Mr Kipling maker Premier Foods has reported a sales boost a day after it denied speculation about selling part of its business based in Kent.

The company, which has a Batchelors Cup A Soup factory in Ashford employing 360 people, boosted its third quarter revenues by 4% to £261.4 million.

The firm, which sold a record 220 million mince pies last year, said international sales grew 26% during the period covering the last three months of 2017.

The positive figures come a day after it denied speculation about the sale of its Batchelors brand to Nissin Foods, although it admitted it had held exploratory talks with the company.

An update to shareholders on Monday said it regularly reviews options “in line with good corporate governance” which “periodically involve discussions with third parties, including Nissin”.

In its trading update this morning, it revealed Batchelors delivered its fourth successive quarter of sales growth.

Batchelors Super Noodles in a pot, which are manufactured by Nissin, has now delivered more than £5 million in sales since its launch last year.

Sales and volumes of Bisto and Oxo both grew in the quarter, benefitting from media advertising in the run up to Christmas.

Chief executive Gavin Darby said: “With our leading category positions and commitment to product innovation, our expectations for progress this year remain unchanged.”