‘We’re just getting started’: Castell Howell reports record attendance at trade show series

Daniel Bevan - Editor

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The Sales and Marketing Director of Wales’ largest foodservice wholesaler has told Businessin Wales that the firm has “only just got started” after a record-breaking run of trade shows.

Castell Howell has reported record attendance at its 2026 trade show series, held at three venues across the country.

The events took place at ICC Wales, Parc y Scarlets and Parc Eirias, attracting customers and suppliers from across Wales and further afield.

The shows brought together producers, foodservice operators and suppliers to showcase new products, provide live demonstrations and offer practical insight into industry trends ahead of the busy hospitality season.

Haydn Pugh said: “Being our first show at the ICC, we broke the record as soon as one person walked over the line.

“But we had 1,200 people there on the first day and just shy of 1,000 on the second day, which is unbelievable for our first show there.

“Parc y Scarlets had an additional 700 people and 400 more establishments than the previous year.”

Founded in 1985, Castell Howell employs almost 1,000 people and operates a fleet of more than 250 delivery vehicles from six depots across Wales and England, supplying restaurants, cafés, schools and hospitality venues.

The events brought together leading brands, Welsh producers and foodservice professionals, providing opportunities for collaboration and product discovery.

Pugh added that getting around the country, with a view to connecting with current and future customers, was key to measuring the success of the shows.

He said: “We came out of two incredible shows last year in north Wales and Parc y Scarlets, and Brian Jones [Founder of Castell Howell], Martin Jones [Director of Transport and Distribution at Castell Howell], and I were discussing how we could elevate our shows.

“We are the biggest food wholesaler in Wales, and we wanted to give our customers a better experience.

“We were always pushing the limit in Parc y Scarlets. It is always going to be our flagship show. It’s where the business was built; it’s where the main base of our customers started 40 years ago.

“We wanted to give our customers regionally better opportunities to travel to shows.

“We understand how hard it is to get across Wales, and we’ve also got an unbelievable customer base in the West Country and in Cheshire. It’s about understanding their needs as well.

“The ICC, it’s just an unbelievable venue. It’s custom built and probably one of the best conferencing centres in Europe or even the world.”

But Haydn and his team aren’t patting themselves on the back just yet. Early plans are already in place to make next year’s trade shows even bigger.

He said: “I’ve got a team that lives and breathes it with me. I’ve got suppliers that live and breathe it with me.

“We’ve got unbelievably close suppliers and I know for a fact that they’re already thinking about next year.

“We’ve only just got started. That’s the key message.”