A brand new Centra convenience store and petrol forecourt has officially opened on Carn Road, Portadown marking an investment of £4 million. The store will be a welcome addition to the local community creating 50 new jobs.

Ideally located next to the Carn and Seagoe industrial estates, the new store boasts a large hot deli and fresh salad and sandwich bar alongside extensive hot and cold, grab and go options – perfect for those working nearby.

Owned by local Portadown family and experienced retailers, Eamonn, Peter and Andrew Wilson, who also own the SuperValu store on Garvaghy Road, the new Centra will also feature a wide range of fresh and chilled foods and meal solutions, freshly made in store each day, alongside meat products from Wilson’s Butchery.

Peter Wilson, owner of Wilson’s Centra Carn, said,

“We’re delighted to welcome customers to our new store on Carn Road in Portadown. With a wide range of everyday essentials, our own ready meal selection, and butchery range, we’re here to serve the needs of those who both live and work in the area. Whether it’s a quick bite, a family dinner, or the weekly shop, we’re committed to offering quality and convenience to the local community.”

The new store features the popular Frank and Honest coffee with three docks which include a range of coffees including iced as well and oat milk options. The docks also feature 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans, while shoppers can also avail of a digital loyalty app and get a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.

With an off license, an instore bakery offering pastries, breads and scones, and a Moo’d ice cream counter, the store offers a bright and modern shopping experience with convenience at the heart of the concept.

To mark the occasion and officially open the store, the Wilsons were joined by Musgrave NI’s Managing Director Trevor Magill and Retail Sales Director, David Higgins, while customers availed of exclusive offers, food sampling and spot prizes.

David Higgins, Retail Sales Director at Musgrave Northern Ireland, said,

“Musgrave has a long-standing relationship with the Wilson family through SuperValu Portadown, and we’re excited to further develop our partnership with the opening of Wilson’s Centra Carn.

“The new store will be an asset to the community, delivering convenience and great value across a wide variety of everyday products. The modern store is an excellent addition to our network and we wish the Wilson family the best of luck.”

In addition to an enhanced product range and as part of Centra’s commitment to value, shoppers will benefit from hundreds of best buys and savings of up to 40% on own brand products.  That’s as well as a Supermarket Price Match on key everyday items with Tesco, plus the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

Musgrave Northern Ireland, which operates SuperValu, Centra and MACE brands, supports the employment of over 5,000 jobs, working with 250 local suppliers and investing significantly in local communities, as well as in sustainability and affordability initiatives.

The company recently deepened its commitment to supporting local suppliers launching the campaign ‘Love Local? So Do We’ spotlighting the fantastic range of local products available from the brands across the region.

The campaign followed the publication earlier this year of Musgrave’s economic and social impact report which set out a £1.2 billion contribution to the Northern Ireland economy by Musgrave NI.

Officially opening Wilson’s Centra Carn in Portadown are: (l-r) Musgrave NI Retail Sales Director David Higgins, store owners Peter, Eamonn and Andrew Wilson (centre), Musgrave New Business and Acquisitions Manager Barry Holland and Managing Director Trevor Magill.

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RGDATA Director Padraig Broderick, who owns an award winning Spar supermarket in Croom Co Limerick told MC Ivan Yeats about the huge challenges facing independent retailers at a protest on 15^th October outside Leinster House.

Padraig Broderick is on the Board of RGDATA and takes a key role in representing independent retailers and grocery stores. IF&CR asked Padraig about his work with RGDATA, what it’s like to be an independent retailer in Ireland in the 21^st century, and why the protest at Leinster House was necessary.

What made you want to be involved in RGDATA and taking forward the interests of its members?

“I wanted to help make a difference for people like me who are running community shops and supermarkets all around the country. I had experience of being involved in the Croom Community Development Association and of being Chair of the SPAR council, so when I was asked to become a Director of RGDATA I could see the value of independent retailers working together to get things done and make things better for the sector” Padraig told IF&CR.

