Gala Retail Marks 25 Years of Excellence in Convenience Retailing
2024 has been a memorable year for Gala Retail, a leading name in the Irish convenience sector, as the group continued to celebrate its 25th anniversary. A year packed with growth, store revamps, and shopper giveaways, Gala Retail’s milestone culminated in September with the Gala Retail Excellence Awards. The awards event took place at Lawlor’s of Naas in County Kildare and was an opportunity for the group to reflect on its continued success in community retailing, bringing together Gala retailers from across the country for a night of recognition and celebration.
A look back at the growth and milestones of the Group since it was founded in 1998, highlighted how Gala Retail’s focus on ‘local’ and ‘community’ values, combined with ongoing innovation continues to deliver success for the Group and its 200+ retailers throughout Ireland. Commenting on Gala’s 25th year, CEO of Gala Retail, Gary Desmond, comments:
“It is incredible to be celebrating the successes of the Gala Group in its 25th year in business. Gala was created by a Group of Irish wholesalers, who collectively had the vision to launch an Irish convenience group that put ‘community retailing’ front and centre for shoppers. To look back at the Group’s achievements over the years reinforces the success that this vision has cultivated, and how the Group has grown in an extremely competitive sector.
“25 years on and our ‘local’ and ‘community’ values are still central for the Gala Group today. Our ‘Gala Home or Away’ marketing campaign for our 25th year has already thanked thousands of shoppers for their custom with holidays and consumer incentives, and we are soon to launch our ‘Gala Gifts For All’ activation, which will deliver winners for every Gala store.”
Hosted by sports broadcaster and chat show host Jacqui Hurley, the 2024 Gala Excellence Awards celebrated Gala stores from all corners of Ireland, recognising those that excel in quality in retailing throughout the Gala Group.
“This year, we saw more retailers than ever before being awarded a Gala Retail Excellence Award,” comments Gary Desmond following the awards. “It’s a true testament to the dedication and commitment that our retailers bring to their communities. As we celebrate our 25th anniversary, it’s an especially poignant moment to recognise the outstanding efforts of our Gala stores across the country, who have gone above and beyond in delivering quality and service to their customers.”
Bringing its 25th-anniversary celebrations to a close, a special Gala event, celebrated in style on the Cote d’Azur, brought together Gala Retailers, Wholesalers and Suppliers. The event was compered by comedian, Barry Murphy with Irish rugby legend, Ronan O’Gara as the guest of honour. During the celebration, Gala Retail recognised its category award winners, honouring achievements from customer service to community initiatives.
Among the standout winners were Nicholson’s Gala in Keel, Achill, which was named Brand Champion, and Tayto Snacks, which took home the coveted title of Supplier of the Year. These awards reflect the importance Gala places on both local partnerships and national expertise, ensuring that the Gala brand continues to deliver exceptional value to its customers.
The awards also serve as a reminder of Gala Retail’s commitment to constant improvement, with winners selected through a comprehensive and independent assessment process. Stores deemed ‘outstanding’ were celebrated for their ability to exceed customer expectations and uphold the highest standards in convenience retail.
Taking home the top awards were:
- Gala Fresh Food Award, sponsored by Tirlán: Mulrooney’s Gala, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
- Gala Bakers Corner Award, sponsored O’Brien Ingredients: Bracken’s Gala, Portlaoise
- Gala Chilled Award, sponsored by Arytza: Scollan’s Gala, Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim
- Gala Customer Service Award, sponsored by Britvic: O’Shea’s Gala, Blennerville, Co Kerry
- Gala Distill Off Licence Award, sponsored by Comans: Hanlon’s Gala, Longford
- Gala Social Media Award, sponsored by Tayto Snacks: Kane’s Gala, Carlow
- Gala Marketing Award, sponsored by JTI Ireland: Hennessey’s Gala, Kilmeaden, Co. Waterford
- Coffee Junction Award, sponsored by Matthew Algie: McGuire’s Gala, Rooskey, Co. Leitrim
- Community Initiative Award, sponsored by BAT Ireland: Camier’s Gala, Ballydehob, Co. Cork
- Special Merit award, sponsored by Coca-Cola Hellenic: NHG Group, Limerick, Cork, Clare
- Brand Champion Award, sponsored by Mondelez: Nicholson’s Gala, Keel, Achill, Co. Mayo
- Supplier of the Year was awarded to Tayto Snacks who celebrated 70 years in business in 2024.
