Supplier Awards 2025: Food Wholesaler of the Year – Harlech Foodservice

North west Wales’s Harlech Foodservice proved to be the standout Food Wholesaler of the Year, thanks to its support for both customers and staff, clarity and stability in pricing, and exceptional service.

The family-owned business recently doubled its sales team from 16 to 32 and opened two additional depots in Merthyr Tydfil and Carmarthen, as well as sharing space in Telford in Shropshire with north Wales-based haulier Farrall’s Group. It made its decision to expand by using Merlin Scott analysis of buying groups, which flagged up the lack of options for customers in south Wales.

Harlech Foodservice also implemented fixed, transparent pricing, and the judges liked how the wholesaler invested in upgrading its website and app to enable customers to compare range, price and product information and make instant decisions.

Helpful changes such as an extension to 10pm for next-day delivery for online orders, while still offering a telesales service for the personal touch, gave this entry extra sparkle.

All this expansion was accelerated under the leadership of managing director David Cattrall, with a £6m plan to create 150 new jobs, and with sales increasing from £32m to a record £46.5m and record profit of nearly £2m.

Before 2020, 90% of the company’s turnover was reliant on the highly seasonal tourism and hospitality industry but, since then, it has focused on expanding into the education and healthcare sectors to smooth the peaks and troughs of seasonality.

The main focus of Harlech’s marketing has been the ‘Trust Our Prices’ campaign, which is aimed at the smaller, independent customer. The company reviews its prices weekly against some of the biggest wholesalers in the UK, rejecting the common practice of increasing ‘negotiated’ prices without notice.

It’s this deliberate, concerted campaign to be a market disruptor, with the aim of giving customers certainty, which has seen Harlech Foodservice triumph in this category.

Judges’ comment

“Harlech is what a food wholesaler should aspire to: a people business promoting local jobs.”

Arnaud Kaziewicz, head of food, Red Engine

Shortlist

• Harlech Foodservice
• United Fresh