A CONFECTIONERY firm is looking healthy after posting bumper profits thanks to a range of nutritious snacks Glisten Plc, which produces a range of snack products, released strong preliminary results yesterday for the year ending June 30, 2008.

The company, which has a confectionery business in Hill Street, Blackburn, has seen its pre-tax profit jump by 18 per cent to £6.68million, up from £5.66m in 2007.

And Glisten chiefs believe the company will continue to prosper over the next year, even in the face of a possible economic downturn.

Paul Simmonds, chief executive of Glisten, said: “We have progressively driven our business towards those areas of snacking which we believe have long-term potential including specifically the healthier and premium sectors.

“Our progress in these areas often overshadows our absolute focus on being a broadly-based, flexible, low cost producer. This has been one of the core strengths of our business since inception and is evident in the robustness of our margins.

“We do recognise that some consumers’ buying habits will adjust during the next financial year but our focus on producing affordable treats, many with a healthier dimension, will underpin our continued ambitions for Glisten as these sectors tend to hold up well during more demanding economic conditions.

“We remain determined to ensure that our business continues to be the most efficient as well as the most dynamic in our sector.”

The results also revealed that revenue for the year was up 26 per cent to £73.8m with an underlying sales growth that was 11 per cent up year-on-year Mr Simmonds said the company had experienced a strong start to the current year and was well placed for the next year.

The principal business of Glisten is the manufacture of cereal, fruit snack bars and health bars, many of which are focused on the diet control market.

In September 2007, the company acquired 50 per cent of Skinny Candy, a branded confectionery business focused on low sugar and low fat snacks.

The group employees 750 people across the country and its confectionery decision is based in Blackburn.