190 jobs to be added to SuperValu store network as three new stores are set to open in 2017

SuperValu today announced that it recorded retail sales of €2.67 billion in 2016, representing a new milestone for Ireland’s leading food retailer. Building on this strong performance, SuperValu plans to open three new stores in 2017, adding 190 jobs to the SuperValu network. This is part of an overall investment of €35 million in store revamps.

Commenting at the SuperValu National Conference in Killarney today, Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of SuperValu, said: “Our latest record performance of €2.67 billion in sales in 2016, an increase of 2.4% over the previous year, demonstrates consumers’ positive response to our fresh food leadership and ongoing commitment to innovation. As Ireland’s leading food retailer, we pride ourselves on delivering an unrivalled shopping experience with a unique and tailored offer of locally-sourced, quality Irish produce complemented by in-store experts. SuperValu independent retailers continue to set us apart and drive the success of the brand.”

“As the number one supporter of the Irish agri-food industry, SuperValu sources from over 2,200 Irish suppliers – more than any other grocery retailer in the Irish market – equating to an annual economic contribution of €2.19 billion.”

“In 2017, we look forward to adding 190 jobs to the SuperValu network with the opening of three new stores and to continuing our support for important local community initiatives such as SuperValu TidyTowns. As part of our innovation agenda, we will also invest in new product ranges and services to offer consumers and provide even more ways for customers to save money on their weekly shop through our market-leading loyalty programme, Real Rewards.”

SuperValu’s fresh food leadership strategy – bringing the best of fresh, quality Irish produce to consumers with a tailored, local offer in every store – continues to act as a core driver of the retailer’s performance. Through Food Academy, a unique initiative with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Office, SuperValu has now helped over 300 small Irish food producers to secure a retail listing, supporting over 1,100 jobs and retail sales of €25 million as a result. Successful food companies such as Dr Coys, Tipperary Kitchen and The Happy Pear, which began by supplying one SuperValu store, have grown their relationship with SuperValu to supply the entire network of 219 stores.

One of the key business milestones for SuperValu in 2016 was the expansion of its Real Rewards loyalty scheme. With over 1 million members, six national partners including Aer Lingus, Bank of Ireland and Electric Ireland, and plans to announce further exciting partnerships this year, SuperValu is well on its way to delivering on its ambition for Real Rewards to become the number one loyalty programme in the country.

SuperValu online shopping was another key sales driver for the brand, growing by 22% in 2016. The shift to mobile was a key trend, with visits from customers browsing SuperValu.ie on smartphones up by 180%. SuperValu’s new eSHOPS site, an extension of the Real Rewards programme which incorporates 125 leading online brands, is also tapping into this trend enabling the retailer to reward its customers’ loyalty when they shop with SuperValu, but also benefit every time they purchase online with partners including eBay, Expedia, Debenhams and Eason.

SuperValu’s Health & Wellness range, introduced in 2015, delivered sales of over €36 million last year, underlining the growing demand from consumers for this innovative range of vitamins and supplements, sports nutrition and weight management products, benefit foods and whole foods.

Ongoing food innovations such as SuperValu Signature Tastes Irish Hampshire Pork, a fully traceable, premium 100% Irish pork range launched last year which is helping to boost the €117 million Irish pork market, also boosted the retailer’s performance.

SuperValu serves over 2.6 million customers every week and has 219 stores nationwide. Together with its retail partners, SuperValu employs approximately 14,500 colleagues, making it one of the State’s largest private sector employers. 75% of everything on SuperValu’s shelves is sourced in Ireland. SuperValu continues to source locally wherever possible which helps to sustain 30,000 jobs in the Irish economy.

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[/one_third] [two_third_last] We’re delighted to announce that our colleagues in Dublin won a CIPD HR award at last Friday’s ceremony that took place in the prestigious Intercontinental Hotel.

