Welsh food wholesaler eyes record £3m sales at super expo

Jules Millward

A Welsh food wholesaler is forecasting a £3 million sales bonanza at its flagship trade fair next month.

Harlech Foodservice says the two-day Expo 26 at Venue Cymru in Llandudno could smash all previous records after last year’s event pulled in £1.5 million in orders.

The fast-growing family firm believes takings could double again with up to 3,000 buyers expected through the doors on March 11 and 12.

Among the trade customers will be representatives from major players in the public and private healthcare and education sectors, along with the tourism and hospitality industry.

It comes after two years of rapid expansion for the Gwynedd-headquartered company which has added new hubs in Carmarthen, Caerphilly and Telford to its long-established centres in Cricieth and Chester.

Already 115 suppliers have booked their stands at the Expo including global giants of the food and drink industry like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Kellogg’s, Premier Foods, Cadbury’s, Nestle, Kelly’s Ice Cream, Walkers Crisps and Unilever.

They will be joined by nationally known Welsh brands such as Jones Village Bakery, Llaeth y Llan Village Dairy, Radnor Spring, Sidoli ice cream, Ferraris Coffee and from across the border Cheshire Farm Ice Cream, Purity Soft Drinks from Wednesbury and Liverpool’s Cottom Sausages.

Harlech will also be showcasing their move into the fresh fruit and vegetable business at a special hub at the centre of the exhibition hall at Venue Cymru which will also feature their new butchery offer and their own-brand Country Range of products.

Toby Foskett, a grandson of Harlech founders Colin and Gill Foskett and the third generation of the family to move into the business, is Category Manager for Fruit, Vegetables and Butchery.

He said: “We have made a successful move into fresh fruit and veg in the last six months and are already supplying to customers including schools, hospitals and care homes in North and South Wales.

“We aim to extend that so the range is available to all customers cross Wales, the North West of England and the West Midlands very soon and could even be offering the service by the time of Expo.

“Our sales are up week on week and with lots of buyers at the Expo and lots of great deals to be done we expect another big sales boost.”

On-day deals will be a feature of this year’s event which is being organised by Commercial Manager Chris Gregson who said that there will be a big focus on deals at this year’s Expo and we’re confident our customers will like what they see.

He added: “But they will have to be there to grab those great offers. Miss the Expo and you’ll miss out.

“It’s also a great opportunity to see the range of food and drink we can supply and with 115 exhibitors already confirmed there will be a fantastic selection of products to be sampled.

“Already customer registrations are up by 65 per cent on last year’s record-breaking event. We had an attendance of 2,200 then and the way things are looking we’re on course to be welcoming more than 3,000 customers across the two days.

“We are drawing from a wider area and more people know about us now across South Wales and in the North West and the Midlands.

“I’m thrilled to announce that Taste Wales will be in attendance showcasing some of the amazing Welsh produce we sell.

“The Expo is a massive event for Harlech Foodservice.  We have stepped up on our social media campaign with a countdown and ‘sneak-peaks’ of what customers can expect to see when they visit the show.  I really don’t want any of our amazing customers to miss this.”

“Everyone will be hearing from us and already we have had a fantastic response from hospitality businesses across Cheshire and Shropshire in particular.

“While we’ve always had a strong presence in hospitality, it’s exciting to see an increasing number of local authorities, health boards and care home groups from across our area of operations confirming their attendance and helping us to grow into a truly year-round business.”

“While our footprint is growing across the North West, the West Midlands and into South Wales, we’re still proud of our roots.

“Hospitality and tourism remain right at the heart of our business so we’re reshaping our marketing around their needs and listening carefully to their concerns.

“We understand the pressures facing tourism and hospitality businesses and we’re determined to support them in every way we can.”

The Expo is a highlight of the year for Harlech which will showcase the range of products it supplies to restaurants, cafes and even Premiership giants as well as to schools and hospitals, museums and art galleries.

Chris Gregson added: “The aim of the event is to enable suppliers to talk directly to the customer, giving them a chance to tell the story behind their product to their prospective buyers.

“It means they can make face to face contact with the owners of pubs, hotels and village shops and to representatives from the tourism, leisure, education and health sectors across Wales, the North West and the Midlands.”

The Expo is a key event for Harlech which is two years into a three-year £6 million expansion plan which has already created over 100 new jobs taking the workforce to 250 and doubled the size of its transport fleet to over 90 vehicles which deliver up to 5,000 product lines to its private and public sector customers.

For more on Harlech Foodservice visit their website.