UK operation has never looked back. Currently there are more than 1,000 branches in the UK. And its parent company KFC UK has an annual turnover of close to ยฃ300 million.

This major operation is all coordinated from a UK headquarters in the heart of the Surrey town of Woking.

KFC’s secret to success

So how has a company founded in the southern US state of Kentucky come to be so popular?

Well, the food is pretty good – with the unique blend of 11 herbs and spices still very much a top level secret.

The company is also committed to being bold and innovative.

Jo Tivers, Head of Food and Quality, said: “I love working in the fast food industry. As the name suggests, it’s really, really fast. We can be really innovative, we can try new things. We have a customer base that is really interested in trying new things.”

The company is also big on investing in its people – with culture being a real focus. It claims to be “people first culture, really heart-led” – with a real focus on supporting and championing young people, especially with their first jobs.

As Hema Ladwa, People Experience Lead, explains: “We really believe that everyone has the potential, we just need to feed that potential, whether it’s feeding them chicken or whether it’s feeding them through their knowledge and through their learning and development.”

This commitment inspires loyalty and nurtures talent, for now and into the future.

KFC UK and Surrey

KFC UK has had its restaurant support centre in Woking for more than 25 years. About 350 people are based there, with location being a major plus point – for business and for pleasure.

With direct train links to London taking 30 minutes and the M25 and two major airports a short drive away, connectivity couldn’t be better.

Jenny Packwood, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, said: “Not only do we have great proximity to London, the trains are really quick in and out to London for people who live there. And because we’re international, the proximity to Heathrow and Gatwick is also really helpful.”

Woking is also a fantastic place for people to be live, continually being ranked among the best places in the UK to reside.

There’s culture, countryside, shopping, great food and drink plus access to a range of recreational facilities.

Jo Tivers, Head of Food and Quality, said: “It’s great to be able to go into the weekend, enjoy lunch out with the family, take them to the theatre, to the cinema. There’s always something incredible to do.”

Looking to relocate your business to Surrey?

Thanks to our desirable location, reputation for innovation and collaborative business ecosystem, Surrey is a top business location of choice.

As part of Business Surrey, Surrey County Council offers the Invest in Surrey service.

Our specialised team offers free and confidential services. We assist companies looking to invest and grow in Surrey.

Whether youโ€™re a start-up, SME or international company, you can benefit from specialist expertise, local knowledge and business support.

Get in touch with the team today via our business support form.

A red and white bucket with the words KFC on it is on a table. In the background is a picture of Colonel Sanders, the founder of KFC.
Image of fried chicken on a wire tray. A person in a black apron is using tongs to lift the chicken into a KFC bucket.
Two people - a man in a black jacket and a woman in a short sleeved grey top - sit at a table talking to each other. In the background is the words "Finger Lickin Good" in neon lighting, which is the slogan for KFC UK.