Sales at a Gwynedd food wholesaler have smashed records as the fast-growing family firm revealed a near 20 per cent surge to £30 million in just six months.

Cricieth-based Harlech Foodservice, which also has bases in Chester, Carmarthen, Aberbargoed and Telford, says its rapid expansion over the past five years has transformed the business into a major UK player.

Harlech, crowned UK Food Wholesaler of the Year in April, has seen sales rocket after opening new depots in South Wales and Shropshire, driving fresh growth across North Wales, the North West and the West Midlands.

Since it accepted the award at a glittering ceremony in London it has seen business in South Wales and the West Midlands up by a massive 68 per cent with 117 new customers already added this year.

In its North Wales heartland, where it has been trading since 1972, it has added 125 new customers since the beginning of April and increased sales by eight per cent.

Harlech came out of the pandemic with 120 staff at Criccieth and Chester and in the last four years has seen that number grow to almost 300 while opening three new sites.

Managing Director Mark Lawton, who joined the company in 2016 and said “ I am very proud to be part of the team that has been involved in the expansion, and our latest half yearly results show a clear upwards trajectory in Harlech’s fortunes.

“We needed to expand to become a truly year-round business instead of relying solely on the highly seasonal tourism and hospitality industry.

“We have successfully moved into the public sector, into education and healthcare in particular, so that now we supply all six local education authorities in North Wales as well as hospitals across Wales.”