“RGDATA was the association that was specifically involved with representing independent grocers and was also playing a strong role in town centre renewal so I was delighted to get involved with them.”

Priorities

What are the most pertinent issues/priorities for RGDATA currently?

“The most pertinent issue for RGDATA currently is the costs and challenges associated with running an independent community food shop.  We have huge hikes in employment costs due to a tsunami of new Government measures; costs for things like insurance and energy remain stubbornly high and the very future of the independent community food retail model is under threat. Other priorities also include Retail Crime, de-carbonisation and sustainability, vibrant town centres and self-sufficient villages.

Challenges

Padraig owns and runs an award winning Spar supermarket in Croom Co Limerick. What are the main challenges currently?

“The main challenge I am facing in my business is dealing with all the cost increases. I have a great team of 50 people working with me in the shop in Croom and I want to ensure the shop and the jobs are secure and have a viable future. Day to day issues include driving efficiencies, dealing with ensuring Croom town centre remains vibrant and works better.

“We are very fortunate to have a won a number of awards – we won the National Q mark twice, Shelflife team of the year twice and, most recently, Small Supermarket of the year for the second time at the National Grocery Awards. This is great recognition for all the hard work that the team here at Spar Croom put in every day.

“We are a very strong team and it is great to be recognised. We were up against every other small supermarket store in Ireand – both urban and rural – coming out on top is a great achievement. Customers also appreciate it. We also like putting Croom on the map as we are very proud of what we do here” he said.

In the Community in Croom

“I have been owner of this store In Croom for 21 years. It’s a  6,700 sq ft. supermarkets style community store with a full off-licence, deli counter, in-store bakery, post office and a superb meat counter. We open at 5.30am and close at 10pm to facilitate our local customers and those customers going to Hospitals/into the city to work. The Meat counter is the backbone of our business. We were one of the first stores to offer oven ready meals under our own brand name – Brodericks of Croom – huge range is available and it is very popular with our customers.”

Government supports

“Now, we need to succeed in getting targeted Government supports to deal with the huge increase in costs and to get supports for smaller shops to progress sustainability projects – more long-term solutions not just once offs!”

The March on Leinster House

The march on Leinster House on 15^th October demonstrated the strength of feeling and crucial need for government intervention for independent retailers.

For RGDATA members to literally take to the street in protest showed the strength of feeling on a range of issues.

“It was an overwhelming but a brilliant experience. It was great to see such a crowd turn up and you could feel the frustration and anger of the business owners. We all took the time out to go up to Dublin to protest because we just want to be heard. We are always being told that SME family-owned businesses are the backbone of the economy. We know we are. But it is time that Government actually shows that it is prepared to listen to us and to provide the supports that we so desperately need.

“I was proud to represent RGDATA and family-owned shops up at the podium. The message delivered by the business owners who attended wasn’t just VAT 9 – it was that SME feel ignored and need proper supports to deliver all that this Government wants us to deliver and to maintain our viability for the next generation of family business owners.”

In an Ideal World…

If you had a wish list – what would be on it?

“Targeted supports for SME food retailers. A better voice at the Cabinet table for SME businesses – and SME experienced business owners at the table when decisions are being taken.

“I am very concerned about the future of my business. I want to protect the jobs that I have and know that my store has a viable future.

“There is a lot at stake for my business, for my team, for the town of Croom. Independent food retailers are backbone of communities, we employ a lot of people. The measures that the Gov is introducing may be welcome – they are just coming at us at too fast a pace. We can’t do them all together without some sort of support.

Looking forward

How do you see the future for independent retailers – will technology / AI / a changing society have an impact?

“We can see that efficiencies can be brought to retail businesses using AI – however a lot of it is cost prohibitive. However, one of the key attributes of community shops and supermarkets like Spar Croom is the personal interaction with our customers and we will fight to keep that level of service in our stores.

