Cricieth-based Harlech Foodservice, which also has sites in Chester, Carmarthen, Aberbargoed and Telford, says its rapid expansion over the past five years has ‘transformed’ the business into a major UK player.
Since April 2025, Harlech has seen business in South Wales and the West Midlands increase by 68% with 117 new customers already added this year. In the North West, across Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, 390 new accounts have been opened with sales up 46%.
In its North Wales heartland, where it has been trading since 1972, it has added 125 new customers since the beginning of April and increased sales by 8%. Harlech came out of the pandemic with 120 staff at Cricieth and Chester and in the last four years has seen that number grow to almost 300 while opening three new sites.
Managing director Mark Lawton, who joined the company in 2016, said: "I am very proud to be part of the team that has been involved in the expansion, and our latest half yearly results show a clear upwards trajectory in Harlech’s fortunes.
“We have successfully moved into the public sector, into education and healthcare in particular, so that now we supply all six local education authorities in North Wales as well as hospitals across Wales.
“We have harnessed technology with the My Harlech app that makes ordering easier and we have pushed back our deadlines so that orders made after service are delivered the next day to smooth out the peaks and troughs.”