The annual ranking, released today, identifies and celebrates Britain's 100 leading entrepreneurial businesses, and showcases the people behind these most dynamic private companies.

This year The Sunday Times 100 excludes companies that sell their own technology, which now feature in the sister table, The Sunday Times 100 Tech, which was launched in January 2025.

Simmer Eats made £36.1 million in sales in the year to January 2025, a staggering 205% average annual growth in the last three years, and employs 19 people.

Simmy Dhillon, 28, was a 19-year-old university student when he set up his meal delivery business in 2017 to plug a gap in the market for healthy and delicious reheatable food. A year later, his brother, Jhai Dhillon, 30, joined him in the venture, as did their mother, Kal. The business was a side hustle for Simmy, who worked at Google until 2021 when Simmer Eats was turning over almost £1 million.

Hitchin Nub News caught up with Simmy to celebrate this amazing achievement.

HNN - What's your reaction to discovering that you topped this Sunday Times list?

SD - "It's a really proud and humbling moment for all of us at Simmer Eats. I actually used to work at Waitrose in Hitchin during my A-levels, and I remember reading the Sunday Times on my break - dreaming that one day I'd have a business featured in it. And now, here we are at the top of the list. I started with just £10 of ingredients in a tiny kitchen, trying to make healthy eating delicious and affordable. This recognition is the result of years of hard work, long days and nights, and a lot of support from our family and team. It's a reminder that no dream is too far-fetched if you're willing to show up and put the work in every single day".

HNN - What is it about Hitchin that helped you realise this achievement?

SD - "Hitchin is where it all started. Me, my brother, and our dad all grew up here - and we all went to Hitchin Boys' School. It's a place that shaped who we are. There's a strong sense of community here, but also this quiet work ethic - people just get on with it, support each other, and don't make a fuss. That spirit really influenced us. Growing up in a hardworking family and a town like this gave us the mindset we needed to build Simmer - stay grounded, stay focused, and keep showing up even when things are tough".

HNN - What would your advice be to young people from Hitchin thinking about starting their own business?

SD - "Just start. Don't wait for the perfect moment or perfect plan - it rarely comes. The most important thing is to take the first step, get your idea out into the world, and be open to learning and adapting as you go. You don't need a big investment or the perfect background - just a problem worth solving, some consistency, and a lot of grit. My brother and I started with no experience and very little money, but a lot of belief in what we were building. If two brothers from Hitchin can do it, you absolutely can too!" 

The Sunday Times 100 is sponsored by Barclays Private Bank and supported by S&W, the professional services firm, Oracle NetSuite and Singer Capital Markets.