Croom and Community

IF&CR asked Mr Broderick about Croom Co Limerick and the area his store serves, providing a real and meaningful service for the local community.

“Croom is a beautiful town, population 2,500. The Rive Maigue runs through Croom – we have a beautiful 13 acre town park, and a newly built Civic Centre – all achievements developed by Croom Development Association.

“Croom has shown what can be done if a community comes together to get things done. We are certainly bucking the trend of the decline of the town centre. Croom is a shining example of what can be done with the right collaboration and the right investment.”

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Serving the people of Ahascragh for over 60 years, Colcannon’s of Ahascraph is keeping ahead of the times with a major re-vamp in-store – taking the local convenience store and forecourt into a new era – fit for the future.

Ahascragh is a village in east County Galway, Ireland,  located 11 km north-west of Ballinasloe. It’s a rural community, where most of the small independent retailers have closed their doors over the years – unable to compete with the changing times and demographics of the area.

“I took over the running of the store during COVID as my father suffered with an illness during this period. I was joined by my wife Marcy who took over the running of our deli” said Colin Colcannon.

“Since then we’ve grown the business further through our deli and then on the shop floor.

“This enabled to invest further in the business, with our full revamp, which we hope will keep us trading far into the future and keep our business going from strength to strangth in Ahascragh.”

Colin represents the third generation of Colcannon’s running the business.

Colin’s grandparents Joe and Rita originally owned and operated the small rural grocery business which they opened around 70 years ago. Their son, Colin’s dad, Padraig took over the running of the store which was the only grocery shop left in the village, as one by one, local stores closed for one reason or another.

Demographics were changing. Rural Ireland was changing, and it was a case of adapt to survive – something Colin knew they had to do to keep up with trends and customer expectations if the business was to stay serving the local community.

In the mid-1980’s  – around 1985 – Padraig took over from his parents.

Options

There was a filling station next door to the shop, and when it was discovered that it too was set to close its doors, he considered his options – and decided to take it over.

But he couldn’t do it all on his own.

Colm Dolan was Musgrave’s BDM (Business Development Manager) at the time.

“He was always there, supporting me personally,” said Padraig.

Initially, the shop was under a different symbol brand. Padraig was working for wholesalers Mangan’s, and was often on the road himself working for the wholesaler. Mangan’s was sold around that time – taken over by BWG, around the same time that he was looking to give his business a boost.

With the support of Colm Dolan and Thomas Morrison, Padraig joined Daybreak in 2008.

He was impressed by the overall branding, and impressed by both Colm  and Thomas.

Great vision

“Daybreak offered a great vision, and I thought it might be a good time to make a change. Everything Musgrave did – anything Musgrave has ever done – is always successful, so I felt like I was in good hands,” explained Padraig.

“That was 16 years ago. We did a re-vamp and upgraded the store – which significantly improved the business. As we grew, we were able to take over the filling station next door in 2015.

“Colm Dolan, our BDM at the time, helped negotiate that, and by  1^st April 2015,  we had taken it over. We knew that this move was going to take us into a new era – but it was also a step into the unknown.”

Around that time, his son Colin had finished his studies and was ready to join the business.

“We knew we had a good customer base. My own parents had been involved in serving the community for decades and always had a great relationship with customers – now I’ve handed the reins over to my son.

Changed times

“Times have changed and we needed to do something new to survive. We built a small retail unit and moved into selling fuel. Back in my parents’ day it was unusual for a family to even have one car – nowadays, it’s not unusual for a household to have three or four cars parked up at the house” said Padraig.

“I’ve seen generations grow up here – there’s a strong generational link in the area – many of those young people might have worked in the shop at one time or another. If you’d told me even twenty years ago that we’d be selling coffees – even iced coffees – I wouldn’t have believed it, but nowadays you have to be able to offer everything that people expect from the local forecourt and convenience store.”

Colin Colcannon added “Under the Daybreak brand, we now have 9 Grams coffee, the Lickety Split ice cream brand, an off-licence and the Munch & Co deli – basically everything the consumer wants.”

