Gwynedd-based food distributor Harlech Foodservice has celebrated ten long-serving members of staff.
Among them was Manon Lloyd Jones, from Four Crosses near Criccieth, who started a summer job there aged 16 and after more than four decades has no plans to retire.
The ten have clocked up 269 years of service between them. They were presented with bottles of Lanson champagne and £100 vouchers by Company Chairman Andrew Foskett and his sister and fellow director Laura.
Manon said:
“I’ve done pretty much everything here. I was 16 and I wanted to go into nursing but Colin Foskett who had started the business offered me a summer job and I’m still here.
“I’ve never left. I only had two weeks’ maternity when my first son was born and I have had two more sons since and only had a total of 12 weeks off.
“I’m still enjoying it and when I don’t, I’ll stop but they’ll probably have to turf me out in the end.
“The Fosketts have been a brilliant family to work for and the business has grown so much with lots of changes – there were only six people working with me when I started.”
Paul Owen, from Bangor, had been working in a cash and carry and joined Harlech as a sales rep when the company moved into dairy goods and 20 years later he is a National Key Account Manager.
He handles major accounts like Hickory’s Smokehouse who have 36 restaurants from Stockton on Tees in the North East to Swindon in the South West.
Paul said:
“I’ve seen the business grow from a £10 million turnover to over £50 million a year and it’s been brilliant to be a part of that. Harlech are a great company to work for.”
Ian Rogers, from Chwilog, joined the business at 18 from Coleg Menai and was working in the stores packing orders when he was given the chance to train as an HGV driver.
He has now been with Harlech for 37 years, most of his time behind the wheel of a delivery lorry and he said:
“I love the job going out on the road. You’re your own boss and you get to meet the customers.
“It’s a friendly company and I enjoy working here. Most of my friends are here and we regularly socialise together outside of work.
“I’ve never thought about leaving Harlech. I’ve always been happy here.”
Andrew Foskett said:
“In this area big employers are few and far between and all these colleagues here today have known our parents who started the business and have worked in the old depot so we must have been doing something right.
“We like to think that we’re a good employer and it keeps young people in the area and strengthens the Welsh language and culture so there are a lot of knock-on effects from our success.”
Fellow director Laura Foskett added:
“It’s always nice to know that people enjoy working for Harlech and want to stay here and that we’re creating more and more job opportunities.”
Also among the long-service award winners was Finance Director Mike Clishem, who’s been with the company for 25 years.
The business was founded in the town of Harlech in 1972 by Colin and Gill Foskett to supply the holiday market and now delivers 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.
