The UK’s biggest recipe box business has announced plans to create 700 jobs in the UK over the next three years after securing a £30 million cash injection.

Gousto, which delivers meal kits directly to customers, employs more than 500 staff and said it now plans to more than double its workforce following a period of rapid sales growth.

It said the three-year recruitment drive will see it hire roughly 400 staff at fulfilment centre in Spalding, Lincolnshire, with the rest of its new hires coming at its London headquarters.

The announcement comes two months after the firm confirmed it has secured £30 million in new funding, taking its total external investment to more than £100 million since its creation in 2012.

Cash from the funding round, which was backed by investment firm Perwyn, will be used to expand its rapidly growing technology team, while roles will also be created in data science, analytics, software engineering and user experience, the company said.

Timo Boldt, chief executive officer and founder of Gousto, said he is proud to be “bucking the trend” in job creation, after a recent decline in the total number of new job vacancies in the UK.

He added: “The 700 jobs we will create over the next three years will enable us to keep pace with rapidly changing consumer behaviours.

“Growing Gousto and fulfilling our ambition to become the UK’s best loved way to eat dinner, requires a specific focus on our technology team.

“It will not only contribute to the UK economy, but allow us to offer even more choice, inspiration and convenience to busy families.”

Gousto said it hopes its expansion strategy will help to grow its position as “one of Europe’s leading technology enabled companies”.

The firm is the UK’s largest in the burgeoning recipe box sector but has its eyes on larger international competitors such as HelloFresh.

The company, which has posted 70% year-on-year revenue growth, offers 40 weekly recipes to customers and delivers meals direct to people’s doors seven-days-a-week.

Henry Saker-Clark, is PA City Reporter.