‘Changed everything’

Colin explained that the Deli had basically changed everything.

“We’re open from 7am until 9pm and people are on the move all the time – there’s a lot of small employers and local industries in the area – such as a timber factory, and even a local distillery which has been a big boost. There’s always passing trade, local schools and people wanting lunches and dinners.”

Colin Concannon’s wife Marcy, a co-owner of the business, runs the Deli.

“She has a real flair and passion for the food side of things,” he explains proudly. “Meals are cooked from scratch, and the feedback from customers is fantastic.”

Colin continued “We have the whole Musgrave range in the Deli. We try to have a bit more of an offering – full dinners for the evening trade – and with the off-licence now people can pick up a bottle of wine.”

Serving the local community is an essential part of the ethos. During the pandemic, they did door to door deliveries, which was much appreciated by customers.

Complete re-vamp

Earlier this year, Concannon’s Daybreak underwent a complete re-vamp – and they are delighted with the end results.

The process started in March and was completed within around six weeks.

“We literally gutted the place” Colin explained. “We closed the Deli for three days. The team at Daybreak helped with everything. We employed local tradespeople to undertake the work – local electricians, builders, joiners and so on – the whole local community was involved as far as possible, while Daybreak helped co-ordinate it all – so it was a full team effort.

“We are delighted with the response locally. It is effectively the only shop left in the village – and local people really appreciate the investment.”

The full package

Now, Concannon’s Daybreak of Ahascragh has the full package – a Top forecourt with six pumps, parking and a range of improvements.

“It’s so important to be constantly investing and re-inventing the business – we are constantly changing. It’s a far cry today from my parent’s day – when tea came in chests and we’d weigh it out. Things have completely changed since then – now iced coffee is the new thing.

“Down through the years, we have had great people working for us. A lot of young people started their working life with us – maybe doing a part time job before going off to start careers, studies or professions elsewhere – but people go away and still come back, keeping in touch with the community.

“We also support our local GAA and soccer clubs – that’s always an important part of being part of the local community, especially in rural areas. There’s still a lot of young families and national schools.”

Customer service

The more things change the more they stay the same – customer service is always at the core of everything Concannon’s Daybreak does – but the help and support from Daybreak has been incredible – and Padraig says they couldn’t have achieved it all without the support of the Daybreak team – from promotions cycles, posters, flyers, to the Lickety Split ice cream, 9 Grams coffee, and every aspect of the full Daybreak package.

One of the challenges is the constant pace of change – trying to keep up with everything – but the Daybreak team keeps them right and takes control of any new developments that are outside their control – such as policy or legislative changes – the Daybreak team always keeps them right.

Technology

Technology has also offered a whole range of business solutions – with apps, mobiles, and tap’n’go being the preferred options for a younger generation. But Daybreak has even thought of that – helping with a floor layout that helps with customer flow – whether the customer wants to browse around, or just get a coffee and a lunch roll then go.

“It’s all about lifestyle now” said Colin. “Everything is faster, but people still want quality food and good customer service – those two things will always stay the same.

“At Concannon’s Daybreak we’ve put our hearts and souls into the new-look store. We are very proud of it, and delighted with the response. We couldn’t have achieved it all on our own, so a huge thanks to all at Daybreak for making it happen.”

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New research commissioned by SuperValu highlights startling changes to dinnertime habits. 

• More than half of respondents (60%) say that they sometimes let their family use a device at the dining table; with 1 in 3 allowing laptops at the table, indicating that work is spilling into mealtimes.
• More than two thirds of the nation eat dinner on the couch in front of the TV; with more than 1 in 5 (23%) doing this five times a week.
• Almost one third of people see making dinner as a chore/stressful.
• Yet all of this aside, over 80% believe dinnertime is an important ritual that brings the family together and it’s a ritual we cannot afford to lose.

