Premier Foods owns a number of household name brands

In its first results statement since going public in July, Premier said first-half sales rose 14% on the year to �425.8m ($760m).

Operating profits also rose, climbing 29% on the year to �31.2m.

Chief executive Robert Schofield said Premier's top food brands looked set to perform well in the months ahead.

"While the trading environment remains tough, the second half of the year is looking positive," he said.

"Our brands mean we are well positioned to deliver profitable growth."

Branded in Britain

Food producers have been under pressure this year because of stiff price competition between Britain's biggest supermarket chains.

Premier Foods, formerly owned by US private equity firm Hicks Muse Tate & Furst, specialises in acquiring and developing iconic British food brands.

As well as Typhoo and Branston, the firm owns Gale's honey and Sun-Pat peanut butter, and last year bought the Ambrosia rice pudding brand from food giant Unilever.

Mr Schofield told Reuters news agency the company hoped to snap up more food brands in the months ahead.

"We're after quintessentially British brands," he said.

"Multinationals are not so interested in them, but we can really do something with them."

Premier said it had used the proceeds of its stock market flotation to repay some of its debts.

The company was forced to cut the price of its initial public offering in order to drum up interest from investors.