S&A Foods

Meet Perween

The remarkable lady behind the success of S&A Foods

My career

Hello, I’m Perween Warsi CBE, the founder and chief executive of S&A foods.

When I first moved to the UK from India with my family back in 1975 I was disappointed by the lack of flavoursome Indian food available and began making snacks in my kitchen at home.

Three decades later and thanks to a lot of hard work from some very talented and committed people, I’m proud to say S&A Foods has grown into a multi-million pound organisation with an unrivalled reputation for quality and innovation.

My achievements

As well as being happily married for many years and a proud mother to two sons, I’m also fortunate enough to have received a great deal of recognition and awards from the wider business community and beyond, for the success we’ve achieved at S&A.

• In 1996 I received an Honorary MBA from the University of Derby, was appointed to the Department of Trade and Industry Advisory Committee and awarded an MBE.
• In 2001 I was delighted to be recognised for S&A’s impact on the region and beyond with the acclaimed title of ‘Midlander of the Year’.
• In 2002 I was awarded with a CBE in the Jubilee Honours list as well as the Ashridge International Leadership Conference award for outstanding leadership.
• I have received many accolades over the years including the First Woman Lifetime Achievement Award and Honorary Doctorates from Aston, Nottingham, Coventry and Staffordshire Universities.

My vision

There is a family culture at S&A Foods, where communication, respect, innovation, learning and always doing your best are the key values we work towards.

Even after all our years of growth and success I’m more committed than ever to helping more and more people experience and enjoy delicious authentic ethnic cuisine.

I’m still heavily involved in the running of the business, and I fully intend to use all my passion and energy to ensure the S&A success story continues on and on.