As part of SuperValu’s new Dinner Time Well Spent campaign, it has launched a comprehensive study on the current state of dinnertime rituals in Irish households. The findings reveal both the enduring significance of family mealtimes, and the increasing challenges posed by modern lifestyles.

According to the research, 80% of people in Ireland still believe that dinnertime is an important ritual that brings their family closer together and is a habit that we can’t afford to lose. 8 in 10 also expressed a desire to share more meals together, recognising the importance of this time spent with loved ones. Additionally, 92% of households with children over 5 years old want to have dinner together more often yet 1 in 5 are only doing it twice a week.

The research has also highlighted other alarming stats that uncover significant obstacles to families and households maintaining regular mealtimes. And it appears that although the desire to sit down and eat together is strong, technology, busy schedules and the effort of making the meal, means Ireland is on a downward spiral when it comes to taking this important pause at the end of each day.

As for those who are taking the time to sit together for dinner, more than two thirds of the country eat dinner on the couch in front of the TV each week, with 1 in 5 (23%) doing this five times a week! These figures highlight the growing fragmentation of family mealtimes and pose questions on how future generations will be impacted by this detachment.

Distractions at mealtime are another major concern, with over half (55%) of those surveyed acknowledging that they experience some form of disruption during dinner. The most common barrier, cited by 23%, is the difficulty of getting everyone together at the same time. Furthermore, a staggering 60% of households let family members use a device during meals as phones and TV perceived most permissible.  In addition, 30% of households allow laptops at the table, indicating that work and other obligations are increasingly encroaching on this valuable family time.

Interestingly, Monday (31%) is the day most likely for us to share a meal together outside of Sunday (33%). However, Tuesday (3%), Wednesday (3%) and Thursday (4%) are the least likely days, potentially indicating that, amongst other possibilities, the hybrid working model (most popular days in the office) could be having an impact on mealtimes.

While there is a clear recognition of the benefits of shared meals, the research also reveals that for many, preparing dinner has become a source of stress, with 31% of adults viewing it as a chore. Nearly half (49%) of respondents expressed a desire to cook from scratch more often but cited a lack of time or energy as the main reasons for not doing so — an issue particularly prevalent among younger adults aged 18-35, where the figure rises to 59%.

This research coincides with the launch of SuperValu’s Dinner Time Well Spent campaign which encourages people of Ireland to take back dinnertime and remember to pause, together, at the end of each day and enjoy dinner.

Shane Lynch, SuperValu Marketing Manager said: “At SuperValu, we understand the importance of dinnertime as a moment for families to reconnect. Our research shows that while the desire to preserve this tradition is strong, there are significant barriers that need to be addressed. We are committed to helping families across Ireland reclaim dinnertime, making it easier for them to come together, enjoy a meal, and strengthen their relationships. Our ‘Dinner Time Well Spent’ campaign is a call to families to prioritise the dinnertime tradition, by coming together and enjoying the freshest, best tasting quality food that makes every family dinner a special occasion”

To support the spread of awareness on the ground across Ireland and to really drive this movement to reclaim dinnertime, SuperValu is leaning into the universal, cross-cultural ritual: lighting a candle on the dinner table. As part of the campaign people are being encouraged to put away all the gadgets that interfere with the dinnertime conversation and light a candle or two to demonstrate that it’s family down time.  To get people started SuperValu is gifting a number of candles that will enhance any dinner table – for more information check out  https://supervalu.ie/about/news/2024/09/10/the-table-or-the-tablet

*Research was carried out by Empathy Research’s proprietary research panel in early August 2024 with a national sample of 1000 18+ adults.

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A new store in the truest sense, Centra Frosses Road opened its doors on Tuesday 23^rd July 2024, setting out its stall as an enhanced convenience store with an extensive food to go offering, providing a welcome stop for those travelling in the vicinity.

