Ranjit Boparan’s wealth soared by £475m last year after snapping up Northern Foods.

He and wife Baljinder leapt 174 places in the latest Sunday Times Rich List to joint 101st after amassing an estimated wealth of £750m in 2011.

Through Boparan Holdings, the couple own Northern Foods, 2 Sisters and the Harry Ramsden fish and chip shop chain.

Other big climbers were the Morris family of TJ Morris, trading as Home Bargains, moving from joint 174th to 136th (up £160m to £620m).

Simon, Bobby and Robin Arora, owners of B&M Retail, rose 47 places up the rankings to 183rd (£343m to £487m).

Iceland MD Malcolm Walker’s wealth was up £34m to £200m (to joint 370th) after retaking control of the frozen food discounter. Andy Pritchard (£110m) rose from joint 746th to joint 682nd from his 8.1% stake. Fellow Iceland director Tarsem Dhaliwal (£80m), with a 5.5% stake, was up from 1,044th to joint 908th.

Some 79 entries on the list were from the grocery sector. Galen and George Weston and family, with stakes in Associated British Foods and Selfridges, ranked highest at number 10, but their wealth dipped £100m to £5.9bn.

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