Business is booming for Harlech Foodservice, which is reporting a 1,100 per cent increase in Christmas pre-orders.

The food and drink supplier is expecting its busiest Christmas yet.

Commercial manager Chris Gregson said a recent roadshow and brochure launch were key elements of the firm's preparations for the festive season.

"All the suppliers here feature in our Christmas brochure and we have colleagues from Harlech's sales, supply chain, commercial and marketing teams attending to taste, feel and ask questions about the suppliers' products,” he said.

"The Christmas Roadshow is all about our suppliers educating and energising our sales team so they can go out there and confidently inform and sell to our customers.

"We're very grateful to all the suppliers for attending the Christmas Roadshow and highlighting the products we are selling in the brochure and informing and educating our staff so well, they've been brilliant.

"Its speed dating theme worked really well and the beauty of it is that our suppliers get to see every member of the Harlech team whether they are in sales, marketing, commercial or the supply chain.

"It presents a great networking opportunity.

"It is the first time we have done something like this, and it has been a tremendous success.

"It's quite simple really – how can you sell something if you haven't tried it yourself, or you don't know what it is, or how you cook it?"

Chris said a Christmas brochure deal where customers get a free bottle of Prosecco if they make a pre-order of £250 had been a huge hit.

He said: "Our pre-orders year-on-year are up somewhere in the region of 1.100 per cent.

"We launched the brochure two weeks ago and in the first two weeks our pre-orders have gone through the roof.

"As a family-run company based in Wales we are delighted to continue to support Welsh produce.”