Harlech Foodservice has confirmed plans to expand its headquarters at Llanystumdwy, near Criccieth, in a move the company says will create around 50 new full-time jobs in Gwynedd. The proposal involves a total investment of approximately £3.5 million split between new buildings and additional delivery vehicles.
Local growth and job creation
The firm, which already employs about 320 people, expects headcount to rise to roughly 370 over the coming years as capacity is increased. The expansion includes additional warehousing and freezer facilities at the Llanystumdwy site, together with an enlarged fleet of delivery vehicles to support wider distribution.
- Planned total investment: £3.5 million
- Estimated increase in staff: 50 jobs (from 320 to 370)
- Time to build new warehousing once started: 12–18 months
Investment breakdown and timeline
Company directors say the outlay would be divided into roughly £2 million for new buildings and £1.5 million for additional delivery vehicles. Harlech’s operations team estimate that, from the point of starting work on-site, the new warehousing would take around 12 to 18 months to complete.
| Item | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| New buildings / warehousing | £2 million |
| Delivery vehicles | £1.5 million |
| Total | £3.5 million |
Markets, resilience and requests for support
The management outlined how the business has shifted from being heavily seasonally dependent on tourism to operating year-round, expanding into public sector contracts in education and healthcare. That diversification is credited with driving an ambitious sales recovery and future targets.
"When Covid hit our sales were down to £18 million in 2021 but they have recovered and grown so that next year we are estimating sales of up to £80 million with a three year target increase to £120 million by 2029."
Directors also signalled they would welcome government support to bring the expansion forwards more quickly. They said public assistance would help accelerate construction and the acquisition of vehicles needed to meet growing demand across their depots, which include locations in Chester, Carmarthen, Caerphilly and Telford as well as Llanystumdwy.
Local implications
For Gwynedd, the addition of 50 full-time roles in a rural part of North West Wales represents a meaningful boost to stable employment opportunities. Company representatives highlighted that the recent 48 new roles created over the last 18 months are full-time, year-round positions — a point the business stressed as particularly important for a rural economy.
The expansion will also increase logistics activity around the Llanystumdwy site and could have knock-on effects for local suppliers and services. Political figures visited the site during the announcement and were briefed on Harlech’s growth and dealership network.
As the project moves from announcement towards implementation, the pace at which construction and vehicle procurement can proceed will determine when the advertised jobs are available. The company has the land for development at its headquarters but says outside help would make the timetable more certain.
