Filco Foods
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedFilco Foods is an independent South Wales grocery chain that grew from a single Llantwit Major shop into a regional supermarket business operating within the Nisa buying group.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Filco Foods is an independent grocery retailer based in Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The business began in 1946 when Phillip Jones opened a shop on Wine Street in Llantwit Major. Its early operating model was highly personal and service-oriented: customers supplied shopping lists, and the store assembled, packaged, and delivered the requested goods. This format reflected the expectations of a traditional local grocer rather than those of a modern self-service supermarket. A major operational change came in 1964, when the shop moved to Boverton Road and adopted self-service. The business traded under the name Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited and expanded beyond its original town. It opened stores in Cowbridge in 1968, Bryntirion in 1970, North Cornelly in 1973, and Talbot Green in 1979. During this period the chain operated under the Spar group, gaining access to a larger retail and purchasing network while retaining an independent regional identity. In 1979, Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited left Spar and joined the Nisa buying group. The move placed the company within a cooperative purchasing structure used by independent retailers, allowing it to participate in shared procurement and branding arrangements while continuing to manage its own stores. Further expansion followed with the opening of Sarn in 1982 and Caerau in 1990. Phillip Jones died in 1997. Management of the company then passed to Elanor Jones, Ian Hunt, and Elizabeth Hunt. The business continued its regional expansion with the opening of a Taibach store in 1998. Around this period the chain adopted the Filco Supermarkets name, while Filco Foods became the name associated with the wider retail business. Filco’s documented store network has included locations in Bryntirion, Caerau, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major, Maesteg, North Cornelly, Sarn, Taibach, and Talbot Green. A 2013 description identified eight stores and its participation in the Nisa group; the location list associated with the business also records nine named locations, reflecting either a later expansion or differing reporting dates. The company’s core proposition is that of a locally rooted, independent supermarket operator serving communities in South Wales rather than a national chain. The business has also used employee participation and local visibility to support its identity. Filco employees created a training and fundraising video called Chariots of Filco, styled after the film Chariots of Fire, in connection with participation in the Lloyds TSB Cardiff Half Marathon. No reliable public information in the supplied material establishes a separate corporate parent, stock-market listing, current chief executive, or a national operation outside its South Wales retail base.
History
Filco Foods traces its origins to 1946, when Phillip Jones opened a grocery shop on Wine Street in Llantwit Major, in the Vale of Glamorgan. The original business operated as a traditional service grocer. Customers provided shopping lists, and staff assembled the requested items, packaged them, and delivered the orders. This approach emphasized personal service and local convenience, characteristics that remained important to the company’s later identity as an independent regional retailer. In 1964, the business moved to Boverton Road and converted to self-service. The change marked a transition from a small traditional shop to a more modern food-retailing format. The company traded as Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited and began building a store network. Its first recorded expansion was the opening of a Cowbridge store in 1968, followed by Bryntirion in 1970, North Cornelly in 1973, and Talbot Green in 1979. During this expansion phase, the stores operated under the Spar group. In 1979, Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited left Spar and joined the Nisa buying group. Nisa membership gave the independent chain access to collective buying arrangements and a wider retail-support network, while the business continued to operate as a locally managed company rather than becoming part of a national supermarket corporation. The chain continued to add locations. Sarn opened in 1982 and Caerau followed in 1990. Phillip Jones died in 1997, after which Elanor Jones, Ian Hunt, and Elizabeth Hunt took over management. Their period of leadership included further expansion, with a Taibach store opening in 1998. The chain subsequently became known as Filco Supermarkets, while Filco Foods remained the broader business name used in descriptions of the company. The documented store network has included Bryntirion, Caerau, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major, Maesteg, North Cornelly, Sarn, Taibach, and Talbot Green. The Wikipedia account states that Filco had eight stores as of 2013, while the associated location list contains nine named places. The difference is not explained in the available material and may reflect different reporting dates or a change in the network. Filco’s history is therefore one of gradual regional development rather than rapid national scaling. It progressed from a single delivered-grocery shop to a self-service chain serving communities across South Wales, while maintaining an independent operating identity through its relationship with Nisa. The company has also undertaken community-facing employee activity. Filco staff produced Chariots of Filco, a training video modeled on Chariots of Fire, as part of participation in the Lloyds TSB Cardiff Half Marathon. Publicly available information supplied for this entry does not establish the company’s current ownership structure, current executive leadership, financial results, or a separate corporate website.
- 1998
Taibach store opens
[1]The chain opened a Taibach store and later became known as Filco Supermarkets.
- 1997
Phillip Jones dies and management changes
[1]After the founder’s death, Elanor Jones, Ian Hunt, and Elizabeth Hunt took over management.
- 1990
Caerau store opens
[1]The company added a Caerau location.
- 1982
Sarn store opens
[1]Filco opened a store in Sarn.
- 1979
Leaves Spar and joins Nisa
[1]Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited ended its Spar affiliation and joined the Nisa buying group.
- 1973
North Cornelly store opens
[1]The chain continued its South Wales expansion with a North Cornelly location.
- 1970
Bryntirion store opens
[1]Filco added a store in Bryntirion.
- 1968
Cowbridge store opens
[1]The company expanded beyond Llantwit Major with a store in Cowbridge.
- 1964
Move to Boverton Road and self-service conversion
[1]The store moved premises and adopted the self-service format.
- 1946
Original Llantwit Major shop opens
[1]Phillip Jones founded the business with a grocery shop on Wine Street in Llantwit Major.
Products and positioning
Independent community supermarket retailer with a regional South Wales footprint, supported by Nisa purchasing arrangements.
Grocery retail · 1946
Filco supermarket groceries
Filco’s core offering is a general supermarket assortment serving everyday household shopping needs. The available reference material identifies the business as a grocery chain but does not provide a detailed category breakdown, private-label portfolio, or named flagship product range. Its stores historically combined the convenience and local service of an independent grocer with the self-service format adopted in 1964.
Marketing campaigns
- Chariots of Filco
South Wales
Filco employees produced a training video inspired by the film Chariots of Fire in connection with their participation in the Lloyds TSB Cardiff Half Marathon.
Outcome. The activity supported employee participation in the half marathon and provided a distinctive community-facing expression of the Filco brand.
Brand decisions
1998
Expanded to Taibach and adopted the Filco Supermarkets nameStrategyBackground
The business had continued adding South Wales stores after joining Nisa and after the 1997 management succession.
Action taken
It opened a Taibach location and became known as Filco Supermarkets.
Aftermath
The name change aligned the public identity of the growing chain with its supermarket operating model.
1979
Changed retail buying affiliation from Spar to NisaStrategyBackground
The expanding company had operated under the Spar group while trading as Philip Jones Foodmarkets Unlimited.
Action taken
It left Spar and joined the Nisa buying group.
Aftermath
Filco continued as an independent regional retailer within Nisa’s collective buying structure.
1964
Adopted self-service retailingStrategyBackground
The original Llantwit Major shop had operated as a traditional grocery business that assembled and delivered orders from customer shopping lists.
Action taken
After moving to Boverton Road, the company changed to a self-service store format.
Aftermath
The change supported the company’s later development as a multi-store supermarket chain.
Sources1 sources
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