A WIRRAL entrepreneur has been named as one of the UK's leading business leaders. 

Jake Lavelle, founder and managing director of Neston-based JPL Flavours has been recognised in the The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2024, in partnership with The Times.

Created by trusted investment partner LDC – part of Lloyds Banking Group, the Top 50 celebrates entrepreneurs demonstrating 'remarkable ambition'.

As a teenage, Mr Lavelle, from Bebington, became a junior flavourist at Wirral-based Hagelin, a firm that was eventually bought out by a rival.

When the former Hagelin site went up for rent, Mr Lavelle took it as “an omen” to start his own flavourings company there in 2014.

JPL Flavours now employs 40 people at its Clayhill Industrial Estate base and has formulated 19,000 different flavours for clients including Krispy Kreme and Applied Nutrition.

Mr Lavelle said: "We’ve always stayed true to our roots as a family business, focusing on creativity and building strong relationships with our customers.

"As we’ve grown, it’s been exciting to explore new technologies like AI and production automation, all with the end goal of improving the experience for our partners in the food and beverage industry.

"Being recognised alongside other ambitious leaders is a great reflection of the team’s hard work and dedication to pushing boundaries while staying true to who we are.

"Our new factory and customer innovation premises will be opening in 2025, and I hope to see many new and familiar faces onsite to share our recent developments.”

John Garner, managing partner at LDC, added: “It’s been seven years since we launched The LDC Top 50 and in that time we’ve had the privilege of meeting some truly remarkable people.

"Our business leaders for 2024 show relentless drive and determination in their growth ambitions, and I’d like to congratulate them on everything they’ve achieved so far. This is certainly not the end of their success and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”