Jarrolds has been awarded the Business Resilience and Reinvention Award at the EDP Business Awards in 2023, the same year the company celebrated its 200th year in Norfolk. John Jarrold founded the business in 1770 in Woodbridge, Suffolk, and the seventh generation of the Jarrold family is still involved in the business today. Group CEO Nick Steven-Jones believes the award is a fitting reward for the company’s longevity and resilience. He attributes the company’s success to the efforts and continual rejuvenation necessary to maintain a family-owned business over multiple generations.
Despite facing challenges due to the pandemic, the company has demonstrated resilience and recovery. The pandemic forced the closure of Jarrolds’ flagship Norwich department store and other retail outlets across Norfolk. However, the company has since recovered, with turnover returning to pre-pandemic levels, surpassing £32m this year. Jarrolds has continued to invest in its retail stores, spending £600k to transform the lower ground floor of the London Street store into a deli and food hall. The other businesses within the Jarrolds group, including Jarrold Property, Jarrold Training, and Jarrold Facilities Management, have also continued to grow.
Looking ahead to the next 200 years, Jarrolds aims to expand into other sectors and further invest in the county of Norfolk. The company leverages the best of Norfolk to feed back into the economy, and is proud to contribute to the success of local businesses and suppliers. The business recently launched the Jarrolds Business Club, with plans to expand the concept in the new year. The company hopes to become synonymous with Norfolk, just as it is with Norwich today.
The company’s CEO acknowledged the efforts of past generations of both colleagues and family, and commended the leadership of David Hill, who oversaw the transformation of the printing business into a thriving property development proposition. Jarrolds acknowledges that its success is due to the efforts of everyone involved and is committed to continuing its legacy for generations to come.
