Scarlets Rugby has secured a major sponsorship extension with Castell Howell, the west Wales food wholesaler founded on the farm of Scarlets director Brian Jones in 1988. The renewed agreement, the financial value of which has not been disclosed, sees the Cross Hands-based company retain its position as official south stand sponsor and a key kit partner, with new branding set to be unveiled in and around the concourses at Parc y Scarlets.
Expanded role at Parc y Scarlets
Under the terms of the deal, Castell Howell significantly deepens its operational involvement at the stadium. The company will continue as the primary supplier of food and beverage services across Parc y Scarlets and has secured new “pourage partner” rights, taking responsibility for the supply of alcohol throughout the venue. The expansion strengthens a relationship that stretches back decades and gives Castell Howell a central role in the matchday experience.
Castell Howell, which according to the latest accounts filed with Companies House generated revenues of £230 million in 2024, has grown from a small farm-based operation into one of the UK’s leading independent food wholesalers. Headquartered in Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire, it now operates depots across Wales – in Merthyr Tydfil, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Chirk and Porthmadog – as well as in Avonmouth and St Martin’s in Shropshire. The company employs more than 900 staff and serves pubs, restaurants, hotels, hospitality groups, public sector caterers, schools, hospitals and coffee shops.
Martin Jones, Castell Howell director of transport operations, said the new pourage rights were “tremendous news for the Welsh supply chain” and would create further opportunity to expand the Welsh produce range already supplied throughout the stadium. “It strengthens our shared commitment to supporting local producers and showcasing the very best of Wales,” he said.
Garan Evans, Scarlets commercial manager, said: “We are delighted to extend our partnership with Castell Howell, a company that has been a valued and trusted partner of the Scarlets for many years. Their continued commitment across multiple areas of the club, from matchday experience to community initiatives, highlights the strength of our relationship.”
Backdrop of regional restructuring
The sponsorship extension comes at a time of significant upheaval in Welsh professional rugby. The Welsh Rugby Union is seeking to reduce the number of professional men’s clubs from four to three by the end of the 2027-28 season, with an update on how this will be achieved expected this summer. A competitive bidding process for a west Wales licence could be fought between the Scarlets and Y11 Sport and Media, owners of the Ospreys. A bid by Y11 to acquire Cardiff Rugby out of WRU ownership was abandoned last year. The Scarlets and the Ospreys are now looking to sign off on an improved funding deal with the union through the Professional Rugby Agreement 2025, having previously declined to sign up amid concerns over what was perceived as WRU overreach in acquiring Cardiff out of administration and taking on the liabilities of funding the club’s trading losses.
Community and grassroots commitment
Despite the wider uncertainty, Castell Howell and the Scarlets are deepening their community engagement. The company will work closely with the Scarlets Community Foundation – the club’s official charity, which engages with approximately 40,000 people annually and has developed more than 100 youth sports programmes in the last five years – on a range of initiatives. These include providing healthy street food samples to children during selected fixtures to promote healthier lifestyle choices among young fans.
Parc y Scarlets will also continue to host Castell Howell’s trade shows. Martin Jones said the family business’s commitment extended “far beyond the playing field”, noting that supporters coming to cheer on the Scarlets bring a welcome boost to neighbouring hospitality and retail businesses, adding real vibrancy to the local community. “Making a positive difference to the communities we care deeply about is at the heart of who we are as a family business,” he added.
Garan Evans said the reinforcement of the partnership “not only enhances what we can offer our supporters at Parc y Scarlets, but also allows us to work together on community projects that benefit people across west Wales.”
