Janet Theodore, founder and chief executive of JBN Beverages, has been included in a national ranking of 25 leading Black business leaders in the United Kingdom. The recognition follows a period of fast growth for her Cambridge-based company, which makes premium alcohol-free drinks for the retail and hospitality markets.

The ranking places JBN among a select group of Black-owned firms from across the country. It gives the company a national profile in a sector where large multinational brands hold most of the shelf space. For a business that began with family recipes and now has a supermarket listing, it is the most visible endorsement to date.

Ms Theodore worked in food safety before founding the company. Her interest in drinks goes back to childhood. In a large household, her mother made drinks from scratch instead of buying cartons of juice. Ms Theodore set out to create healthier premium soft drinks and wine alternatives that suit the way many consumers now choose what to drink.

The alcohol-free segment has drawn growing numbers of shoppers who want to cut back, and JBN has built its range around them. Its core products are sparkling alcohol-free grape drinks sold in white, rosé and red varieties, aimed at health-conscious adults, including Generation Z and Millennial buyers. The company also sells a Caribbean range.

Formulation is central to the pitch. The company states that the drinks are free from preservatives, gluten, artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners, and that they suit vegetarians and vegans. JBN describes its recipes as clean label, with no added sugar and with essential vitamins included. Production takes place in the UK, and the firm's trade materials describe the drinks as born in the UK and enjoyed everywhere.

Funding shaped the early stages. Ms Theodore put significant personal savings into developing the recipes, then used a loan from the lender iwoca to pay for product testing and ingredients. She has said securing finance was the hardest part of the venture. The money arrived the day after she applied, and testing was finished before launch. A Tesco buyer then agreed a contract that put JBN products on the supermarket's digital shelves.

Retail is only one route to market. The company has also worked through commercial trade shows, independent stockists and domestic hospitality channels. Trade shows give the brand direct access to buyers, while hospitality listings place an alcohol-free option on menus where drinkers increasingly expect one. Each channel carries different margins and volumes, and the mix will influence how quickly the business can scale.

Export is the next stage. The company's profile on the government's supplier directory says its aim is to introduce and export the JBN brand to the USA and the rest of the world. Ms Theodore is pursuing trade partnerships overseas as part of a longer-term plan for the Cambridge-headquartered venture. Figures for sales, investment and export timings have not been published.

The United States is a large market for alcohol-free drinks, and British producers entering it face labelling rules, distributor agreements and freight costs that can take years to resolve. A national ranking does not remove those obstacles. It does give a young company a credential to present to buyers and investors at a point when it is seeking both.

Whether the listing leads to larger orders will depend on retail uptake at home and the success of overseas talks. For now, JBN has a recognised founder, a national supermarket listing and a stated plan to sell abroad.

A few points need checking before publication. My searches did not find the ranking itself, so its name, publisher and criteria should be confirmed. The government directory lists the company's registered address in the LU6 postcode area, not Cambridge, and one profile calls Ms Theodore a co-founder, so please confirm her title and the headquarters location. The vitamins, no-added-sugar claim, Millennial audience, trade shows and hospitality channels come from your outline and I could not verify them independently.

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