The award was claimed by colleagues ­for ‘Embedding a culture of Workplace Well-Being’ for Musgrave’s Be Well Work Well Programme in their location. With this award CIPD recognises organisations that place employee well-being at centre stage within the organisation and could show evidence of embedding a strong culture of workplace well-being. Entrants had to demonstrate how they are building a well-being culture, getting leaders and people managers on board to support employees’ physical, emotional and mental well-being at work. [/two_third_last]

CIPD is the professional body for HR and the other finalists in this category included: Vodafone, Bank of Ireland, Microsoft, Dell and Fenero. It was a tremendous effort from the HR team at Musgrave to be shortlisted and it was a fantastic result to win the award.

Ireland’s number one convenience retailer to add 460 jobs to store network and open 20 new stores in 2017.

Centra has recorded sales of €1.59 billion in 2016, a 3% increase on the previous year’s performance which further cements Centra’s position as the market leader in the Irish convenience sector. Underpinned by its strategy to redefine convenience, Centra will build on this momentum in 2017 with plans to open 20 new stores, adding a total of 460 new jobs to the Centra network as part of a €20 million investment.

Centra’s continued growth was driven by the implementation of the retailer’s transformative ‘Live Every Day’ programme. Through ‘Live Every Day’, Centra is redefining convenience in response to changing consumer shopping habits, with the introduction of healthier convenient food ranges and new in-store experiences providing shoppers with extensive choice and a leading food offering.

The new brand positioning comes in response to a growing consumer trend towards healthy alternatives which has so far seen Centra increase sales of salad boxes by 80%, a 46% rise in sales of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, and a 22% increase in water sales. By reducing shelf space for carbonates and promoting healthier alternatives instead, Centra sales of water have grown by over five times that of carbonates in the last year alone.

Martin Kelleher, Managing Director of Centra, said: “Centra’s performance in 2016, reaching record sales of €1.59 billion, underlines our position as the market leader in Irish convenience retail. The fact that our sales figures have increased by 3% is reflective of our consumers’ positive response to our efforts in providing them with a new level of convenience shopping. It is a further testament to the success of Centra’s unique retail model, whereby Centra stores are independently owned and operated by 450 local retailers across Ireland. Our committed retailers are the driving force behind the brand’s continued growth.”

“As part of our strategy to redefine convenience, we have already invested €10 million in the introduction of a radical new Centra in store experience. In 2017 we will continue to invest heavily to maintain our position as the leader in healthy convenience, refurbishing over 100 stores, adding 20 new stores to the Centra network and creating 460 new jobs as a result,” concluded Kelleher.
The innovative ‘Live Every Day’ store look and feel has received international acclaim, with the convenience brand winning Gold at the A.R.E (Association for Retail Environments) Design Awards in Las Vegas – Centra clinched gold alongside other world-renowned brands such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, LEGO and Under Armour.

As well as radically evolving the in-store look and feel, Centra ranges are also undergoing a major transformation with the introduction of new healthier bakery ranges, a gourmet deli as well as an innovative coffee offering, Frank and Honest. The success of Frank and Honest is underlined by growth in Centra’s hot beverages sales of over €5 million in 2016.

With over 450 stores, Centra employs almost 11,000 people and serves over three million customers per week. Centra invests more than €240 million in local communities per annum, which is the equivalent of €4.5 million per week through a combination of payments to local suppliers, acquisition of local business services, wages, charitable donations and local sponsorships.

Musgrave MarketPlace is Ireland’s leading wholesale supplier to retail, foodservice and SME business, serving more than 45,000 hotels, restaurants and hospitality businesses throughout Ireland.

Over the last four years the team have been researching food trends in collaboration with expert food professionals and consumers and recently published their findings
in Marketplace Food Trends 2016, usefully illustrated here in this informative infographic.

‘We received so much positive feedback, there’s real confidence in the Irish food produce that’s on offer at the moment. This research confirmed the optimism and positivity being experienced in the sector today’ Michelle Fennell, MarketPlace Marketing Director.

For more information on Musgrave MarketPlace click here.