MACE retailers discuss retail ideas and opportunities at national event

MACE retailers discuss retail ideas and opportunities at national event

Ireland rugby captain and MACE Ambassador Johnny Sexton joined MACE retailers from around Ireland at a special business forum.

The event discussed the ideas and opportunities facing the grocery retailing industry, along with revealing a number of technologies and other solutions to support retailers’ businesses that are due to roll out over the next 12 months.

Held at the Kilsahee Resort & Spa in Naas, Co. Kildare, this was the first in-person MACE retailer event in more than three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was very well attended.

Among the new solutions showcased on the day was BWG Foods’ new predictive AI stock management system, ShopLink PRO, which leverages hundreds of complex data points to predict consumer demand for in-store products, allowing for smarter forecasting of stock requirements, while also considering business promotions and category management to deliver the next five-day sales forecasts.

The BWG team also revealed an innovative new HR Support service for retailers to manage this very important part of their business.

BWG Foods, owners and operators of the MACE brand in Ireland, also showcased a number of their latest food and beverage concepts including Háo Chi Bar, The Local Tea Company, Popsicle, Pazza @ Home and I-Scream, the exclusive ice cream offering.

Peter Dwan, sales director at MACE, said: “It was wonderful that so many Mace retailers were able to get together for this very important and informative meeting.  It’s been over three years since the Mace family got together which made today’s event even more enjoyable. Retailing evolved over this period, so it was more important than ever that we got together as we all know, retailers learn from each other.

“Businesses are facing huge challenges with the extraordinary rate of increase in energy costs as well as rising inflation, collectively we need to help each other over the coming weeks and months as we navigate this latest challenge. Today’s event showcased how technology ‘ innovation and a joined up approach will support retailers into the future.”

Caption: Padraig Delaney and Ger Kelly, (MACE Moneen, Castlebar) with Ireland rugby captain and MACE Ambassador Johnny Sexton.