John Dorrington Apthorp CBE (25 April 1935 – 9 July 2024) was a British businessman specialising in frozen food and alcoholic beverages, as well as a philanthropist.
[1] Apthorp first enjoyed success as a founding member and managing director of the family business of frozen food stores Bejam, which became a market leader in the United Kingdom, trading from hundreds of stores across the country.
[3][4][failed verification] In 2015 the specialist magazine SelectUS Wines reported that his wealth has been maintained despite an overall decline in company revenues.
[6] Already an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), Apthorp was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2014 New Year Honours for charitable services, particularly in Hertfordshire.
He set up the John Apthorp Charity, which funds projects in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Greater Manchester.