SuperValu has recorded €2.7 billion in sales for 2017, up 1.12% year-on-year, and has announced plans to open three new stores in the coming year.
At its national conference in Killarney today, the retailer revealed a €40 million investment programme targeted at the three new stores, 50 revamps and working towards improving its online capability.
The expansion will see the creation of 210 jobs in 2018 and add to the retailer’s 217 stores nationwide, which serve some 2.7 million customers every week, according to SuperValu. With 14,500 employees, the company is one of the largest private sector employers in the State.
We're at the @SuperValuIRL national conference in Killarney today where they revealed sales of €2.7 billion in 2017 with plans to open 3 new stores and create 210 new jobs in 2018 #GrowingGoodBusiness #foodLeadership #buildingBetterBrands #partnership #people pic.twitter.com/2CH6HWsd5s
— Musgrave plc (@Musgraveplc) February 26, 2018
Commercial Strategy
The company has updated its retailers on its 2018 commercial strategy, which will deliver the best combination of value, customer service and quality fresh food in the market, according to SuperValu.
Since the start of the year, the retailer has cut over €9 million in prices across hundreds of its private-label products.
As part of SuperValu’s strategy to make wholesome healthy food more accessible and affordable, it will continue to roll out new promotional mechanics such as its ‘Seven Fruit & Veg’ offer. The retailer’s sales of organic meat from its in-house butchers and its fruit and vegetable range grew by 15% last year, it said.
Martin Kelleher, SuperValu managing director, said at the national conference in Killarney, “SuperValu has been ideally placed to take advantage of a heightened interest in health and food provenance due to our leadership in fresh. We bring the best of fresh, quality Irish produce to consumers with a tailored, local offer in every store. We have butcher counters in store and our fresh meat is 100% Irish, so we lead the market in terms of quality food that consumers can trust.”
The retailer plans to invest in technological innovations in the coming year. SuperValu’s online sales increased by more than one fifth (22%) last year, while its relaunched loyalty programme added 160,000 customers(+17%) to the programme, bringing the total membership to 1.1 million people.
It also plans to become Ireland’s first retailer to roll out autism-friendly stores across its network. The initiative will include making autism-friendly shopping times available in more stores, with additional supports such as de-sensitisation of store sounds and autism-friendly trolleys which were developed by a SuperValu employee, according to the company.
Irish Suppliers
“By differentiating ourselves from the competition, particularly through our unrivalled commitment to Irish suppliers, SuperValu will continue to be a destination shop as we have products on shelf that cannot be bought elsewhere,” Kelleher continued.
With three quarters (75%) of its products sourced in Ireland, SuperValu said it will reinforce its Irish suppliers by building upon its Food Academy programme, which now has 350 participating Irish food producers.
The level of retail sales that Food Academy has achieved has helped these emerging companies to create a combined 1,500 jobs and support over 1,800 Irish producers, according to the retailer.
The retailer said it sources locally wherever possible, helping sustain 30,000 jobs in the Irish economy.
“Despite a highly competitive grocery market, SuperValu continues to grow and our focus for 2018 will be to build on this momentum by continuing to deliver the best combination of value, customer service and quality fresh food in the market,” said Kelleher.
© 2018 - Checkout Magazine by Kevin Duggan
