Ireland: Centra breaks €1.5bn for 2014
Musgrave has worked hard in recent years to evolve a best-in-class offer to target the changing needs of modern shoppers, while also targeting the value that has been so critical in the Irish market over the last six years. Food to go is now a critical category, and a focus on quality has paid dividends with pizza sales up 17% in 2014, while the new Centra gourmet sandwich range saw sales up by 8%. Hot drinks have become a key footfall driver, and boosted with value-focused activity such as the 1 cent offer on the government's budget day, coffee sales shot up by 14%. 2014 also saw private label sales ahead 14%, playing a key role in delivering value, and boosted particularly since the launch of the 'Bright new range' in 2013.
16 new stores planned for 2015
Having adding 25,000 sq ft of new space, through new store openings and extensions in 2014, the network will support a further 16 new Centra stores opened by independent retailers in 2015. This will take the total number of Centra stores nationwide to 479. 2015 will also see continued focus on differentiating the Centra offer with the development of new healthier ranges, the extension of the private label offer and the launch of new smart eCommerce technology services, aiming to give consumers the best retail experience in the market.
Martin Kelleher, Managing Director, Centra commented, "This is a tremendous achievement for the brand and our retailers, clearly demonstrating that consumers recognise that Centra offers the best value, choice and quality in the market. It also places Centra within the top 20 Irish brands by turnover."
Source: igd.com
