July 15, 2026 - 210 views
A fast-growing food firm is creating 50 new jobs and on course to achieve record sales of £75million following a rapid expansion across Wales and England.
Gwynedd-based Harlech Foodservice has increased turnover by 25 per cent in the past year after opening depots in Caerphilly and Telford to support growing demand in South Wales, the North West and West Midlands.
The family-run business is planning a £3.5 million expansion of its headquarters in Llanystumdwy near Cricieth, including new warehousing, freezer facilities and more delivery vehicles.
As a result the number of people working for the company is expected to rise from 320 to 370 over the next few years.
During a visit to the company, Liz Saville Roberts, the MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, hailed the wholesaler’s success and said: “If Carlsberg made Welsh companies, they’d probably look very much like Harlech Foodservice.
The MP, Plaid Cymru’s Leader in the House of Commons, was given a briefing on the company’s growth and on their plans for further expansion at Llanystumdwy and their depots at Chester, Carmarthen, Caerphilly and Telford.
Managing Director Mark Lawton said: “We have a real focus on supporting Welsh products and suppliers and that means we are now putting products like Llaeth y Llan yoghurt, Radnor Springs mineral waters, Edwards the Welsh Butcher sausages and Snowdonia cheese onto school dinner tables not just across Wales but in the North West of England and border counties of England.
“That’s helped us increase our sales of Llaeth y Llan products by 59 per cent, Radnor Springs by 55 per cent and Edwards the Welsh Butcher by 72 per cent so we’re not just improving our performance, we’re boosting other Welsh businesses too.
“We are now feeding children in the North West and the Midlands and as we spread we take these classic Welsh products with us
“When Covid hit our sales were down to £18 million in 2021 but they have recovered and grown so that next year we are estimating sales of up to £80 million with a three year target increase to £120 million by 2029.
"We've transformed the business from one that relied on seasonal tourism into a year-round operation by expanding into the public sector, particularly education and healthcare.
"Despite that growth, we've never forgotten our roots. Tourism and hospitality remain a vital part of the business.
"We've listened carefully to our independent customers because we understand the challenges they face. They're the backbone of our business and we're committed to continuing to meet their needs.
“We’ve created 48 new jobs over the past 18 months and our total staff numbers are now 320 - these are full time, year round jobs which is really important in a rural area of North West Wales and we’re still recruiting.
“We have plans for new warehousing and we’ve got the land here at our headquarters.
“Now we need help to get those facilities built on the land because it will help us create a further 50 jobs here in our Gwynedd heartland..”
Harlech Operations Director Ian Evans said: “We need more capacity here but from putting shovels in the ground here it will take 12 to 18 months to have the new warehousing up and running.
“That would mean an investment of £2 million in new buildings and a further £1.5 million in new delivery vehicles and ideally we would need help from Government to achieve that.”
Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “It’s been immensely exciting to hear about how Harlech has developed over the past three years since my last visit and to hear about their exciting plans for the future.
“I’ve seen the business change since I’ve been an MP and that has been so impressive.
“Before Covid, your sales were £25 million and where you are now is an extraordinary achievement.
“Harlech are one of the key employers for this area and they also support many local hospitality businesses while at the same time they are winning big public sector contracts not only in Wales but across the border and these underpin the work they are doing here.
“They have plans for growth and increased employment and for the expansion of their headquarters site with new buildings and refrigerated storage while at the same time they are conscious of the need to reduce emissions and be energy efficient.
The business was founded in the town of Harlech in 1972 by Colin and Gill Foskett to supply the holiday market and its rapid expansion in recent years has seen it deliver to restaurants, pubs, schools and hospitals across Wales and into England.
The founders’ three children, Jonathan, Andrew and Laura, took over the reins from their parents and still sit on the board while a third generation of the family are making their way in the firm.
