Philip Treacy, Martha Lynn, Lina Stein, Suzie Mahony, Edel Ramberg, Catherine Cooke and Tahnee Morgan create one off editions of Centra’s pink beanie hats for Action Breast Cancer

Top Irish milliners, Philip Treacy, Martha Lynn, Lina Stein, Suzie Mahony, Edel Ramberg, Catherine Cooke and Tahnee Morgan have come on board to support Action Breast Cancer by creating one-off editions of Centra’s hugely popular pink beanie hats this October. For the second year in a row Centra is supporting Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society by selling pink beanie hats throughout its vast store network (468 stores nationwide). The beanie hats are available in two pink colours and are only €5 with all proceeds going to Action Breast Cancer.

To help raise additional much needed funds for the charity, Ireland’s leading milliners were invited to customise a pink beanie hat in their own individual style and the results are simply outstanding. The designer pink beanie hats will be auctioned off in October with proceeds generated going to Action Breast Cancer. The funds raised from the sale of the designer mittens will go towards providing information, advice and support services for women with breast cancer in Ireland.

Martha Lynn commented on the campaign; “There are very few people who can say they haven’t been affected by cancer so when I was asked by Centra and Action Breast Cancer to get involved in the campaign I was really enthusiastic about creating something individual and a little special for my pink beret. There is a lot of love and a little bit of hard work in my hat – all for a great cause!“

Action Breast Cancer, a programme of the Irish Cancer Society is Ireland’s leading provider of breast cancer information and support. Over the last ten years more than 30,000 women have called the National Cancer Helpline looking for expert information, advice and support on all aspects of breast health and breast cancer. Action Breast Cancer strives to ensure that everyone affected by breast cancer receives the highest standards of treatment, support and care, and to improve the quality of life of people living with breast cancer.

For further information, advice and support on any aspect of breast cancer, call the National Cancer Helpline on Freefone on 1800 200 700 or visit www.cancer.ie

For more on Centra www.centra.ie and to view the exclusive one-off designer pink beanies follow us www.facebook.com/centra

Shake up your meals with new Centra App

Ever wanted to treat yourself to a tasty but easy to prepare dinner after a long day, but found yourself completely stuck for ideas? Or invited friends around for a spot of lunch, only to find your menu lacking that little something? Well, help in the kitchen is now at hand thanks to a brand new free mobile App from Centra which offers delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner as quickly as you can say, ‘Bon Appetit’

As Ireland’s leading convenience retailer, Centra has put convenience top of the menu with the development of an exciting new  iPhone and Android App that is just bursting with recipe ideas. Once downloaded  for free, a simple shaking of your smart phone and Centra’s new recipe App will provide fresh, quick and easy meal ideas with easy to follow step-by-step instructions. All you need is a smart phone to become a master chef.   

Some 50 recipes have been carefully developed to suit every palate and every occasion with an emphasis on both taste and simplicity as all dishes can be prepared from everyday ingredients and served up in minutes.  Recipes can be browsed according to the time of day or simply served up at random by shaking the App –  shake and make! Good food is for sharing, so the good news is that your favourite recipes from the Centra App can be shared with your friends and family via Facebook, Twitter and Email.

But that’s not all! You can also create a shopping list to remind yourself of what ingredients you need or check out what’s currently on offer in your nearest Centra store. And if you’re not sure where your nearest store is located, the App’s store locator function will help you find it. Now that’s convenience.

To download Centra’s App for free, simply visit the Android and iPhone App stores. For more on Centra, visit www.centra.ie or find us on www.facebook.com/centraireland.

Musgrave Group plc (Musgrave) has today announced the establishment of a new operating division, Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland which will run the Superquinn business. Following its completion of the  acquisition,  Musgrave has appointed Tim Kenny as Managing Director of Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland. Tim was previously Group Finance and Business Development Director at Musgrave Group and will be responsible for establishing the new division as well as the integration of the Superquinn business into the wider Musgrave Group.

Chris Martin, CEO, Musgrave said: “The establishment of this new division is the first step in the gradual integration of the Superquinn business into the Musgrave Group. Superquinn will be run within Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland under the leadership of Tim Kenny.  Tim was instrumental in the acquisition process and it is logical that he should now lead Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland.

