A Welsh food wholesaler has staged its biggest ever trade fair with more than 130 stands and a record £1.5 million in sales.
Harlech Foodservice’s two-day Expo 25 packed 137 trade stands into Venue Cymru in Llandudno with more than 2,000 trade customers doing “brisk business”.
Suppliers included international food giants Kellogg’s, McCains, Young’s Seafood, Doritos, Cadbury’s and Hellman’s as well as nationally known Welsh brands such as Jones Village Bakery, Llaeth y Llan Village Dairy, Radnor Spring, Sidoli ice cream and Ferraris Coffee.
Head of Purchasing Josie Swift said:
“Our success as a company is reflected here at this event where we are seeing bigger suppliers alongside smaller artisan producers, many of whom have been with us for years but with a significant increase in new partners, particularly from South and West Wales.
“To recognise this we had even more offers than ever before for our customers at this year’s event and we’re projecting to increase the value of the deals we do by more than 50 per cent to more than £1.5 million.
“The sales teams have had a great reaction from customers who have really loved the event and enjoyed meeting the people who produce the food and drink we deliver to them.”
Among the new suppliers for Harlech is Sidoli’s Ice Cream from Ebbw Vale , a business launched in 1922 by Italian immigrant Benedetto Sidoli and now headed by the fourth generation of the family, Ben’s great-grandson, Stefano.
He said:
“It’s been really busy with a lot of interest from a wide variety of customers including in products which Harlech don’t currently list so there could be opportunities to grow our presence.
“In terms of exposure it has been very good for us and with Harlech’s knowledge and resources the foundations are being laid for us to be successful this summer and I’m really positive about the partnership.”
Tracie Edwards, of Wrexham-based Jones Village Bakery, said:
“We’re here every year and it’s become such a good event for us. We meet so many customers who we have been working with for over 20 years and it’s really convenient to be able to meet them here along with potential new customers.
“Our products go into lots of pub chains, cafes and bed and breakfasts through Harlech so it’s an important market for us.”
Last year Harlech announced a three-year £6 million expansion plan which has already seen it open new depots in Carmarthen and Telford to add to those at Cricieth, Chester and Merthyr Tydfil.
They have also created 75 new jobs of a planned 150, taking the workforce to 250 and now runs a fleet of 65 vehicles delivering up to 5,000 product lines to cafés, restaurants, pubs and public sector customers.
