PRESS RELEASE : Outstanding small businesses receive inaugural government awards for export success [May 2023]

• Seven SMEs announced as winners of the inaugural Made in the UK, Sold to the World awards
• Awards celebrate businesses with fantastic international trading achievements – helping to grow the UK economy
• First-ever winners include SMEs operating across the UK, such as Little Moons, Scanning Pens and ScotlandShop

The first-ever recipients of the Made in the UK, Sold to the World awards have been announced today (Wednesday 17 May), celebrating the exporting success of small businesses across the UK.

Exporters support jobs, pay higher wages and help deliver on the government’s priority to grow our economy, and these inaugural awards highlight the vital contribution small businesses make to the UK.

Winners include Little Moons who produce colourful ice cream bites wrapped in ‘mochi’ dough which have become a mainstay of major supermarkets in the UK. Awarded in the agriculture, food and drink category, the business exports to 28 countries including Australia, the Middle East and mainland Europe.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

We’re proud of our British exporters and these Awards rightly highlight some fantastic businesses punching above their weight and selling UK-made products around the world. I hope they serve as inspiration to others looking to get onto the exporting ladder.

The winning businesses have been drawn from seven sectors: consumer goods, education, agriculture, food and drink, creative, financial and professional services, digital and manufacturing.

In the consumer award category, ScotlandShop were recognised for their high-quality tartan clothing, fabrics and home accessories, made to order. The business has grown from start-up to £2.4m sales in 2022 and employs 20 people in the UK and 2 in the USA.

Awardees also include those at the cutting-edge of technology, such as Scanning Pens, which won the education award. The company promotes and distributes the most innovative, award-winning assistive reading technology on the market. Their pens are being sold in over 100 countries, including Australia, Canada, United States, Asia and Europe.

Within each category three additional businesses were also awarded highly commended status for their inspiring business stories and exporting prowess.

A high number of winning and highly commended businesses are also DBT Export Champions, who help to promote the benefits of exporting and encourage other companies across the UK to consider selling to overseas markets.

Marco Forgione, Director General of the Institute of Export & International Trade:

It is a great honour for IOE&IT to partner with DBT in this exciting new award programme. As a judge of the inaugural Made in the UK, Sold to the World awards, I had the pleasure to see the depth of talent, entrepreneurial spirit and outstanding business success which this year’s competition showcased. It was very difficult to choose just one winner in each category.

This competition is further proof that international trade is a force for good, and that British goods and services are hugely valued overseas. The ingenuity of these winners should act as a catalyst to encourage more British businesses to explore new export markets. We look forward to welcoming all the winners and highly commended businesses in this year’s awards as members of the Institute of Export & International Trade and we will continue to work closely with DBT to champion the amazing work being undertaken by British businesses trading across the world.

In 2021, DBT launched the ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ campaign to celebrate exporting success from across the UK and tell businesses’ stories. The new awards programme will build on this to further recognise and celebrate the global trading success of SMEs from across the UK.

Winning businesses will receive a digital badge and physical certificate and have promotional activity across DBT channels, including individual profiles to share their export success. They will also be visited by a DBT official and receive an Institute of Export & International Trade (IOE&IT) complimentary business membership for one year.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

This year’s winners include:

• Agri, Food and Drink – Little Moons, London

Little Moons are the bright, colourful, bite-sized balls of artisan gelato wrapped in soft-sweet ‘mochi’ dough.​ Little Moons are now available in 28 countries including Australia, the Middle East and mainland Europe.​

• Consumer Goods – ScotlandShop, Berwickshire

ScotlandShop allows people to demonstrate and celebrate their Scottish heritage with high quality tartan clothing, fabrics and home accessories made to order, in their clan’s very own tartan. The business has grown from start-up to £2.4m sales in 2022 and employs 20 people in the UK and 2 in the USA.

• Creative – Crowd, Bournemouth

Crowd is an independent global marketing agency that specialises in the creation and delivery of environmentally sustainable product and service promotions. The business exports British creativity and innovation and services clients in Africa, China, Europe, Middle East, North America and South Asia. ​

• Digital – ONYX Insight, Nottingham

ONYX Insight is a data and engineering business which helps the wind industry work better and smarter to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.​ ONYX currently monitors over 10,500 wind turbines in 30 countries, operating from seven global offices. It holds two Queen’s Awards for innovation and international trade.​

• Education – Scanning Pens, Wiltshire

Scanning Pens is a promoter and distributor of the most innovative, award-winning assistive reading technology on the market. Their pens are being sold in over 100 countries, including Australia, Canada, United States, Asia and Europe.

• Financial and Professional Services – Worldwide Recruitment Solutions, Altrinham

Worldwide Recruitment Solutions supply and mobilise international talent to Renewable Energy, Oil and Gas, offshore Marine projects worldwide.​ In 2022, they exported their recruitment services to more than 40 countries.

• Manufacturing – Concrete Canvas, Pontyclun

Concrete Canvas Ltd (CC Ltd) produces a flexible, concrete impregnated fabric that hardens on hydration to form a thin, durable, waterproof and fire-resistant concrete layer. The business sells in over 80 countries worldwide and 85% of their sales are through exports.

This year’s Highly Commended businesses are:

• Agriculture Food and Drink: Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS) – Edinburgh, Fever Tree Drinks Ltd – London, Xelect – St Andrews
• Consumer Goods: Ettinger – London, Hornby Hobbies Ltd – Margate, EXEAT – Tisbury
• Creative: Warwick Music Group – Warwick, The Book Shelf Ltd – Birmingham, Omnisonic International Ltd – Bournemouth
• Digital: Bexprt Limited – Wokingham, Squire Technologies – Dorchester, NetSupport – Peterborough
• Education: m2r Education – Wakefield, TecQuipment – Nottingham, The TEFL Org – Inverness
• Financial and Professional Services: Direct Access Consultancy Ltd – Nantwich, EBS Ltd – Warwick, Turnkey Consulting – London
• Manufacturing: Brandauer – Birmingham, Prima Dental – Gloucester, LGM Products Ltd – Fleet