Associated British Foods said its annual profits surged, boosted by growth at its Primark clothing chain and a recovery in its sugar businesses.
The food-to-fashion group said adjusted operating profit rose 22% to £1.36 billion in the year to 16 September, with group revenues up 15% at £15.4 billion.
Primark's revenues rose 19% to £7.05 billion as the chain, which trades as Penney's here, continued to expand.
Even after opening 30 stores in nine countries with 1.5 million square feet of selling space, ABF said Primark still had room for "significant growth".
The company said trading at Primark had been "excellent", particularly over the summer.
Meanwhile, AB Sugar, the company's sugar unit, benefited from an increase in EU sugar prices as well as structural changes at the unit.
However, ABF said it expected profits at the unit to fall in the current financial year.
The company said it expects "progress" in its grocery and ingredients businesses, whose brands include Twinings, Ovaltine, Patak's and Blue Dragon.
ABF, which spent £79m on business acquisitions in the past year, said it had completed the acquisition of Acetum, an Italian producer of high-quality balsamic vinegar.
"These results reflect our international diversity, and the strong underlying performance of our businesses was driven by management actions throughout the year," commented the company's chief executive George Weston.
ABF operates in 50 countries worldwide, with significant businesses in Europe, southern Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia.
The UK's decision to leave the EU had an immediate impact on ABF's results last year due to its effect on currency markets, the company said.
"As the UK government continues its negotiations, uncertainty remains as to the extent to which our operations and financial performance will be affected in the longer term," ABF noted.
