Pictures: Pride and joy at Shropshire Business Awards

The company overcame competition from three Telford businesses – Reconomy, Rockford IT and The Southwater Event Group – to land the Company of the Year award at the ceremony on Friday.

The event, attended by more than 600 people, saw 12 awards handed out to a variety of businesses from across the county.

But it was Orchard Valley, the 12-year-old ingredients company based at Burford on the Shropshire side of Tenbury Wells, which scooped the top Company of the Year award on the night.

Company of the Year - Orchard Valley Foods, Burford

Outstanding Customer Service - Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust, Ironbridge

Best New Business - Champion & Reeves, Shrewsbury

Online Business of the Year - Cooking Marvellous, Shrewsbury

Technology, Enterprise & Innovation - Beaverfit, Church Stretton

International Trade Through Export - Newmor Wallcoverings, Welshpool

Manufacturing, Transport & Logistics - Boxall & Edmiston Gunmakers, Atcham

Best Small Business - 3PLUK, Oswestry

Apprentice of the Year - TDS Midlands, Telford

Business In The Community - Henshalls Insurance Brokers, Newport

Travel, Tourism, Leisure & Hospitality - Eaton Manor Country Estate, Church Stretton

It is the company's second major accolade of the year, after it won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category in April.

Chairman and founder Mike Forrester said: "It's not just the last year, we have had a continual process of growth and development in people, products, markets.

"Our exports in June this year will be greater than our total exports in 2013. It's an enormous market for us."

The company exports to more than 30 countries, and Mr Forrester said he had "some concern" over European markets following the EU Referendum, but exports will remain a key element of the business.

Cherry Blumberg, who took over from Mr Forrester as managing director in September, added: "We are focusing on areas we see the most opportunity for growth. "That will include our exports, continuously watching trends in the industry to ensure our offering tallies with changing consumer markets.

"We have just completed our last financial year and we were a fraction under £23.9 million, which is very close to the budget we forecast.

"The budget for next year is £27.5 million, and that will only be achieved by great emphasis on each of our sectors, with a particular emphasis on exports."

Last year Orchard Valley opened a second site in Leominster, giving it a large warehousing department to add to its manufacturing and packing operation at Burford.

That is giving the company the capacity for further growth, and will play a role in its continuing development.

Ms Blumberg, who joined the company in 2005, a year after Mr Forrester launched it, said: "The warehouse isn't full. It has been acquired to give us greater capacity for the future and to ensure we meet our future capacity plans.

"We have grown constantly since we started. When we look back on things we are all immensely proud."

The event took place in the immediate aftermath of last week's EU Referendum vote, and saw a tone of celebration combined with many Shropshire businesspeople taking the opportunity to discuss the future.

Newmor Wallcoverings from Welshpool was the first winner of the night, in the International Trade category.

Export sales manager David Johnston said: "It's a fantastic award and a great surprise. Exports are a huge part of our business and are integral to ensure we have a good spread of business, and are not dependent on one market.

"There's an element of uncertainty now that's making us nervous, but it won't detract from our wider goals. We want to expand our exports business whether we're in Europe or not."

The Shropshire Business Awards saw 12 gongs go to individual businesses, while Dr Geoffrey Davies was handed the John Clayton Award, which was introduced last year for an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the community.

Mr Davies, the founder of the Alamo Group including McConnell, the agricultural machinery company, won the accolade at the awards event at Telford's International Centre.

Afterwards, he said: "It's really humbling when you receive an award you have been nominated for. I thought I had perfectly blended into the background and gotten on with my job, but it looks like somehow I failed."

Mr Davies has served on various business boards around the county, and was the first chairman of the newly-created Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.

He was among 13 recipients of the specially commissioned awards, which were created by one of the winners on the night – Boxall & Edmiston.

Cooking Marvellous in Shrewsbury picked up the newly-introduced Online Business of the Year Award, sponsored by E-Careers, and Amy Thomas, from the company, said: "We have taken on about five new employees and seen so much growth in the last year.

"It's amazing to come from being a small business to having such a global presence."

Anna Brennand, chief executive of Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust, accepted the Customer Service Award, sponsored by Rybrook BMW Shrewsbury. She said customer service was vital when accepting more than 500,000 visitors a year to the attraction.

Staff from Henshalls Insurance Brokers in Newport were thrilled to scoop the Business In The Community Award sponsored by TTC Group, at the third time of asking.

"We support our community as they support us," said director Dave Williams.

Atcham gun maker Boxall & Edmiston won the Manufacturing Award, sponsored by Barclays.

"As the birthplace of industry, I would say Shropshire is vaery much the place for manufacturing," said director James Edmiston.

Eaton Manor won the Tourism Award, sponsored by West Midlands Reserve Forces, and the estate's Philippa Hillier said: "We always try to delight our customers so it's great to be recognised."

Craven Arms company Beaverfit, which makes deployable training gyms for military organisations, won the Innovation Award sponsored by Wolverhampton University.

Head of marketing Sam Ansloos said: "This has involved a lot of research and development, and it's great to be recognised."

TDS Midlands won the Apprenticeships Category, sponsored by TCAT, with director Dan Leech saying: "There's a massive skills shortage in structural design and developing the young workers is crucial to the lifeblood of the business."

The Best New Business Award, sponsored by Good2Great, went to confectionery maker Champion Reeves.

"We are very passionate about what we do," said director Jacqueline Champion. "We've only had one day off since Christmas, and are going back to work after the ceremony."

The penultimate award was for the New Business of the Year, sponsored by Nick Jones Wealth Planning, and went to Oswestry-based 3PLUK.

Boss Dave Wyatt said: "Being a small business owner can be very insular sometimes, and it's really nice to be recognised."