Less than five years ago founder and CEO Robin Williams was in his attic at home sourcing funding and searching for new and second hand machinery to turn a disused warehouse in Tywyn into a factory. The multi-award winning business now employs over 150 people, turning over around £20M a year.

Today the company have announced a multi-million pound investment to purchase and refurbish what was the Halo Foods factory in the town, a move designed to meet growing demand from their existing customers and to service new customers who are attracted to Brighter Foods’ growing reputation for innovation and outstanding quality and customer service, and who are also in part, seeking to de-risk Brexit by manufacturing products bound for the UK market in the UK.

Halo Foods closed their Tywyn operations in 2013 with the loss of over 110 jobs and the site has lay empty since.

“This investment will mean that we will have three production lines in Tywyn benefitting from the latest equipment and that our team will grow to around 200 over the next twelve months,” explains Williams.

“I am incredibly proud of what the team has achieved and of course we’re excited about the investment and development in Tywyn, our home base and the heart of the business,” says Williams.

Brighter Foods Founder & CEO Robin Williams was named UK Entrepreneur of the Year at the SME National Business Awards at a glittering ceremony in Wembley Stadium in December 2017. The award had an outstanding shortlist and Robin was singled out to take the award in recognition of the phenomenal growth and success that Brighter Foods has achieved in such a short space of time. Never one to take the limelight, he immediately dedicated the award to the entire Brighter Foods Team and the hard work and dedication each and every member of the Brighter team.

At this year’s inaugural Awards Brighter Foods were shortlisted for four awards (including Manufacturing Start-Up of the Year, Food & Drink Start-Up of the Year and Rural Start-Up of the Year) and came home from September’s ceremony in Cardiff with four, including the big one - Wales Start-up of the Year 2016.

“I was thrilled by the result,” says Robin Williams, Brighter Foods’ CEO. “When you’re working 24/7 leading an endeavour like this you can see – with every new client who loves what you do and with every new person you employ – that the business is working and growing into a success story. But the 150 plus team who now work here are heads down getting on with the day to day. When I picked up the award it was for them – in recognition of how they’ve got behind me. We’ve done it together, and we’ve done it out of Tywyn.”

“The fact that Brighter Foods – a traditional manufacturing business located in rural area – has achieved such spectacular growth in such a short amount of time should be celebrated by everyone who wants to see an entrepreneurial economy across every part of North Wales...”

The team - now numbering over 170 - were commended for their values, training, teamwork and commitment to the community. “It also provided us with an opportunity to look at ways to build our team and further engage with our staff to ensure we stay true to our ambitions; to create opportunities for growth and to make sure this is and stays a great place to work,” says Sammantha Williams, head of HR at the company.

Welsh Government Business Start up Award goes to Brighter Foods in Tywyn.

Owner Robin Williams said without the support of the Welsh Government, headline sponsor of the awards, they would never have been able to start up the firm.

Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism Ken Skates AM said: "It was an incredibly competitive field this year so for Brighter Foods to win it is a real endorsement of the stunning success of the company.

"The roots of the company are embedded in the community which means it has huge support in the local population.

"We like to invest in success and winners.