Musgrave has announced today that it will be changing the name of its Superquinn stores to SuperValu from February 2014. The decision creates an unrivalled national Irish retail brand, enabling more shoppers to access SuperValu’s offer, while incorporating the best of Superquinn. Regretfully, due to a reorganisation in Superquinn’s support office, 102 colleagues will leave the business over the next eighteen months while 2,500 store staff are unaffected.
Commenting, Chris Martin, Musgrave Group CEO, said: “Combining our SuperValu and Superquinn stores creates an unrivalled Irish retail brand, enabling shoppers to access SuperValu’s offer nationally, while incorporating the best of Superquinn. We understand that some customers will be sad to see the Superquinn name change. However, the decision follows a considered review of all options and is an inevitable next step given the realities of a totally changed grocery market and what the Irish consumer now needs.
As well as the name change, SuperValu will invest €10 million to complete the refurbishment of the Superquinn store network. In addition to the €15 million invested over the past two years, the award-winning SuperValu own brand range will also be introduced consisting of 2000 products priced at up to 33 per cent less than comparable brands. Shoppers will benefit from an improved in-store experience, better choice and value. Importantly, consumers will continue to enjoy all that they love from Superquinn’s heritage including its in-store ambience, great range, food experts and quality products such as the famous Superquinn sausage.
As part of the name change, a number of Superquinn’s support functions will be fully integrated with SuperValu. I regret very much that this decision will impact 102 colleagues at Superquinn’s support office in Lucan who will leave the business over the next eighteen months. We will do all that we can to help affected colleagues find positions across the Musgrave Group as well as providing out-placement support to assist them in finding alternative employment. This decision does not impact any of the 2,500 colleagues working in Superquinn’s store network.”
Chris Martin, Musgrave Group CEO, concluded: “SuperValu has grown by 30% over the last 10 years and achieves annual retail sales of just over €2 billion. With the addition of Superquinn, one in four Irish consumers will shop at the expanded network of 222 stores. We will continue to deliver the largest selection of fresh Irish foods in the market with total purchases of Irish goods and services made by SuperValu worth over €1.6bn to the Irish economy annually. SuperValu will also continue to invest more in communities across the country than any other grocery retailer, with the new stores becoming actively involved in initiatives such as the Tidy Towns which SuperValu has partnered with for the last 23 years and the GAA football championship. In the coming months new ranges, store revamps and improved value will also be introduced. The conversion to SuperValu will be completed in February 2014 with all stores continuing to be owned and operated by Musgrave.”
