Filco Foods facts for kids
Filco Foods is a chain of grocery stores located in Wales, which is part of the United Kingdom. It's an independent company, meaning it's not owned by a huge international corporation. Filco stores are known for selling food and other household items. As of 2013, Filco had 8 stores and worked with a larger group called Nisa.
Contents
The Story of Filco Foods
How It Began
Filco Foods was started by Phillip Jones in 1946. The very first store opened on Wine Street in a town called Llantwit Major, in Wales. In those early days, shopping was a bit different. Customers would give their shopping lists to the staff, who would then gather and package the goods for them. In 2010, the company celebrated its 65th birthday! They even did a special charity event to mark the occasion.
Growing and Changing
In 1964, the main store in Llantwit Major moved to a new spot on Boverton Road. This was a big change because it became a "self-service" store. This means customers could pick up their own items from the shelves, just like in most supermarkets today. The store chain also changed its name to Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited. At this time, they were part of the Spar group.
More stores began to open in different towns:
- Cowbridge in 1968
- Bryntirion in 1970
- North Cornelly in 1973
- Talbot Green in 1979
In 1979, Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited left the Spar group and joined the NISA buying group. This group helps independent stores buy products together, often getting better prices.
New Stores and New Leadership
The company continued to grow, opening more stores:
- Sarn in 1982
- Caerau in 1990
Phillip Jones, the founder, passed away in 1997. After that, Elanor Jones, Ian Hunt, and Elizabeth Hunt took over running the company. In 1998, a store opened in Taibach, and the whole chain officially became known as Filco Supermarkets.
Filco employees even made a fun training video called Chariots of Filco. It was inspired by the famous movie Chariots of Fire. They made this video as part of their involvement in the Lloyds TSB Cardiff Half Marathon.
Where to Find Filco Stores
Filco stores are located in several towns across Wales. These include:
- Bryntirion
- Caerau
- Cowbridge
- Llantwit Major
- Maesteg
- North Cornelly
- Sarn
- Taibach
- Talbot Green
More Information
- Filco Foods Official Website: http://www.filco.co.uk
