Krissy Cela’s Oner Active Shortlisted in The Sunday Times 100 Fastest-Growing Privately Owned Companies in the UK Following Staggering Growth
Krissy Cela’s Oner Active has been shortlisted in The Sunday Times 100 fastest-growing privately owned companies in the UK.
The Albanian-born entrepreneur and fitness star arrived in the UK as a 5-year-old refugee, travelling by boat and lorry. Yesterday, she was invited to Downing Street in recognition of her athleisure brand’s remarkable rise.
“This is such an incredible moment for Oner and for everyone in the team who has made this brand what it is today,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Every year Oner has continued to grow an average of 100%, and as we gear up for the biggest year to date, I cannot help but remember the moment Oner was launched into the world. How terrified I was of the unexpected.
“Did I ever think that our brand story; product; vision would be loved by so many? Absolutely not — but I am forever grateful.
“Let’s continue to make Oner the brand so many women proudly wear whilst onering their body through movement — becoming stronger in body, mind, and spirit per every rep and coffee break.”
Oner, which was set up by Cela in collaboration with Thomas Mark and Austrian investors David and Lukas Kurzmann, almost doubled its sales in 2024 as its popularity soared.
The company reported gross revenue of £80.8 million for the year, up from £46 million in 2023.
Profits also climbed to £8.4 million over the 12-month period, although figures for the previous year were not disclosed. It marked its best-ever Black Friday week, too, taking in £11.6 million in revenue.
Oner Active’s Instagram account hit a milestone of 1 million followers in March, as the feel-good operator continues to scale through its community-first approach.
Since then, a further 100,000 fans have hit the follow button.
As Creative Director, Cela already has a pipeline of capsules ready to release across 2026 and beyond.
New this year, Oner Active Walk Clubs have also been introduced as a gentler alternative to the currently booming brand-led run clubs.
Miami, London, Manchester, Berlin, and the sun-soaked beaches and celebrity-packed hills of Los Angeles are all set to follow on from the New York opener held in May.
Oner Active & The Sunday Times 100 Fastest-Growing Privately Owned Companies
Introduced for 2025, The Sunday Times has created a separate ranking for tech-based firms. Companies are only eligible for one list, allowing broader recognition beyond the AI-fuelled tech space.
Eligibility criteria for The Sunday Times 100 included:
- Independent, privately owned and UK-headquartered companies
- Sales exceeding £5 million in their latest year of trading
- Minimum of five staff
- At least four years of accounts
- Measurable sales growth based on compound annual growth rate over the last three financial years
- Annualised sales exceeding £250,000 in the base year, without a fall compared to the previous year
- No sales drop between the penultimate and latest year
- Operating profit in the latest financial year
- For recruitment, energy, and media companies: gross profits of at least £5 million in the latest accounts
British challenger bank and fintech Allica Bank topped the list last year.
Finalists for The Sunday Times 100 Fastest-Growing Privately Owned Companies will be invited to a complimentary networking event at the British Museum in September.
