Significant growth

The convenience brand has experienced significant growth in its nationwide presence in recent years. Ireland’s largest convenience store network currently has 496 stores across Ireland and, with this continued investment into 2024, is expected to rapidly surpass 500 stores nationwide for the first time, embedding it as the convenience brand with the largest footprint in Ireland.

This year’s store refurbishment programme, demonstrating Centra’s continuous commitment to excellence, will build on the investment made over the past five years, in which time Centra has invested up to €100 million in the revamp and refresh of 355 stores.

Record Breaking

Centra delivered a record-breaking performance in 2023, with sales of €2.1bn reflecting the brand’s resilience, expanding footprint, and its continued sharp focus on responding to consumer needs to give customers what they want, when they want it from Ireland’s leading convenience brand.

Centra Managing Director Ian Allen said: “Centra is Ireland’s leader in convenience retail, continuously evolving our offering in order to meet customer needs and stay ahead of the market. We are continuing to invest in creating innovative and more convenient experiences for our customers, giving them the solution they want for every occasion, whether that is on-the-go breakfast and lunch, or dinner for tonight. Our Centra retailers are at the heart of every community in Ireland, and I want to pay tribute to them for continuing to deliver to the highest standards of convenience retailing and taking caring of our communities in what remains a very difficult trading environment, with the cumulative cost of business continuing to rise across multiple areas.”

Frank & Honest

Centra’s growth was underpinned by a strong performance in its core categories, a reflection of its leadership in areas like on-the-go breakfast and lunch, convenience meals and Frank and Honest coffee. Deli and food-to-go sales were up 11%, bread and cake sales grew 7%, ready meals rose by 17% and our own brand range increased by 12% as consumers continued to seek the best value and quality convenience offering.

Frank & Honest, the number one gourmet bean-to-cup coffee brand in Ireland, continues to go from strength to strength, with year-on-year growth increasing by 9% in 2023. The next-generation range includes innovative new lines like iced coffee, already available and in 65 stores and proving hugely popular.

Ice cream

Moo’d ice cream, Centra’s exclusive ice cream brand, saw an 8% increase in sales in 2023 is now available in 314 stores across the retail estate. This year, the much-loved ice cream brand will see an expanding of gelato flavours, giving customers greater choice and enjoyment of the range.

Centra continues to make progress on its environmental sustainability journey, and successfully achieved its target of a 12% carbon reduction across the brand in the 12 months following the launch of the Musgrave Sustainability Fund in summer 2022. Over the past two years, a total investment of €23m, combining contributions from both retailers and Centra, has been allocated towards enhancing sustainability upgrades in Centra stores. This investment forms part of the preparations for the upcoming launch of the Deposit Ret

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Eugene Scally, Owner of Scally’s SuperValu said: “Since 1984, our focus here at Scally’s has always been to support local farmers and producers. Our fantastic butchery team, with over 160 cumulative years of experience, work tirelessly to bring the finest quality meat to our customers. This Bord Bia Quality Retail Butcher Mark is testament to their hard work and passion for their craft. Our expert team take great pride in providing quality produce and great customer service to our customers and supporting local farm suppliers who are at the centre of our community. We are delighted to officially announce our Bord Bia certification today.”

Ian Allen, Managing Director, SuperValu, said: “I want to congratulate the team in Scally’s SuperValu for becoming quality certified by Bord Bia and it is a testament to our policy of sourcing meat of the highest quality from Irish suppliers. All of SuperValu branded fresh beef, poultry, lamb and pork is 100% born, bred and reared in Ireland. As part of our FoodTrace system, we can provide a traceability report for any of our fresh beef sold from our butcher counters to customers.”

Congratulating Scally’s SuperValu on its achievement, Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia said: “Scally’s SuperValu Clonakilty have a long history of supporting local suppliers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. This commitment is further exemplified by their membership of the Bord Bia Retail Butcher Assurance Scheme. All meat and meat products from Scally’s butcher counter will only be sourced from Bord Bia Quality Assured processors, who in turn source from farms that are Bord Bia Quality Assured. I would like to congratulate Scally’s SuperValu on becoming certified members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance programme.”

SuperValu is committed to supporting local communities and local suppliers, purchasing over €2 billion worth of Irish goods from over 1,800 Irish suppliers annually. According to the latest Kantar Worldpanel research, SuperValu is Ireland’s fastest growing retailer with the largest share of the Irish grocery retail sector.  SuperValu has 223 stores nationwide and continues to source locally wherever possible which helps to sustain 30,000 jobs in the Irish economy.

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