Category: News

Ireland’s Top 100 brands revealed

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Produced by Checkout magazine and in association with Nielson, the Checkout Top 100 Brands is an accumulative account of the top brands purchased by Irish consumers. What is encouraging is that three of the top five brands are Irish products and illustrating brand loyalty amongst Irish consumers.

Furthermore, a number of Irish brands have made considerable movement. The likes of Jacobs, Club Soft Drinks, Irish Pride, Pat the Baker, Miwadi and Dairygold have all achieved their highest positions to date.

The collection of the top 100 brands in Ireland is based on branded value sales collected across the Irish grocery sector and thus making it the most accurate reflection of the biggest selling brands across Ireland. Sales performance is measured across 6,500 brands with over 200 product classes compiled in the report.

The biggest mover this year was Carrolls Meats which rose 41 places and currently sits at 72nd place. A total of 24 brands moved an impressive 5 places or more.

Checkout Top 100 Brands 2015

1Coca Cola
2Avonmore Milk
3Brennans Bread
4Cadburys Dairy Milk
5Tayto
6Lucozade
77up
8Walkers
9Jaocbs
10Extra
11Yoplait
12Pampers
13Club
14Irish Pride
15Dairygold
16Muller
17Goodfellas
18Danone
19Nescafe
20Red Bull

 

Source: http://www.checkout.ie/irelands-biggest-selling-brands-revealed-checkout-top-100-brands/19115

‘Toys R Us’ pick sites for their Irish Sites

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Toys R Us have leased units at Westend Retail Park in Blanchardstown, Dublin and Parkway Retail Park in Limerick. With more than 1,500 stores across 33 countries and more than 50 retail outlets across the UK, this is the Toy Retailers first venture in the Republic.

Annual rent is believed to be €325,000 in Dublin for a 10,000 sq. ft unit and €200,000 in Limerick for 17,800 sq ft unit. Altogether, Toys R Us plan to open 10 stores across Ireland. Westend Retail Park was developed and run by the Cosgrave Group until it was sold along with other high-value property assets by Nama.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/toys-r-us-leases-shops-in-dublin-and-limerick-1.2328313

Fitzwilliam given go ahead to purchase Arnott’s stake

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Fitzwilliam Finance Partners have stated that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission have approve the outright purchase of the Arnott’s group. In May of this year, Fitzwilliam said they had reached agreement to acquire 50% in Arnotts, which is owned by rival bidder Apoll, a US investor.

Noel Smyth & Partners, who are owners of The Fitzwilliam Finance Partners said that following approval from the Competition Authority, Fitzwilliam will complete the formalities of acquiring the Apollo interest over the forthcoming weeks.

“It is our core objective to maintain the iconic brand of Arnotts which is synonymous with retailing in Dublin city centre and to build on this landmark brand,” he said.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/fitzwilliam-gets-approval-to-buy-arnotts-1.2324846

Carphone Warehouse launch new Mobile Phone Network

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Carphone Warehouse are to launch their mobile phone operating service titled ‘iD’ today. Targeting at young adults (25-34 year age bracket) who are moderate to heavy data users and more inclined to a prepay plan iD is the first of two networks launched this year. UPC are also believed to launch a network this year but the date is unknown.

iD will run off the Three Ireland network and have a Waterford based call centre for operational and customer queries. iD have set a target of obtaining 6% of overall market share in the next 5 years, which would equate to approx.. 300,000 users. iD is promising a transparent and flexible mobile service. Plans for calls, texts and data vary but there’s no option to omit category (Eg. Texts) All plans include 4G as standard, provided the phone you’re using is compatible. Plans can easily be changed on a monthly bases, even on a contract base, but the length of the contract itself can’t. (Contract plans vary from 12 months, 18 months and 24 months)

The cheapest possible contract is €10 a month and the most expensive is €29 a month. Plans for prepay and bill pay are the same price monthly. As iD will be powered by the 32 Ireland network, 4G coverage will be powered by Three Ireland. Known for having major problems in the past, the recently announced they would be investing €300 million in improving infrastructure. 17 types of phone are available altogether, with a limited selection of these available now.

Source: http://businessetc.thejournal.ie/carphone-warehouse-id-ireland-explainer-2280482-Aug2015/

The Best Shops in Ireland: The Shortlist

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Best Food/drink shop

George’s Fish Shop, Monkstown Farm, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.

Sheridans Cheese, 11 South Anne St, D2.

Gusto d’Italia 30 William Street, Limerick.

Roy Fox, 49 A Main Street, Donnybrook, D 4.

Fallon & Byrne, 11-17 Exchequer Street, D2.

Select Stores, 1 Railway Rod, Dalkey, Co Dublin.

