A produce company will blossom after securing £3million funds for state-of-the-art new equipment.

Natures Way Foods, based near Chichester, supplies prepared salads and fruit for supermarkets and restaurant chains such as Morrisons, Tesco, McDonalds and Pret a Manger.

The 20-year-old business, which grew by eight percent last year to record a turnover of around £123million, will invest in new manufacturing facilities at its three West Sussex sites in Merston, Runcton and Selsey with a £3.1million asset finance facility from Lloyds Bank.

Finance director Ben Jones said: “Making sure we have the best possible facilities helps us ensure we produce the best quality products for our ever-growing stable of loyal customers.

“Growing at the rate that we are, it is fundamental to our success to have banking partners that we can trust and rely on to support our plans.”

Matt Goode, director of corporate asset finance for Lloyds Bank Commercial, said: “Natures Way is a highly successful business with ambitious plans for the future. In this case, the new equipment that Natures Way intends to invest in will support the company’s continued growth and I’m sure will help it go from strength to strength in the years ahead.”