Harlech Foodservice has acquired Celtic Foodservice, which is based in Pembrokeshire, in order to expand into south west Wales to meet increasing customer demand.
David Cattrall, Harlech Foodservice managing director, said: “I am delighted we have successfully acquired Celtic Foodservice and this strategic acquisition is a significant step forward in our mission to expand our footprint into South Wales.”
He praised Celtic Foodservice for its ‘strong reputation’ and ‘exceptional service’, saying: “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.
“Our combined resources and expertise will enable us to better serve the foodservice industry, driving growth and innovation.”
All 12 staff members at Celtic Foodservice, including director Jason Davies, will transfer to Harlech Foodservice, along with the company's premises in Pembroke Dock.
This acquisition follows the recent opening of Harlech’s new Carmarthen depot earlier this year. The company now operates additional sites in Merthyr Tydfil, Criccieth in Gwynedd, and Chester. Over the past three years, Harlech Foodservice has experienced significant growth, with annual sales rising from £32m to a record turnover of approximately £50m, and profits reaching an all-time high of over £2m.
Having tackled the challenges faced by hotels, pubs and restaurants with ‘aggressively competitive prices’, David Cattrall 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. And to make life easier, our customers can order up to 10pm, with next-day deliveries six days a week.
“The acquisition of Celtic Foodservices is another new and important milestone our drive to provide a first class service to new and existing customers in every single corner of Wales.”
