Browns Food Group has agreed a new £20 million banking facility and reported a rise in annual profits.

The Dumfriesshire business said accounts to be filed at Companies House will show a 4.4 per cent rise in turnover from £145.3m to £151.7m for 2014.

Directors said it continued to benefit from organic growth and the acquisition of the Halls brand in 2013.

Operating profit for the most recent financial year came in a £7.58m, up from £7.13m, while pre-tax profit rose from £6.6m to almost £7m.

Wayne Godfrey, chief executive of Browns Food Group, said: “2014 has been an important year for the business in terms of driving organic growth and integrating the Halls brand further into our portfolio.

“Although we have experienced market challenges, we have worked with our customers and suppliers to combat the margin pressures, and through better line efficiencies and controls, turnover and operating profit has continued to rise.”

Along with Halls, best known for its sausages and haggis, the group also owns a number of other brands including meat processors Borders Gourmet and Tarbert Fine Foods, Lanarkshire smoked salmon specialist Lion Speciality, Mostell Seafood and East Lothian poultry supplier Fenton Barns.

According to Browns the new three-year financing facility agreed with Bank of Scotland, the company’s long term banker, will allow it to look at introducing new products and expanding its manufacturing capability.

During 2014 it invested £5.8m across the group with the extension of the Brown Brothers plant in Kirkconnel taking up a large chunk of that.

Talking about the new banking facility Alan Hill, finance director, said the company had gone to the market to tender before deciding to stick with Bank of Scotland.

He said: “It gives us that ability to expand and grow organically.

“We are looking at product lines we can grow from existing premises and also in some cases at new premises.

“It also gives us a fund if we need it for acquisitions if we come across the right one.”

Browns Food Group is also looking to export markets which currently only make up a relatively small proportion of sales.

Exports were £847,000 in 2014 although that was up 17 per cent from the £726,000 in the prior year.

Mr Hill said: “It is encouraging to see it growing year on year.”

The directors stated they still see significant growth potential in the domestic market through new products, customers and achieving UK-wide listings.

Mr Godfrey said: “Product innovation is key to our ongoing business strategy and we’ll be looking to put plans into action in the coming year as we aim to achieve further growth both at home and abroad.”

Stephen McNeil, relationship director for Glasgow and the west of Scotland at Bank of Scotland, said: “It is great to see Browns Food Group going from strength to strength and we are excited to be supporting the business’ management team as it looks to further its ambitious plans.”

Mr Hill said trading in 2015 was going well but the market remains competitive.

The company can trace its roots back to 1885 when the Brown family opened a butchery shop in Biggar.

The business has expanded since it was acquired by the Godfrey family in 1985.