“We will now apply our considerable expertise to help stabilise a business that has been greatly challenged by changes in the market place in recent years.  In a declining market where consumers are spending less and continuously looking for value Superquinn has struggled to retain market share.  We believe that working with the Superquinn team we can tackle these considerable challenges and develop the business for the future.”

This new division will allow Musgrave to develop the future Superquinn business while maintaining the existing focus on its other divisions. The integration of Superquinn into the Group is an important element of Musgrave’s growth agenda and will help sustain the Group’s overall competitiveness. 

Tim will be joined on the management team of Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland by Eoin McCormack, formerly Trading and Marketing Director of Musgrave Wholesale Partners, who has been appointed Trading and Marketing Director of Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland.  Richard Collins has been appointed Finance Director of Musgrave Operating Partners Ireland and Clare Leonard as HR and Operations Director. Both previously held similar roles in Superquinn. 

Musgrave rewarded for its packaging prevention, 100% packaging recycling rate and 30% reduction in its carbon footprint, which translated to 20,339 tonnes of CO2 emissions saved

Musgrave Group was today recognised as the best Member Award at this year’s Repak Recycling Awards.

The awards which took place at Dublin’s Convention Centre, and were presided over by Minister Phil Hogan TD, for the Environment Community and Local Government saw other high profile companies recognised for major recycling achievements.

Musgrave Group was recognised overall for its excellent waste management record with 100% of their packaging waste being recycled.  For example, Musgrave’s Light weighting initiatives such as their 20% packaging reduction of their 5L plastic water bottle has helped to reduce their packaging placed on the market.

The awards which took place as part of Repak Recycling Week, acknowledges best practice and prevention in packaging recycling of companies, schools, local authorities and waste contractors around the country. In total there were 12 awards, these included the Repak Best packaging prevention award (sponsored by the EPA), Repak/An Taisce recycling school of the year award, Repak Best Local Authority of the Year, Repak Recovery Operator of the year, Best Waste Electrical Electronics Equipment and Waste Battery collection events, Best WasteRepak Best member award (sponsored by Arthur Cox),Repak best practice awards. In total 260 guests attended the 10th Repak Recycling Awards.

SuperValu Reserve Fairtrade Tea wins Supreme Champion 2011 Award

SuperValu’s Own Brand Range of products has come up trumps, claiming seven gold, two silver and one bronze medal, as well as the overall Supreme Champion Award at the annual Blas na hEireann National Irish Food Awards, which celebrate and reward the very best of Irish produce.

The ten products ( more than any other Supermarket) from the SuperValu Own Brand range which received awards are supplied locally in Ireland by Irish Food Suppliers.

The awards announcement signifies an independent endorsement of the quality, taste and great range available within SuperValu Own Brand, which is on average, 33% cheaper than the brand equivalent.

SuperValu Reserve Fairtrade Tea, produced by Barber Daly, received a gold medal and the overall Supreme Champion 2011 award. Barber Daly & Co. Ltd was set up in 1975 by Bob Barber and Brendan Daly and was based in Millerd Street in Cork until moving to a purpose built factory in City Link Park, Forge Hill, Cork in 1994.

Speaking about the awards, Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, said: “We are incredibly proud that our SuperValu Own Brand range has featured so prominently at the Blas na hEireann Awards. To have ten of our products receive medals is a tremendous achievement; it underlines and endorses the quality and taste credentials in the SuperValu range.”

He continued, “SuperValu continues to recognise excellence, quality and innovation within the Irish food and beverage sector, and awards such as Blas na hEireann drives all of these. SuperValu is committed to supporting Irish when ever and wherever possible; we are incredibly proud of the fact that 75% of everything on our shelves is sourced or produced in Ireland. Our recent research shows that consumers want to buy more Irish produce and want to support their local economies in this difficult period. By buying Irish, SuperValu is delivering what the consumer wants, at a price they can afford. Importantly we are doing this without compromising our support for Irish suppliers, brands and jobs. “

Blas na hEireann is the biggest blind tasting competition of its kind in the world. Over 1,600 Irish products were entered into 30 different categories, ranging from soup to seafood and chocolate to cheese, with winners from all over the country taking Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in each category. Each product was blind tasted by a panel of 30 judges made up of chefs, foodies and food scientists from UCC.

For details of the products and the Blas na hEireann awards, check out www.SuperValu.ie or www.IrishFoodAwards.com