Harlech Foodservice acquires Celtic Foodservices of Pembrokeshire

Harlech Foodservice has acquired Celtic Foodservices for an undisclosed sum.

Based in Pembroke Dock, Celtic Foodservices was formally incorporated as a business in 2009 and supplies food and janitorial products to the foodservice industries and consumers in the Pembrokeshire and Swansea area.

All 12 members of staff at the company are transferring to Harlech, including director Jason Davies, and the 12,000 sq ft premises in Pembroke Dock is also part of the new set-up.

The deal is part of Harlech’s overall £6 million plan to create 150 new jobs and comes a few months after it opened a new depot in Carmarthen where 15 sales staff and drivers have already been recruited.

It was spurred by the company’s growth over the past three years – sales increased from £32 million to a record turnover of around £50 million, with profit at an all-time high of more than £2 million.

According to Harlech, which has other bases in Merthyr Tydfil, Criccieth in Gwynedd and Chester, the expansion is being driven by the growing demand from customers in South West Wales, particularly in the hospitality sector.

Harlech managing director David Cattrall said: “This strategic acquisition is a significant step forward in our mission to expand our footprint into South Wales.

“Celtic Foodservice has built a strong reputation for delivering high-quality products and exceptional service to its customers.

“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.

“I am excited about the opportunities this acquisition brings and am committed to ensuring a smooth transition for all Celtic Foodservice customers and employees. Our combined resources and expertise will enable us to better serve the foodservice industry, driving growth and innovation.”

Cattrall added that Harlech was responding to the challenges faces by hotels, pubs and restaurants with “aggressively competitive” prices.

He 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 in our drive to provide a first-class service to new and existing customers in every single corner of Wales.”