It is the first time the Gala conference, trade fair and Excellence Awards have taken place since 2019 and the atmosphere was one of celebration, with retailers, wholesalers and suppliers coming together for the two-day event

The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Grow as One’ and saw the Gala Group reporting sales increases of 28% since March 2020 including a 10% sales increase for the year to date, while acknowledging the challenges of city centre stores as footfall hasn’t returned to pre pandemic levels. However, the Group continues to grow with the addition of 43 new stores to the Gala portfolio, including 13 new forecourt stores since 2020.

Earlier in the day, guests at the conference attended the annual conference trade show in the INEC, Killarney, where they viewed new products and services from suppliers, discussed solutions that can be incorporated in-store and sampled the delicious product range from Gala’s in-house concepts – Baker’s Corner, New Street Deli, Coffee Junction, Galato and Distill.

The trade show is an integral part of the annual Gala conference, commenting on this, CEO Gary Desmond, top left, said:  “Our suppliers are an intrinsic part of the Gala mix, supporting Gala stores in the delivery of great value, quality produce and excellent service to our customers. The trade show provides a fantastic opportunity for Gala retailers and suppliers to meet face-to-face, avail of exceptional offers and see first-hand the latest innovations, respectively.”

Read more in the latest edition of Ireland’s Forecourt Retailer.

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