Harlech Foodservice Extends Sponsorship of North Wales Tourism Awards Through 2027
With the Go North Wales Tourism Awards returning this November, the spotlight is on attractions and experiences drawing visitors to the region. Alongside heritage landmarks and established cultural events, newer leisure options are broadening the visitor offer. In particular, recent UK casino launches show how contemporary entertainment venues can complement traditional tourism draws and strengthen regional economies. That same commitment to supporting and diversifying the visitor experience underpins Harlech Foodservice’s renewed sponsorship of the awards.
Based in Criccieth, the food wholesaler has committed to another three years as the main sponsor of the Go North Wales Tourism Awards, extending its support through 2027. The 2025 event is scheduled for Thursday, 20 November, at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Harlech has been the lead sponsor since 2021, and managing director David Cattrall noted that the renewed partnership shows the company’s “solidarity” with an industry that endured significant difficulties during and after the pandemic.
Harlech operates depots in Chester, Aberbargoed, Carmarthen, and Telford, with a customer base ranging from hotels and holiday parks to schools and hospitals. The company emphasises sourcing from local producers, arguing that regional food and drink form part of North Wales’s tourism appeal. Cattrall said the food people enjoy while visiting the area is “a big part of the reason they come.”
The sponsorship agreement comes at a time when tourism remains a key driver for the regional economy. According to official data on the Wales visitor economy, the sector accounted for £4.98 billion in visitor spending in 2023 and contributed 5.1 % of Wales’s gross value added in 2022, equal to £3.8 billion. Tourism and hospitality also provided 159,000 jobs that year, or 11.8 % of total Welsh employment.
Harlech’s profile in the UK food supply industry has grown alongside its role in regional tourism. The company was named Food Wholesaler of the Year at The Caterer Supplier Awards 2025, with judges praising its exceptional service, clear and stable pricing, and investment in customer-facing technology. Cattrall noted that its “Trust Our Prices” policy rejects sudden changes to negotiated rates, while its “Harlech 50” price comparison programme shows weekly benchmarks against national competitor Booker, claiming average savings of 14 %.
The business has recently grown through the purchase of Celtic Foodservices, the launch of new depots in Merthyr Tydfil and Carmarthen, and the creation of a distribution centre close to Telford. Today, it has a workforce of around 275 people and runs over 65 vehicles, supplying as many as 5,000 different products throughout Wales, Shropshire, the Midlands, and the North West of England.
The Go North Wales Tourism Awards are organised by North Wales Tourism, led by chief executive Jim Jones. He welcomed Harlech’s continued involvement, describing the partnership as “long and fruitful” and saying it plays a central role in recognising the businesses that make the region a world-class destination.
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