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Business keeps on booming for a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ graduate whose firm has been ranked as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country.

James Whiting's business The Skinny Food Co has been listed in the inaugural rankings as the 18th fastest-growing private company in Britain, and fourth fastest-growing in the Midlands.

The prestigious ranking comes after the health food firm amassed sales last year of £19.5 million, with a compound annual growth rate of more than 125%.

It represents a rapid rise for the business James co-founded five years after completing his Tourism Business Management BA (Hons) degree at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ in 2013.

Initially launched with a variety of zero-calorie sauces and syrups designed for diabetics, The Skinny Food Co has rapidly expanded its range to more than 500 products, many now featuring on the shelves of major retailers including Morrisons, Lidl, Aldi and Holland & Barrett as well as being sold through Amazon.

The company has also amassed an enormous following on social media with more than 800,000 followers across its platforms, recently featuring content with star names including former World's Strongest Man Eddie Hall, champion boxer Leigh Wood and footballers for Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest.

It has been a remarkable entrepreneurial adventure for James – and one for which his time at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ helped him to prepare.

"I believe I learned many skills during my studies which shaped me to be the person I am now," said James. "I had countless opportunities to enhance my employability, which I grabbed with both hands.

"The teaching was fantastic, and the courses were highly engaging and fun while developing my knowledge."

Having only recently celebrated The Skinny Food Co's fourth birthday in May, James said he had been overwhelmed by the growth in popularity of his product range.

"It's great to be recognised as one of the fastest-growing companies," he told the . "We are delighted at how fast the company has grown and how well the customers have responded to the products, and how popular they became in such a short amount of time."

Find out more about James’ company on .

Photo credit: Joseph Raynor / Nottingham Post