A North Wales food wholesaler is launching a raft of measures including an innovative new rewards app to help customers cope with the cost of living crisis.<\/p>\n
Harlech Foodservice says many businesses have been dealt a \u201creal body blow\u201d by controversial Budget measures, including the increase in employers\u2019 National Insurance contributions.<\/p>\n
There have already been warnings of hotels, pubs and cafes struggling to cope with the extra staff costs and experts predict that some care homes will be forced to close.<\/p>\n
The My Harlech loyalty app will be unveiled at Harlech\u2019s annual two-day\u00a0 trade fair Expo 25, that\u2019s being held at Venue Cymru in Llandudno on Wednesday and Thursday, March 12 and 13.<\/p>\n
According to Harlech, which has bases in Cricieth in Gwynedd, Chester, Carmarthen, Merthyr Tydfil and Telford, the app rewards customers with a rebate of up to 10% on what they spend with them each year.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ll qualify for a further 5% rebate for the additional spend with Harlech compared to the previous year.<\/p>\n
David Cattrall,\u00a0 the Managing Director of Harlech, said: \u201cWith all the challenges the hospitality, care and education sectors are facing in 2025 we have doubled down on how Harlech can help save money for our customers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhilst some foodservice companies are increasing prices for customers, we have improved our efficiency and driven down our prices.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s our way of giving something back to our loyal customers and doing our best to\u00a0 them navigate a very difficult economic climate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harlech has announced it\u2019s launching its latest version of its Trust Our Prices campaign, with more than 300 prices locked down for three months until June 7.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s also a return for its Mega Deals initiative with what it describes as\u00a0 \u201cmassive discounts\u201d on popular brands and own branded products.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the company is introducing the Harlech Top 50 price comparison scheme, with the prices of 50 of the most popular lines being benchmarked against the giant Booker company and published on the website every Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Mr Cattrall said: \u201cWe have very deliberately\u00a0 gone about disrupting the way foodservice companies have operated in the past.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor far too long there has been a common practice of announcing inflated prices and then going through a ritualistic charade to \u2018negotiate the prices down\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why we launched our hugely popular Trust Our Prices strategy because we are conscious that many of our customers are trading in an extremely difficult environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cTimes are tough. After the nightmare of Covid, the Budget measures which come into force in April are a real body blow.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 1.2 per cent rise in Employer National Insurance contributions and a cut to the Secondary Threshold to \u00a35,000 will add significant extra costs in terms of staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to do with the My Harlech app and the other cost-saving initiatives is to ease the financial burden for our customers in hospitality, social care and education to help them ride the economic storm.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe also want to make life a lot simpler for them with very\u00a0 competitive, transparent pricing \u2013 no hassle, no haggle \u2013 backed up by excellent customer service.\u201d<\/p>\n
A record number of 120 suppliers will be showcasing their products at Expo 25 where sales are expected to top \u00a31 million.<\/p>\n
Among those with a presence for the first time will be two of the global giants of the food and drink businesses, Coca-Cola and Mars, who have each taken stands at the event.<\/p>\n
Also there will be two of Harlech\u2019s newest partners, both with an Italian flavour, Sidoli\u2019s ice-cream, set up in Ebbw Vale over 100 years ago by Benedetto Sidoli and still in the same family, and Ferrari Coffee from Bridgend, which was founded by Vittorio Ferrari in 1927.<\/p>\n
They will join a host of other household names at the event which will see Harlech, which has bases in Cricieth, Chester, Carmarthen, Merthyr Tydfil and Telford, unveil its latest Trust Our Prices range with over 300 deals for its customers pegging prices for the next three months.<\/p>\n
Alongside Coca-Cola and Mars at the trade fair will be a host of food and drink supply giants including Pepsi, Kellogg\u2019s, Young\u2019s Seafood, Premier Foods, Cadbury\u2019s, Twinings tea, Walkers crisps and Unilever.<\/p>\n
Nationally known Welsh brands such as Jones Village Bakery, Edwards the Welsh Butcher, Llaeth y Llan Village Dairy and Radnor Springs, from Knighton, in Mid Wales, will also all be there.<\/p>\n