A WELSH food wholesaler has been the crowned as the best in the UK.
Fast-growing Harlech Foodservice was named as Food Wholesaler of the Year at a glittering awards ceremony at the opulent One Moorgate Place in London.
The event was organised by leading industry magazine The Caterer to recognise excellence in the food supplier sector.
According to the judges, Harlech was the standout wholesaler in Britain thanks to its support for both customers and staff, clarity and stability in pricing, and exceptional service.
One of the judges, Arnaud Kaziewicz, head of food at Red Engine, said: “Harlech is what a food wholesaler should aspire to: a people business promoting local jobs.”
The award was accepted on Harlech’s behalf by finance director Mike Clishem who has been with the company for more than a quarter of a century.
The family-owned firm 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 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.
The judged felt that 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 Harlech an “extra sparkle”.
The company’s expansion was masterminded and accelerated under the leadership of managing director David Cattrall, with a £6 million plan to create 150 new jobs.
The strategy resulted in sales increasing from £32 million to a record £46.5 million and profit at an all-time high of nearly £2 million.
Up until 2020, 90 per cent 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.
Harlech’s customers can save 14 per cent as part of the new Harlech 50 price comparison initiative that benchmarks prices of top-selling products against goods from industry giant Booker.
Every Monday the company compares the prices of its best-selling products to Booker and then publishes the details on the website
Meanwhile, the My Harlech loyalty app was unveiled at Harlech’s annual two-day trade fair Expo 25 at Venue Cymru in Llandudno.
The app rewards customers with a rebate of up to 10 per cent on what they spend with Harlech Foodservice each year.
The judges said they were impressed with the company’s deliberate, concerted campaign to be a market disruptor, with the aim of giving customers certainty.
Managing director David Cattrall said: “For our company to be recognised at national level by an industry leading publication is a massive achievement for everyone who works at Harlech Foodservice.
“But we are not resting on our laurels because we are determined to continue on our upward trajectory so we can continue to create employment and prosperity while delivering a first class service to our customers who are at the heart of everything we do.”
Equally thrilled with the award was long-service finance director Mike Clishem.
He said: “This recognition is a testament to our team’s unwavering commitment to exceptional service and, most importantly, our dedication to disrupting the market with clear, transparent list prices.
“We have never been so focused on the needs of the customers. We believe in providing them with the stability and clarity they deserve, and I’m incredibly proud to see our efforts acknowledged. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported us on this journey.”
