A top Welsh food distribution company is reporting record sales of \u00a3600,000 and crowds of over 2,500 at its biggest ever food expo event.<\/p>\n
Harlech Foodservice\u2019s annual two-day trade expo smashed last year\u2019s figures \u2013 the first since 2019 because of the pandemic \u2013 with the 120 exhibitor stands at the high profile event at Llandudno\u2019s Venue Cymru another record.<\/p>\n
They came to see \u2013 and taste – over 1,000 products being showcased by Harlech which celebrated its 50th<\/sup> anniversary last year and to enjoy cookery demonstrations including by Wales\u2019s own BBQ expert, Caernarfon\u2019s S4C star, Flamebaster Chris Roberts.<\/p>\n Exhibitors included internationally known names like Kellogg\u2019s, Young\u2019s Seafood, Doritos, Hellman\u2019s and McCains as well as top North Wales\u2019s producers such as Jones Village Bakery, Edwards the Welsh Butcher, Llaeth y Llan Village Dairy and South Caernarfon Creameries.<\/p>\n Harlech Head of Purchasing Matt Flynn said: \u201cEveryone is saying it\u2019s probably the best show we\u2019ve ever done and the numbers certainly bear that out.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the first hour alone we had over 130 people through and they\u2019ve been busy with their order books which have offered them some fantastic offers to book deliveries ahead.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve gone back to basics this year and provided them with attractive order books with an A to Z list of the products from our suppliers, from Aber Falls Distillery Gin to Zafron Chilled Sandwiches so that they can fill in their orders and leave the delivery to us.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve also got some real theatre with fantastic exhibitions of cookery from Chris Roberts and our own Steve Griffiths.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve seen fantastic growth in the education and health sectors and we\u2019re building on that and encouraging customers to increase their spend with us as well as winning new customers.\u201d<\/p>\n Chris Roberts took a break from giving a succulent lamb shoulder the \u2018Flamebaster\u2019 treatment to say: \u201cThis is my first time here and I\u2019m impressed. It\u2019s very good and very busy.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been cooking up some nice rib-eyes from a farm in Meifod in Mid Wales where the cattle are 100 per cent grass fed, all reared on Welsh grass and breathing Welsh air.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s really important to me and it\u2019s what I celebrate \u2013 the farmers, butchers and fishmongers of Wales are my rock stars and it\u2019s amazing the way Harlech are promoting them.\u201d<\/p>\n The Expo had a big thumb\u2019s up from customers Dean Bartle, of St Tudwal\u2019s Pub in Abersoch and his head chef, Ben Cunliffe, who said: \u201cIt feels very busy with a lot more stalls than last year and plenty of information.<\/p>\n \u201cWe get a lot of our produce from Harlech and we know them and have a really good relationship with them.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir meat and produce is very good but also their cut-off times for orders are excellent which is really important for us and in high season they deliver seven days a week.\u201d<\/p>\n Baker Glen Simpson, of Jones Village Bakery, said: \u201cOur products go into lots of pub chains, cafes and bed and breakfasts through Harlech so it\u2019s an important market for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Tracie Edwards, Brand Manager for Village Bakery, added: \u201cWe know that a big per centage of people in Wales like to buy Welsh produce so we know we need to look after them.\u201d<\/p>\n Edwards the Welsh Butcher Product Development Manager Natalie Bestwick said: \u201cThis event is really important to us because it gives us a chance to talk to our customers face to face and it\u2019s great to be able to showcase our products.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also supply schools through Harlech and have developed school-friendly recipes because it\u2019s really important that Welsh produce should be going into Welsh schools.\u201d<\/p>\n Michael Burrows, Factory Manager at Llaeth y Llan Village Dairy, said: \u201cIt\u2019s always important for us to be here because we\u2019re supporting our brand and Harlech who are a valuable partner\u00a0for us.<\/p>\n \u201cOur sales have increased over the last two years through that partnership, especially in the schools and it\u2019s important to reach young people because we need to have Welsh products in our schools and all our milk comes from within a dozen miles of our dairy.\u201d<\/p>\n Peter Bayliss, account manager for Doritos, said: \u201cWe like to support events like this because it gets us in front of our customers and because our partnership with Harlech is important to us.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are working closely with them and with Steve Griffiths, their development chef, on products and recipes for the education sector.\u201d<\/p>\n Radnor Springs, based near Knighton in Powys, have seen their sales rocket through their partnership with Harlech Foodservice and Business Development Manager Molly Breakwell said: \u201cThey\u2019re a really good company for us to work with.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we have such a healthy product with a high fruit content and no added sugar we are ideal for schools and Harlech have helped us grow phenomenally, 200 per cent up in the last six months and we\u2019re now in schools all over Wales.<\/p>\n \u201cHarlech have won a lot of schools business and that has really grown our business.\u201d<\/p>\n Harlech Foodservice Ltd employs 200 staff at its bases at Criccieth and Chester and between the two locations, the company runs a fleet of vehicles to deliver 5,000 product lines to caf\u00e9s, restaurants, pubs and public sector customers across North and Mid-Wales, Shropshire, the Midlands and the North West.<\/p>\n For more on Harlech Foodservice go to <\/strong>https:\/\/www.harlech.co.uk\/<\/strong><\/a> and to <\/strong>https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HarlechFoods<\/strong><\/a> for Expo updates.<\/strong><\/p>\n