Did you know… A new report from Retail Excellence Ireland has found that more than half of retail parks are currently 'unprofitable'. The Retail Park Review 2015 used survey responses of over seventy retail park tenants operating across 200 retail park stores, and found that the best performing park is Carrickmines Retail Park in Dublin (pictured), while the worst performing is Dundalk Retail Park.
Did you know… Marks and Spencer has announced that everything in its M&S Bakery range will now be made with vitamin D producing yeast, providing consumers with 15% of their recommended daily vitamin D in two slices of bread? Vitamin D is generally added to cereals, yogurts and drinks but this is the first time it is being used to enrich bread.
Did you know… Subway is set to celebrate the opening of its 500th non-traditional store in the UK and Ireland at this year’s National Convenience Show, running until Wednesday in Birmingham? Non-traditional Subway stores are those located in forecourts, convenience stores and transport hubs as well as in universities and colleges, and have become a major focus for the Subway brand.
Did you know… Guinness has been named as the 'most appealing' sponsor in Q1 2015, according to research by sponsorship specialists Onside? One in ten people voted Guinness, one of the biggest sponsors of Irish sport, as the most effective sponsor in the first quarter of 2015.
Did you know… Independent News & Media has merged the sales functions of its titles, including the Irish Independent and the Herald, as the final step of it’s advertising sales department overhaul? The new sales team will be headed by Karen Preston as group advertising director, Mairead Kearns as group sales manager, and Andrew McDermott as group agency director.
Did you know… Unilever’s first quarter 2015 results show that the Anglo-Dutch firm made a strong start to the year, as turnover increased 12.3% to €12.8bn, with underlying sales growth of 2.8%? European markets remain relatively weak for Unilever, but it sustained a modest, price-driven pick-up in North America. Unilever CEO Paul Polman cited “favourable currency movement” as playing a key part in its success.
Did you know… The Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME) has called Fianna Fail’s recommendation for a 6.4% rise in minimum wage a betrayal, as small businesses continue to struggle to survive. ISME chief executive Mark Fielding called the recommendation a “blatant grab for votes” and “an insult to the intelligence of voters.”
Did you know… Research by IEDR, the company that manages the .ie domain, has found that 91% of small business in Ireland cannot process online sales. The research comes as IEDR launches its OPTIMISE Fund 2015, which aims to support small businesses in building their online presence and e-commerce capabilities.
Did you know… David Phelan, the drinks entrepreneur behind Boru Vodka and Coole Swan liquor, has joined new Bushmills owner and tequila maker Jose Cuervo, The Sunday Times reports. While Phelan is now heading up its Irish business, Jose Cuervo have yet to release their development plans for Bushmills.
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