Blackrock Cellar, 23 Rock Hill, Blackrock, Co Dublin.

Ardkeen Quality Food, Dunmore Road, Waterford, Co Waterford.

64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glenageary, Co Dublin.

Wines Direct, 9 Lough Sheever Park, Mullingar.

Toons Bridge Dairy Shop, Toons Bridge, Co Cork.

Caviston’s Glasthule Road, Co Dublin.

James Whelan Butcher, Various locations.

 

Best fashion store

Samui Fashions, 17 Drawbridge Street, Cork.

Muse, 92 The Quay, Waterford.

Gallery 9, 2 Poplar House, Sallins Road, Naas, Co Kildare.

Style Ikon, 18a The Crescent, Monkstown, Co Dublin.

EJ Menswear, 11 Grattan Street, Sligo.

Edward Donnellan & Co, Main Street, Roscommon, Co Roscommon.

Frewen & Aylward, 44 George’s Street Lower, Dún Laoghaire.

Folkster, 27 Patrick Street, Kilkenny .

Nowhere, 64 Aungier Street, Dublin 2.

Envoy of Belfast, 4 Wellington Street, Belfast, Co Antrim.

Vanilla Fermoy, Co Cork.

Om Diva, 27 Drury Street, D2

 

Best specialist shop

Knobs & Knockers, 19 Nassau Street, D2.

Hang Tough, 7b South Richmond Street, D8.

Amphibian King, Raven Hall, Upper Dargle Road, Bray, Co Wicklow.

Cloon Keen Atelier, 21a High Street, Galway.

The Rathgar Bookshop, 100 Rathgar Road, Rathgar, D6.

Right Click, 70 Camden Street, D2.

Susan Hunter Lingerie, 13 Westbury Mall, Grafton Street, D2.

The Rock Shop, Derreen, Liscannor, Co Clare.

Big Bang Comics, Sandyford Road, Dundrum, D14.

 

 

Best café/teashop

Hazel Mountain Chocolate, Oughtmama, Co Clare.

Queen of Tarts , Cow’s Lane, D2

Nick’s Coffee, Main Street, Ranelagh, D6.

Pudding Row, Main Street, Easkey, Co Sligo.

Clement & Pekoe, 50 South William St, D2.

The Fumbally, Fumbally Lane, D8.

Cupán Tae, 8 Quay Lane, Galway.

Firehouse Bakery, Old Delgany Inn, Delgany, Co Wicklow.

Glebe Gardens and Cafe, Baltimore, Co Cork

Shells Café and Little Shop, The Seafront, Strandhill, Co Sligo.

 

 

Best newcomer

Kiln & Loom, 287 Ormeau Road, Belfast, Co Antrim.

RunLogic, Smock Alley Court, Essex Street West, Temple Bar D2.

Whelehan’s Wines, Silver Tassie, Bray Road, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin.

Finn McCool Surf Shop, Rossknowlagh, Co Donegal

Lotts & Co, 7 South Lotts Road, D4.

Camerino, 158 Capel Street, D1.

Castle & Drury, 6 Castle Market, D2.

Scrumdiddlys, Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.

Sister Sadie, 45 Harrington Street, D8.

Ballymaguire Food to create 100 new full time jobs

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Ballymaguire Foods will create 100 new full time permanent jobs in Lusk, North Dublin. The largest Frozen Ready Meal provider in the country will also create 100 temporary jobs during the construction phase. The state of the art 70,000 sq. ft plant will bring an additional €4 million to the local economy.

Ballymaguire currently employ 150 staff and are the largest producer of chilled ready meals in Ireland. The will be recruiting sales and marketing professionals, food scientists and technicians, research and development, chefs and general operatives over the forthcoming months. The company was founded in 2008 and clients include Tesco, Lidl, SuperValu and Centra.

Ballymaguire, which is fully Irish owned have approx. 80 different offerings. Director Managing Ed Spelman said: Our production capability will now grow to over 500,000 meals per week and this will mainly be used to fuel the opportunities we see in the UK and add to our existing business there. We managed to buck the trend during the recession, as we used it to find new opportunities and successfully grow.

Supermac’s are expanding and bringing 320 new jobs to market

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Pat and Una McDonagh, founders of much loved Irish food retailer Supermac’s are to develop three new motorway service stations. They will be rolled out across the next two years creating 220 new jobs. The announcement was made as work began on a new €8 million motorway service station on the M6.

The new Motorway Service Station at Junction 16 Kiltullagh Plaza has an opening date in early 2016 and will see the introduction of 100 new jobs. It will be the country’s largest motorway service station. As well as the tasty fresh fast food offerings Supermac’s are renowned for, it will also offer Deli, Bakery, Carvery, Pizza and SuperSubs as Supermac’s extend their brands beyond their core offering that they are most associated with.