Situated outside Cloughmills, on the A26, the brand-new store and Solo fuel forecourt is a bright and contemporary 3400 sq ft store on the busy route for people travelling from Coleraine, the north coast and Ballymoney, to Ballymena and beyond.

Some 25 full-time and part-time staff are employed across the site, which boasts some of the newest and up-to-date facilities. Offering a wide range of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the store has something for everyone whether travelling home in the evening, on the road for work or out for the day with the family.

Amenities include a hot and cold deli counter with freshly made sandwiches and salads, and a selection of hot food to go. The Frank and Honest Coffee dock provides a wide selection of hot drinks and features 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans, while a digital loyalty app offers customers a free coffee after earning 10 digital stamps. Sweet treats are also available from the Scoop Ice cream counter.

The new store features a Solo fuel forecourt – which is owned by Andrew Hutchinson, as well as a seating area, customer Wi-Fi and customer toilets.

In addition to an extensive product range, including the new Good Food Locally Sourced range which supports local suppliers, shoppers will benefit from over 100 special offer items every week and over 300 own brand products up to 40% cheaper than better known brands. This is as well as the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

The store has also been built with sustainability in mind, as Musgrave and its brands work to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Features include LED lighting, digital screens and top-grade energy efficient refrigeration, with EV charging points planned for the future.

Store owner, Oran McCloskey spoke of his pride in opening the doors of Centra Frosses Road, which he said will provide a “a convenient shopping and refuelling point for customers on the move as well as a great amenity for the surrounding community”.

“I’d like to thank the team for all their hard work so far in getting the store ready and we look forward to welcoming customers and providing them with a one-stop shop for modern convenience,” he added.

This store marks the 108^th Centra store to open in Northern Ireland, and comes as Musgrave Northern Ireland announced a £16 million store investment programme across its network for 2024. This includes the opening of new stores, refreshing existing stores, as well as investment in the implementation of energy-saving initiatives, which sees the company work with partners including Higgins Refrigeration, Visual ID and Domus Projects in delivering on their sustainability commitments.

Trevor Magill, Managing Director for Musgrave NI, said they were “delighted to partner with Oran to help him grow his business and develop the Centra portfolio”.

“We have worked with Oran under the Mace brand for several years and are delighted to continue our partnership as he opens his first Centra store which is a fantastic addition to both the local area and the wider Centra network,” said Trevor Magill.

“The store will be a real asset to those travelling the busy commuter route from the north coast – delivering first-class convenience along with great value for shoppers. Centra Frosses Road is a fantastic addition to our store network and I wish Oran and his team all the very best.

“At Musgrave, we are ambitiously focused on growing our store network and continuing to innovate to provide our shoppers with what matters to them – not just excellent customer service and value for money but an extensive range of quality products with an emphasis on local alongside new technologies for a seamless shopping experience,” added Trevor Magill.

“We look forward to continuing to develop our SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores and ensuring we offer customers a world-class shopping experience.”

Already this year, Lusty’s Centra Townparks on the Glenarm Road in Larne recently opened its doors and is undergoing a refurbishment while the next few months will see store openings in Armagh, Portadown and Magherafelt.

Significant refreshes are also planned for SuperValu stores in Dungiven, Derry~Londonderry, Lurgan and Newtownbutler, as well as Centra stores in Maguiresbridge, York Road Belfast, Antrim and Carrickfergus. Revamps of SuperValu stores in Downpatrick, Fintona and Irvinestown, and Centra stores in Annaclone, Bushmills, Draperstown and Tobermore have already been completed providing more inspiration and ideas for shoppers with a focus on quality across fresh produce, meat, and food-to-go.

The investment in the store network is further supported by a £14 million investment in local produce with the launch of a new brand, Good Food Locally Sourced, announced earlier this year. In addition, the retail group committed £6 million in its value offering with shoppers benefiting from over 200 special offer items every week, competitive Epic Deals on four big brand products every three weeks alongside over 700 own brand products which are up to 40% cheaper than the better-known brands.

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