Businessman and enterpreneur, Baron Gulam Noon, has passed away at the age of 79. Noon built a huge business, manufacturing curries for the major supermarkets.
Noon founded Noon Products in 1988, employing 11 people. By 2002 he had a workforce of 800 and in 2006 his high-tech plant was processing 80 tonnes of chicken a week delivering meals to most of the major supermarkets including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Morrisons. Noon also manufactured own label products. Noon was often credited with making chicken tikka masala Britain’s favourite main course.In 1994, the company experienced a serious factory fire which destroyed much of its manufacturing capability, however within ten weeks of this fire the company had begun selling its products again. Noon is reported to have kept all his staff in employment during this period.In 2005, Noon Products was taken over by Irish food conglomerate, The Kerry Group.An enthusiastic supporter of the Labour party he had other business interests in construction, luxury cruise liners and aircraft catering amongst them.HonoursNoon was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1996 New Year Honours. He was later made a Knight Bachelor in the 2002 Birthday Honours, having the honour conferred in December that year.On 27 January 2011, he was created a life peer as Baron Noon, of St John's Wood in the London Borough of Camden and was introduced in the House of Lords on 31 January 2011, where he sat on the Labour benches.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
