The video series is part of SPAR’s ongoing commitment to healthy eating and healthy lifestyles and falls under our long-standing SPAR Better Choices initiative, which is designed to encourage customers to include healthy choices when shopping in their local SPAR store. The series revolves around Eoin “coaching” Kellie in the kitchen as they create delicious and nutritious meals from a variety of products from the SPAR Better Choices range. As a top athlete, Kellie is naturally very discerning when it comes to her food choices and the series aims to provide both practical guidance on meal prep as well as tips on pre and post workout nutrition.

(47) SPAR Ireland – YouTube

SPAR’s campaign is aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles and preferences for all the family. SPAR Brand Ambassador, Kellie Harrington, is a firm believer in making a Better Choice when it comes to leading a busy and healthy lifestyle. But it’s not always easy to know which is the better choice. When in doubt, ask yourself, what would Kellie choose?

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SPAR ambassador and Olympic gold medallist Kellie Harrington today launched a €60,000 SPAR 60^th Community Fund. For 60 years, SPAR retailers are proud to have served the communities in which they are rooted, and the new initiative will see SPAR invest €60,000 back into local communities to drive positive change and impact. Through the SPAR 60^th Community Fund, six local community clubs, groups or programmes will be rewarded with €10,000 each, along with the chance to meet Olympic Champion Kellie Harrington and take her on in a fun series of challenges.

This campaign builds on SPAR’s established Community Fund initiative which was launched in December 2021. This announcement will see Ireland’s leading convenience retailer direct investment reaching €80,000 into deserving community projects across the country, something that is indicative of SPAR’s ongoing commitment of giving back to local communities and their customers.

Local clubs who enter the SPAR 60^th Community Fund, not only have the chance of winning €10,000 but a club representative will also be invited to a meet and greet session with SPAR ambassador and Olympic Champion Kellie Harrington this summer, engaging in fun activities together and it is a chance for Kellie to learn about the successful clubs and the vital work they undertake in their local community.

SPAR and Kellie are inviting all community groups to apply for a chance to win. Applications opened on 27th March  and will close on 30^th April.

Launching the SPAR 60^th Community Fund, brand ambassador Kellie Harrington said: “The SPAR 60^th Community Fund is a massive boost to what is a project that I’m really passionate about. Community means as much to me as it does to SPAR and I am delighted to once again be involved in boosting funds to people, clubs and programmes across Ireland who are bringing that sense of community and pride to where they live. I am really looking forward to meeting the winning clubs this summer and would encourage everyone to enter, from dance clubs, to youth groups and retirement homes, the SPAR 60^th Community Fund is open to everyone and it’s a great way of giving back in a meaningful way and seeing vital community work both acknowledged and rewarded”.

Colin Donnelly, SPAR Sales Director, commented on the announcement: “For 60 years, SPAR have been proud to serve local communities around the country. The SPAR 60^th Community Fund is just one of the many initiatives we are launching this year to celebrate our anniversary and it allows us to continue our ongoing work of rewarding and acknowledging the communities SPAR is embedded in. It is great to have our brand ambassador Kellie Harrington with us here today, who is consistently championing the importance of community in Ireland.”

SPAR announced a partnership with Kellie in November of 2021, supporting her journey to Paris 2024.

To find out more about the SPAR 60^th Community Fund  and other SPAR initiatives taking place this year marking SPAR’s 60 years in Ireland, visit www.spar.ie and keep an eye on SPAR’s social media channels.

• @SPARIreland on Facebook
• @SPAR_Ireland on Instagram
• @SPARIreland on Twitter

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These includes concepts such as Háo Chi Bar, The Local Tea Company, Popsicle, Pazza @ Home and I-Scream, the exclusive ice cream offering.

Hundreds of retailers from across Ireland gathered at the business forum to learn about the latest thinking in retailing trends, along with new technologies and other solutions to support retailers’ businesses which are due to roll out over the next 12 months.

The event, which took place at the Mount Wolseley Hotel in Carlow, included guest contributions from Olympic Gold Medallist and Spar Brand Ambassador, Kellie Harrington, TV and Radio’s Baz Ashmawy, Social Media strategist Greg Fry and managing director of the Meagher’s Pharmacy group, Oonagh O’Hagan.

Spar and BWG Foods management delivered presentations on the continued development and expansion of the SPAR retail network across Ireland, and plans to launch new products including an expanded Spar Own Brand Range.

Among the new solutions showcased 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.

The system also makes use of business promotions and category management to deliver 21-day, 14-day and 7-day sales forecasts. BWG also unveiled an new HR Support service.

Colin Donnelly, sales director, Spar, said: “Our network of Spar retailers is very much a tight-knit community of likeminded businesspeople, so it was fantastic to gather socially and to share conversations regarding the future of our business, our offerings and our iconic brand. Spar has always been at the very forefront of retail innovation in Ireland and across the world, and this meeting was the perfect platform to share ideas and to present our exciting plans.”

