Strong sales of kitchen and bedroom ranges helped MFI, the furniture retailer and manufacturer, post a profits jump of 55 per cent last year.

Chief executive John Hancock said sales of redesigned products within both ranges were particularly good, and accounted for more than a third of total sales within MFI's furniture centres.

He added the performance was all the more impressive given growth within the UK kitchen furniture market was almost static in 2000.

Total group sales, including MFI's Howdens building materials group and its French Hygena Cuisines business, rose 16.8 per cent to £901 million in the year to December 31 despite a wobbly second half where bad weather and the fuel crisis disrupted trade. Group like-for-like sales were up 11 per cent.

MFI's pre-tax profit for the year shot to £45.4 million before exceptional items, compared with £29.2 million the year before.

Mr Hancock said: "This is an encouraging result. Most importantly, we have achieved significant progress, ahead of schedule, in the revitalisation of the group."

Mr Hancock took the helm from John Randall in February 1999.

That year, MFI reported a pre-tax loss of £24.8 million and Mr Hancock decided to appoint a new management team, redesign core product ranges, and cut costs.

Mr Hancock said MFI had now completed the "first milestone" of his corporate plan, which was to build a sound financial foundation.

He added the group was already making progress in the second - developing a low-risk growth strategy built around organic growth and developing "new routes to market".

MFI runs Hygena kitchen product concessions in 58 of Currys' stores, and plans to expand nationwide.

Mr Hancock said he expected this joint venture to break even this year.