West Midlands provisions firm East End Foods has followed the advice of a university graduate to expand the business.

The family-run company, founded 35 years ago, signed up 22-year-old Warren Smith, who was studying for a degree with Birmingham City Business School, to undertake a piece of research on how the company can tap into markets as far-flung as China, Brazil and the States.

East End Foods currently supplies 80 per cent of independent Asian retailers in the UK as well as big supermarkets such as Tesco. Despite having a turnover of £180 million, the company is looking to implement a five-year growth strategy, incorporating recommendations from Mr Smith’s dissertation.

Mr Smith, who spent six months working with East End Foods, said: “I came in to act as a fresh pair of eyes to look at the business from an outsider’s viewpoint and offer ideas on how to start making inroads into new markets.”

Management at East End Foods were so impressed by his work the firm has now become a partner organisation to Birmingham City Business School’s new Master’s course in Leadership and Organisational Performance.

Paul Deep, sales director at East End Foods, said: “We worked with Birmingham City Business School because we wanted an honest, unbiased portrait of how the business is run. We’re now working on an expansion strategy and have allocated budget towards ongoing activity.”