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Five organisations spread across Connacht, Munster and Leinster each received €2,000 in funding bringing the total invested by SPAR in Community initiatives over the last six months to €20,000.

More than 1,200 groups applied for the second wave of funding provided by the SPAR Community Fund with those selected including a dance school, a wheelchair hurling and camogie club, a boxing club, a cancer patient transport group and an elderly outreach centre. The winners were selected for their ability to create a positive and lasting impact on their local communities.

Kellie and SPAR paid a personal visit to each club over the course of two days last week, spending time getting to know the people behind each organisation and discussing the impact that the funds would have. The road trip took them to the Celine Hession School of Dancing, Galway, Munster Wheelchair Hurling & Camogie Club, Limerick, Spartan Boxing Club, Cork, Cancer Care Transport, Waterford and Friends of the Elderly in Dublin.

SPAR retailers are committed to the hundreds of communities in which they are embedded working closely with many local club and organisations to enrich the lives of those they serve.

Speaking about the SPAR Community Road Trip, brand ambassador Kellie Harrington said: “This initiative means so much to me. Over the course of the last six months, I’ve worked with SPAR who have invested an amazing €20,000 in the most deserving organisations.

“With that kind of money, we are making a real difference to the lives of people who are in need of a little support or a leg up. What we’ve achieved over the last number of months feels like the start of something special.”

Colin Donnelly, SPAR Sales Director, commented on the announcement: “SPAR is delighted to continue working with Kellie and our network of stores around the country to further embed SPAR into the communities in which we operate. We’ve been blown away by the response, not just from clubs, but also the wider public, the media and our many store owners.

SPAR has always been a community-oriented organisation, we pride ourselves on being approachable and in tune with our customers. Kellie has been a great brand ambassador for us and we look forward to seeing just how impactful the fund will be over the coming week, months and years.”

SPAR recently announced a three-year partnership with Kellie in November 2021 that will see SPAR support Kellie on her journey to Paris 2024.

To find out more about the SPAR Community Road Trip Fund visit www.spar.ie and SPAR’s social media channels.

• @SPARIreland on Facebook
• @SPAR_Ireland on Instagram
• @SPARIreland on Twitter

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SPAR Better Choices is designed to help the nation choose the best foods for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. SPAR has also carried out research to find out what better choices Irish shoppers are planning to make this year as well as revealing the nation’s favourite foods.

The study has found that 98% of Irish people plan to make better choices when it comes to looking after themselves in 2022.

The main reason for wanting to make better choices was to improve overall health and quality of life, with 44% saying they will prioritise making changes to their diet and eating habits, while a further 44% plan to increase physical activity levels and 12% say they will prioritise their mental health.

The better choices that people intend to make this year include, exercising more (73%), eating less treats and snacks (61%), eating more fresh food (54%) and eating more fruit and vegetables (53%).

A quarter of all adults plan to eat less meat in 2022 but only 2% intend on turning vegan and 1% will go vegetarian this year.

Favourite foods

New research released by SPAR has also revealed the nation’s favourite foods.  Porridge has been voted as our favourite breakfast (31%), ahead of eggs (20%), toast (17%) and cereal (17%).

The classic soup and sandwich combo is the nation’s favourite lunch, with half of respondents choosing it over a salad (22%) or toastie (31%).  Ireland’s treasured roast dinner was voted the favourite homemade dinner of choice, according to over a third of the population ahead of lasagne (16%), chicken curry (14%), spaghetti bolognese (11%) or fish (11%).

And finally, the much-loved Chinese (32%) is Ireland’s most popular takeaway treat, ahead of a chipper (20%), an Indian (18%) as well as Thai and pizza (both 15%).

Created in partnership with dietitian Ellen Roche in 2016, SPAR’s Better Choices programme has evolved year on year to carefully select the finest products and give customers guidance on choosing the best foods for their lifestyle while on the move.  Available now in more than 400 SPAR stores across Ireland, the range of Better Choices products are easily identifiable by its in store signage.

SPAR ambassador Kellie Harrington is a busy athlete who appreciates the importance of a healthy balanced diet. Speaking at the campaign launch, she said: ‘I am someone who is always on the move and I know that it can sometimes feel hard to make healthy choices when life feels so busy.

“SPAR’s Better Choices range is the perfect solution to this, making healthier food and favourite snack choices available across Ireland, without sacrificing on flavour and taste. Look for the Better Choices signage in SPAR stores and this will help you choose nourishing and healthy foods for yourself and your family.”

SPAR Sales Director, Colin Donnelly, added: “At SPAR we are committed to providing our customers with the best product offerings across our stores. Our aim is to provide healthy and nourishing food choices to our customers and to give peace of mind in knowing that they can always rely on SPAR to have a great choice of healthier options in store.”

For more information, please visit www.spar.ie or visit your local SPAR.

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