A long-established wholesalers is up for sale with a price tag of $1.8 million, it was revealed yesterday.

St David’s based Amber Fisheries and Foods — which is a specialist importer of fish and meat for hotels and restaurants as well as for the general public — has been put up for sale as founder and owner Jimmy Anthony, now aged in his 60s, looks to retire.

The firm — said to have gross annual sales of several million dollars — is being sold as a going concern, with equipment and staff all transferable to a new owner.

Cal Blankendal, of listing agents Firm Advisory, said: “Mr Anthony is getting up in age and he wants to retire, move on and have a more relaxed pace of life.

“He wants to sell the business on to someone else who has an interest and wants to keep the business intact.”

Mr Blankedal added the firm could be an attractive proposition for existing wholesalers looking to grow, or to restaurant chains seeking to cut costs by cutting out the middle man.

He said: “It could be other wholesale enterprises that are looking to expand and it’s also a good fit for a group of restaurants trying to reduce costs and have more control over the goods they import.

“It’s an attractive prospect for restaurant groups because if they are trying to lower costs and basing costs on a third party, it’s a good way to control their costs.

“By cutting out the third party, they can lower their costs. They would also be able to control the fish and meats they bring in and potentially sell things on to other parties, which is a double income stream.”

Mr Blankendal added: “It could also be a young entrepreneur looking to get into the wholesale industry and perhaps expand the business further.

And Mr Blankendal said that the firm offered significant growth for expansion — especially in household goods like bread and milk.

He said: “It’s something they already do partly, but it could be expanded to the general public as well as to businesses.”

Mr Blankendal added that the firm’s financial statements, leases, agreements and other documents were available for due diligence purposes to people interested in acquiring the firm.

For more information, e-mail Mr Blankendal at calvin@firmadvisory.com.