PAK Foods is celebrating its 30th anniversary on Saturday 23 May 2026 (further details below), marking an extraordinary journey from humble beginnings to a £70 million annual turnover business employing approximately 300 people across nine stores in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, Burton-on-Trent and Peterborough.
The family-run supermarket chain is run by four brothers -Mohammed Altaf, Mohammed Abdul-Razaq, Mohammed Nawaz and Mohammed Ramzan- and their cousin Mohammed Ashfaq.
To celebrate the 30-year anniversary, Pak Foods will host in-store events across all nine branches on May 23, featuring:
- Unbeatable promotional offers for customers
- Giveaways across all stores
- Prizes in each store include Samsung 55-inch televisions
PAK Foods is an independent ethnic supermarket specialising in South Asian foods and drinks. ' journey started from a convenience store in in Radford in 1989. The family soon opened another store in Nottingham before opening their first Pak Foods supermarket in Normanton, Derby in 1996.
The origins of the business can be traced back to the mountainous village of Kandore in Dadyal, Pakistan, where the founding family originates from.
After losing their parents at a young age, the four brothers, together with their two sisters, were brought up by their uncle, Mohammed Hussain, and aunt, Maqbool Jan, who were already raising six children of their own.
Their journey to the UK began in 1961, when their uncle moved to England, initially working in a Lancashire mill before relocating to Nottingham in the early 1970s for employment at British Celanese in Spondon.
Over time, family members followed, including Abdul-Razaq and Mohammed Altaf, who had to quickly adapt to a new way of life, overcoming language barriers, cultural differences and harsh early conditions.
Despite these challenges, they pursued education and began working in Nottingham across sectors including hospitality and banking. In 1989, with money borrowed from family members, they opened their first convenience store in Radford, Nottingham.
PAK Foods
Within a year they had generated enough capital to open another store in West Bridgford, Nottingham and took over a travel agency, further strengthening their commercial experience.
In 1993, their brother Mohammed Nawaz joined them in the UK to support the growing business. In 1996, when the family opened their first Pak Foods supermarket in Normanton, Derby, an area that at the time which was widely considered run-down.
Many warned them against investing there, believing it would fail. However, the brothers saw long-term potential in the area if it was developed properly.
After being refused funding by several banks, the family once again turned to their strongest support network—raising £70,000 from relatives. In addition, they leveraged strong supplier relationships and trust to secure favourable credit.
Following months of development, the first Pak Foods opened on 23 May 1996, generating £8,000 in sales on its very first day—far exceeding expectations.
Thirty years on, with an annual turnover of around £70m, operating nine stores and employing around 300 people, Pak Foods has evolved into one of the UK’s most successful independent supermarket groups while remaining firmly grounded in its family-led values.
Beyond its commercial success, Pak Foods has maintained a strong commitment to giving back.
Over the years, Pak Foods has supported internationally renowned charities with humanitarian disasters, local sports clubs, food banks, domestic abuse charities, local mosques, grants for community centres, school refurbishments, and partnered with the NHS on healthy eating initiatives.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the group delivered over 300,000 food parcels to vulnerable individuals, the elderly, and frontline workers.
Its most ambitious initiative to date is the current development of a purpose-built, sustainable educational campus in the family’s native village in Pakistan designed to provide international standard high-quality education for up to 1,000 students, reflecting the family’s long-standing commitment to its roots and future generations.
Today, the business remains firmly family-led, with the five founding brothers now taking a more strategic, back-seat role, as the next generation of nephews actively lead the business into its next phase.
Looking ahead, the business continues to invest in growth, with sites already secured for new stores, store refurbishments, an expanding property portfolio and diversification into new markets already in progress, ensuring the next phase of the Pak Foods journey remains as forward-looking as its first 30 years.
The 30-year milestone is not only a celebration of commercial success, but also of the group’s commitment to giving back to the communities that have supported the business throughout its journey.