Cadwaladers

Cadwaladers is a Welsh ice-cream parlour and café brand with roots in Criccieth, Gwynedd. The business began in 1927 when David and Hannah Cadwalader established what was initially a general store. Its identity later developed around ice cream, particularly a vanilla recipe created by Hannah Cadwalader and produced on the premises. After the Second World War, their son Dafydd shifted the store's emphasis away from general retail and toward the sale of ice cream and café-style refreshments. The original recipe became part of the brand's heritage and was promoted with a deliberately secretive description referring to six pounds of “shan't tell you” and a great deal of love and care. Following Dafydd Cadwalader's death in 1983, the business was acquired by the Andrews family, Welsh entrepreneurs associated with Castle Leisure. Under the new ownership, Cadwaladers expanded beyond its original Criccieth base, establishing locations across North Wales and in Cardiff. The chain's estate has included cafés and ice-cream parlours in Betws-y-Coed, Barry Island, Criccieth, Porthmadog, Tenby, Porthcawl and Cardiff, as well as a site at Trentham Gardens in England. The brand's presence has therefore remained concentrated in Wales while extending selectively into nearby English markets. Cadwaladers is best known for ice cream, including its traditional vanilla flavour and a wider selection of flavoured varieties. Its cafés also serve sundaes, bespoke coffee blends, loose-leaf tea and other hot drinks. This combination of dessert retail and café service gives the brand a broader role than a packaged ice-cream label: its outlets function as destination cafés in tourist, coastal and leisure locations. The Criccieth premises have also hosted weekly live jazz during the quieter season from September through June, linking the original site to local hospitality and cultural activity. The company experienced serious trading difficulties during the 2010s. A new Manchester store opened in 2010 produced losses, the Portmeirion location was forced to close in 2013, and sales were weak during the summer of 2015. In September 2015, Cadwaladers entered administration, with Deloitte appointed as administrator. The management team subsequently bought the business. The restructuring involved closing five stores and eliminating ten jobs, while preserving 92 positions and allowing the brand to continue operating. Cadwaladers' story is consequently one of regional continuity, family ownership and place-based hospitality, combined with periodic efforts to adjust its store network and financial structure.

Cadwaladers originated in Criccieth, Gwynedd, in 1927, when David and Hannah Cadwalader opened a general store. The early business was not exclusively an ice-cream concern. Its later identity emerged through the work of their son Dafydd, who changed the store's commercial emphasis after the Second World War. He discontinued the sale of fish and concentrated increasingly on ice cream, including a vanilla product developed by Hannah Cadwalader and made on the premises. The vanilla ice cream became the central heritage product of the business. Its recipe was kept secret and was associated with a playful traditional description involving six pounds of “shan't tell you” and a great deal of love and care. This storytelling helped distinguish the Criccieth business from ordinary cafés and connected the product to the Cadwalader family name and local Welsh provenance. Dafydd Cadwalader remained associated with the business until his death in 1983. The company was then purchased by the Andrews family, Welsh entrepreneurs who also owned Castle Leisure. The change in ownership was followed by geographic expansion. Cadwaladers developed from a single local store into a regional chain with outlets in North Wales, Cardiff and selected English leisure destinations. Locations recorded for the chain include Betws-y-Coed, Barry Island, Criccieth, Porthmadog, Tenby, Porthcawl, three Cardiff stores and Trentham Gardens in England. The modern format combines ice-cream retail with café service. In addition to the traditional vanilla product, Cadwaladers offers other ice-cream flavours and sundaes, alongside bespoke coffee blends, loose-leaf tea and hot drinks. The original Criccieth store has also hosted live jazz weekly during the lower season, from September to June, reinforcing the outlet's role as a community and visitor venue rather than simply a takeaway counter. Expansion brought operational and financial pressure. A Manchester store opened in 2010 and generated losses. The Portmeirion store was forced to close in 2013, and poor sales during the summer of 2015 added to the company's difficulties. In September 2015 the business entered administration, and Deloitte was appointed to manage the process. The management team subsequently bought the company. The resulting restructuring closed five stores and reduced employment by ten positions, but secured the continuation of 92 jobs. Cadwaladers therefore continued as a regional Welsh café and ice-cream brand, retaining its historic Criccieth association while operating a more selective store estate.

• 2015

  Administration and restructuring

  [1]Cadwaladersen.wikipedia.org

  The company entered administration, was handled by Deloitte and was subsequently bought by its management team. Five stores closed and 92 jobs were retained.

• 2013

  Portmeirion store closure

  [1]Cadwaladersen.wikipedia.org

  The Portmeirion outlet was forced to close.

• 2010

  Manchester expansion

  [1]Cadwaladersen.wikipedia.org

  Cadwaladers opened a new store in Manchester; the location later contributed to losses.

• 1983

  Andrews family acquisition

  [1]Cadwaladersen.wikipedia.org

  After Dafydd Cadwalader's death, the business was acquired by the Andrews family, associated with Castle Leisure.

• 1945

  Postwar shift toward ice cream

  [1]Cadwaladersen.wikipedia.org

  After the Second World War, Dafydd Cadwalader redirected the store toward ice cream, including a vanilla recipe developed by Hannah Cadwalader.

• 1927

  Cadwaladers founded in Criccieth

  [1]Cadwaladersen.wikipedia.org

  David and Hannah Cadwalader established the original business as a general store in Criccieth, Gwynedd.

A heritage Welsh ice-cream and café brand built around regional identity, traditional recipes, visitor destinations and family-run hospitality.

• Ice cream

  Cadwaladers vanilla ice cream

  The brand's signature heritage product is a vanilla ice cream developed by Hannah Cadwalader and originally made on the premises in Criccieth. Its secret recipe and family provenance became central to Cadwaladers' identity and traditional marketing.

• Ice cream

  Flavoured ice creams

  Alongside the traditional vanilla offering, Cadwaladers cafés serve a range of flavoured ice creams. The available selection is part of the chain's broader dessert-focused café format.

• Desserts

  Ice-cream sundaes

  Sundaes extend the brand's ice-cream offer into assembled café desserts, supporting its positioning as a sit-down parlour and family leisure destination.

• Coffee

  Bespoke coffee blends

  Cadwaladers cafés serve their own bespoke coffee blends, giving the chain a beverage proposition beyond ice cream and supporting all-day café visits.

• Tea and hot beverages

  Loose-leaf tea and hot drinks

  The cafés also offer loose-leaf tea and other hot drinks, complementing the dessert menu and broadening the brand's hospitality offer.

• 2015

  Restructuring following administrationStrategy

  Background

  Losses from the Manchester store, the forced closure of the Portmeirion outlet and weak summer sales placed pressure on the business.

  Action taken

  After Deloitte was appointed administrator, the management team bought the company and closed five stores as part of a restructuring.

  Aftermath

  Ten jobs were lost, while the restructuring secured 92 jobs and enabled the brand to continue operating.

  Source

1. 1Cadwaladersen.wikipedia.org