A further 220 jobs at three more plaza sites will be developed over the next couple of years which will include Ennis and Limerick. They currently have 3 Motorway service stations in place, with encouraging news that they are in a position to double this over the forthcoming years with the creation of hundreds of new Irish jobs.

Source: http://www.businessandleadership.com/business/item/51480-supermacs-founders-to/

Supermac’s are expanding and bringing 320 new jobs to market

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Pat and Una McDonagh, founders of much loved Irish food retailer Supermac’s are to develop three new motorway service stations. They will be rolled out across the next two years creating 220 new jobs. The announcement was made as work began on a new €8 million motorway service station on the M6.

The new Motorway Service Station at Junction 16 Kiltullagh Plaza has an opening date in early 2016 and will see the introduction of 100 new jobs. It will be the country’s largest motorway service station. As well as the tasty fresh fast food offerings Supermac’s are renowned for, it will also offer Deli, Bakery, Carvery, Pizza and SuperSubs as Supermac’s extend their brands beyond their core offering that they are most associated with.

A further 220 jobs at three more plaza sites will be developed over the next couple of years which will include Ennis and Limerick. They currently have 3 Motorway service stations in place, with encouraging news that they are in a position to double this over the forthcoming years with the creation of hundreds of new Irish jobs.

Source: http://www.businessandleadership.com/business/item/51480-supermacs-founders-to/

Penney’s Boston – All you need to know

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Primark (*Penney’s in Ireland and referred to as both throughout this piece) will make Retail history by opening their first of many Fashion Stores in the United States. The fast fashion retailer synomous with affordable trends begin their ascent in the US market in just under one month and are promoting their mantra of ‘Amazing Fashion, Amazing Prices’.

The now iconic retailer which first opened in Dublin’s Mary Street in 1969, will have a dilatable 77,000 sq. ft 5 storey unit in the historic Burnham Building, a former retail space housed by US retailer Filenes. The opening on September 10th is naturally being monitored closely by both sides of the Atlantic. With such a revered history and name in retail, Penney’s naturally have become an anchor tenant.

Burnham building

 

The Burnham Building, located at the bottom of the €570 million Millennium Tower Skyscraper. Source: www.industrytap.com

Primark’s US website went live yesterday (August 10th 2015 – http://www.primark.com/en-us/homepage). So far they have made a conscientious effort to slot seamlessly into the US and the website includes Boston City guides, ‘Coming to America’ blog posts and tailored content by their Style Guides pertinent to the US fashion market.

Penney’s will continue their trend of physical only sales, with no online shopping facility available. Currently Primark have 289 stores across nine countries and their retail trajectory remains unrivalled. Excitingly the USA will be Penney’s tenth country and Italy will become their eleventh, with a store planned for Arese in Spring/Summer of 2016.

Numerous stores will be opened across the US. The Penney’s board have located suitable retail outlets in Philadelphia and New York which will open in due course (believed to be before the end of 2015) aiming for a cohesive Retail shopping experience for customers across the USA.

Primark have already begun their press previews of their Autumn/Winter collection. Furthermore the have designed a tailored guide that will be distributed to key social media influencers and online bloggers. The Boston Store will open at 10am on September 10th.

Primark 2 Primark 3 Primark 1

*Some images were sourced from The Irish Independent article that is viewable here: http://www.independent.ie/style/fashion/fashion-news/irish-retail-chain-penneys-makes-history-with-first-american-store-31441912.html

Retailers to fight against City Centre Car ban

Posted on | by Aisling Rafferty

Retailers have expressed concern at Dublin City Councils new plans to impose a car ban in Dublin City Centre. The proposal would see a ban on private cars from large parts of the city centre citing ‘serious implications for the future viability of city centre retailing’.

Retail Ireland have written to employers lobby Ibec. The County Council propose investing €150 million to make the Capital more pedestrian and public transport friendly. Chairman of Retail Ireland Conor Whelan wrote “Plans to enhance the city’s public transportation should never result in the displacement of private traffic to the point where large portions of the city centre are entirely inaccessible to shoppers who prefer to take their car’’.

The lobby also informed the council that shoppers who drive spend more than those that travel via public transport, with cars being the second most popular form of transport into the city centre. They have called for consumer information to be carried out that would research the implications should a ban come into place. Retailers, justifiable fear that such a ban would drive consumers to more suburban shopping centres and outlets.

Retailers argue that shops selling bulkier items would be particularly hard hit by a car ban, as shoppers won’t carry such items home on public transport.

“Public transport does not suit all shopping types. It isn’t about location, location, location anymore. It’s convenience, convenience, convenience”.