SuperValu’s new Own Brand Christmas range is to create 22 new jobs and generate €841,000 in retail sales for Irish suppliers. The new range has been created by celebrated Irish chef, Kevin Dundon, in conjunction with a range of SuperValu’s Irish suppliers.

The Irish suppliers that will benefit from the new range are Arthur Mallon foods (Monaghan), Dunns (Dublin), Oliver Carty Ltd (Westmeath), Carton Bros (Cavan), Kepak (Cork), Cloverhill (Cork), Prestige (Kerry), Couverture (Dublin), M&M (Dublin) and Silver Hill Foods (Monaghan).

Commenting on the announcement, Martin Kelleher, SuperValu Managing Director, said: “At SuperValu, what makes us different is that our stores are locally based and family owned and we work hard to support Irish jobs, Irish suppliers and Irish communities as evidenced by today’s announcement. The profits made in our stores, stay local and help to create a positive economic impact in their local communities, unlike some of our competitors where the profits are shipped abroad.”

“When consumers purchase with us, SuperValu and our independent retail partners reinvest back into communities across Ireland by purchasing from local food producers and suppliers like accountants or solicitors, creating a positive cycle of economic activity known as the multiplier effect. Internationally studies have demonstrated for every euro spent with a local business, similar to a SuperValu store, three times more money is reinvested locally compared to the amount reinvested by a corporate chain.”

Kevin Dundon added: “I was honoured to be asked by SuperValu to collaborate with their suppliers to create this very special range. The result is a festive collection of seasonal Irish produce designed to make everyday taste like Christmas, all at the great value for money prices. I genuinely cannot wait to visit stores across the length and breadth of the country to share a taste of Christmas and the secrets behind this delicious range of simple-to-prepare festive food.”

The Irish products which make up the range include SuperValu Irish Butcher Style Cocktail Sausages (Arthur Mallon Foods), SuperValu Seafood Platter (Dunns), SuperValu Salmon Encroute (Dunns), SuperValu Whole Dressed Salmon (Dunns), SuperValu Smoked Rack of Bacon (Oliver Carty Ltd) SuperValu Bacon Eye Loin (Oliver Carty Ltd), SuperValu Duck Fillets with Orange & Mint (Silver Hill Foods), SuperValu Chicken Paupiette (Carton Bros), SuperValu Carvery Rib Roast (Kepak), SuperValu Beef Wellington (Kepak), SuperValu Christmas Fruits Breadcrumb Stuffing (M&M), SuperValu Supreme Dessert (Couverture), SuperValu Panna Cotta (Prestige), SuperValu Sherry Trifle (Prestige) and SuperValu Christmas Cake Kit (Cloverhill.)

In 2011 the total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu, was worth over €1.6bn to the Irish economy, serving to both create and protect almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector. SuperValu is the only supermarket with a store in every county, with 195 stores across Ireland.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD has announced the eleven companies that will participate in the Enterprise Ireland SuperValu Supplier Development Programme. The programme now in its sixth year aims to assist emerging Irish food companies to achieve retail listings with supermarkets. To date, previous participants have benefited from €15 million in direct sales from SuperValu and created hundreds of jobs.

Developed by Enterprise Ireland in conjunction with SuperValu, and assisted by Bord Bia and Teagasc, the Programme delivers support for small or emerging food companies to achieve the product quality, service standards and technical innovation necessary to reach supermarket shelves.

Now in its sixth year, eleven companies have signed up to take part in the six-month long programme, which will consist of both workshops delivered by SuperValu and industry experts and one-on-one mentoring. This year’s participants consist of Kilbeg Dairies, Clotilde’s Fruit Compote, Drombeg Spirits, Biddy Gonzales, Simplee, Jack Molloys, Flatbread Company, Pure Brazen, Kavanagh’s Fine Foods, Bombay Pantry and Pie Irish.

Launching the programme, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, said: The market know-how of a company such as SuperValu is a huge benefit to food producers seeking to reach more consumers and to grow their businesses in line with Food Harvest 2020. A comprehensive retail programme such as this equips participants with skills required to secure and maintain a listing and so build a high profile route to market for their products.“

Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, added: “Supporting entrepreneurship and SMEs is at the very core of SuperValu’s DNA. Aside from the 195 stores which form the SuperValu network and employ 15,000 people directly, we also support more than 600 Irish supplier companies and a further 14,000 jobs indirectly. The SuperValu Supplier Development programme is yet another example of our commitment to creating further employment by assisting small innovative local suppliers get their product to market, to help grow and drive their businesses forward. We know that our continued success is dependent on getting more local products onto our shelves, as consumers not only want to buy Irish whenever possible, but also authentic local food, which SuperValu can deliver like no other brand.”

Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said: “Enterprise Ireland has worked closely with SuperValu, Bord Bia and Teagasc in developing this initiative. Food is Ireland’s number one export sector and critically important to our economy and to export-led growth. That’s why programmes like this are so important for the participating food companies and building on their potential to develop their business further, both in Ireland and export markets. It is a highly practical programme that gives real and immediate benefit and impact for the participants. With access to the SuperValu top management and retail buyers, they gain important trading insights from the perspective of the buyer. Combined with the practical learning on the programme itself, and exposure to the trading opportunities in the fast moving consumer food market, the participants can greatly strengthen their capacity to apply the learning and win new business. For Enterprise Ireland, this is exactly the type of synergy we want to see between the producers and the retailers in the food sector.”

In 2011 the total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu, was worth over €1.6bn to the Irish economy, serving to both create and protect almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector.

SuperValu, Ireland’s leading independent supermarket, has announced that it expects to sell more than 110,000 Poinsettias over the Christmas period. This will generate retail sales worth approximately €470,000 for Uniplumo, who supply SuperValu with 100% Irish Poinsettias. 

The deal is the latest in an established partnership between both companies, worth over €1.55m in retail sales and which has seen the volume of Uniplumo’s business with SuperValu increase by 45% over the past four years.

Uniplumo are specialists in the horticulture market, operating from six acres of heated glass houses near Swords, County Dublin. The company now employs 43 fulltime staff and 28 seasonal staff.

Commenting on the announcement, Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, SuperValu, said, “We are delighted to once again partner with Uniplumo to bring exclusive home grown quality produce to our SuperValu customers. This partnership is further demonstration of our commitment to supporting Irish suppliers and producers who deliver an unrivalled fresh offering that our customers have come to expect.

Tom Summerville, General Manager, Uniplumo, added, “As a certified member of the Bord Bia quality assurance scheme, we strive to deliver quality home grown plants. Working with a partner as committed to Irish suppliers as SuperValu is very important to our business. Poinsettia is a very popular flowering plant at Christmas and we look forward to delivering our quality Irish Poinsettias to SuperValu customers nationwide”.

In 2011 the total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu, was worth over €1.6bn to the Irish economy, serving to both create and protect almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector. SuperValu is the only supermarket with a store in every county, with 195 stores across Ireland.