Food wholesaler Harlech acquires Welsh rival

Harlech Foodservice has acquired Celtic Foodservices for an undisclosed sum and says the firm, which is based in Pembroke Dock in Pembrokeshire, is a “perfect fit”.

All 12 members of staff at Celtic Foodservices are transferring to Harlech, including director Jason Davies, and its premises will also be part of the new set-up.

The move is part of an overall £6m plan to create 150 new jobs at Harlech and comes a few months after it opened a new depot in Carmarthen where 15 sales staff and drivers have already been recruited.

This was spurred by the company’s growth over the past three years which has seen sales increase from £32m to a record turnover of around £50m, with profit at an all-time high of more than £2m.

According to Harlech, which has other bases in Merthyr Tydfil, Criccieth in Gwynedd and Chester, the expansion is being driven by the growing demand from customers in south west Wales, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Harlech managing director David Cattrall said: “By integrating Celtic Foodservice into our operations, we are poised to deliver even greater value to our customers through an expanded range of products, improved logistics, and enhanced customer service capabilities.”

Detailing that Harlech is committed to ensuring a smooth transition for all Celtic Foodservice customers and employees, he continued: “Our combined resources and expertise will enable us to better serve the foodservice industry, driving growth and innovation.”

Cattrall added Harlech was responding to the challenges faced by hotels, pubs and restaurants with “aggressively competitive” prices.

He said: “There is clearly a big appetite for our approach in disrupting the way foodservice companies have traditionally operated.

“We have rejected the common practice of having inflated prices and increasing ‘negotiated’ prices without notice. Instead we have launched our new Trust Our Prices strategy with transparent and competitive pricing, backed up by excellent customer service.”

Last year Harlech secured a three-year contract to serve the Welsh NHS’s 11,000 daily hospital patients.

Pictured: Harlech managing director David Cattrall. Photography by Mandy Jones.