Chairman Raymond Miquel said in a statement that the company would "continue to develop new products" and was looking at "various opportunities to develop through acquisition".

When asked by ConfectioneryNews.com where acquisitions would be made, Miquel said that this would "depend on the company, but would unlikely be in confectionery".

With a sales increase of 15 per cent in the first half of the year following its accession to the alternative investments market of the London Stock Exchange, Lees is one of a number of young British confectionery companies looking to expand following encouraging early results.

What's more, the company is expected to reach sales of £13.5 million in the next 6 months. The company is confident of realising these expectations as the company looks to develop its principle activity of manufacturing a varied range of confectionery products.

Much of Lees' success can be attributed to Miquel, who has guided the company out of financial difficulty to its current position of stability. In 1993 the company had lost over £2 million within 2 years and had £4 million worth of debt.

Miquel however has managed to turn things around in impressive style.

The future now looks bright for the business originally founded in 1931, which produces the famous Macaroon bar and Snowball.