Did you know… Spar Ireland has teamed up with Irish rugby international Gordon D'Arcy to raise funds for the retailer's charity partner, 3Ts – Turning the Tide of Suicide? D'Arcy joined the Spar choir for a singalong on the streets of Dublin, as part of a series of events that have helped raise €1 million for the charity. Spar staff have also recorded two special Christmas tracks, which will be available to download to help raise funds.
Did you know… The 2 Sisters Food Group is reportedly eyeing up the potential sale of Irish operation Green Isle Foods, makers of the Goodfellas pizza brand? According to the Sunday Times, 2 Sisters owner Ranjit Boparan is scheduled to brief investors on the company's trading performance later today, with debt reduction expected to be firmly on the agenda. Green Isle is a likely target for disposal, it said, due to its status as an 'outlier' in the group, and the fact that it is not linked to the Northern Foods pension fund. 2 Sisters recorded a 43.6% increase in revenue in Q1 to £885.3 million, according to results issued this morning.
Did you know… The Galgorm Group and Procter & Gamble have signed a deal that will see the Ballymena company become the sole distributor for P&G Professional products in Ireland and Northern Ireland? Following the completion of the deal, the Galgorm Group confirmed that it will recruit seven people over the coming six months and seek to grow its turnover by £10 million over the next three years. The company is confident that the deal will 'substantially increase the company’s reach into the cash and carry and professional end-user market'.
Did you know… C&C Group has seen sales of its US cider fall by 9%, following increased competition in the marketplace? According to The Sunday Times, sales of Woodchuck Hard Cider (part of the Vermont Hard Cider Company which C&C paid $305 million for last year), fell in November, despite the overall cider market growing 68%. A rival brand, Angry Orchard, owned by the Boston Beer Company, saw its sales rise 190% in the period, the paper reported.
Did you know… Senator Paul Coughlan will this week publish a private members bill, which will attempt to establish commercial rates for out of town retail parking spaces? The Valuation (Amendment) Bill will seek to "level the playing field" between retailers in out-of-town locations, where on-street parking rates don't apply, and those in town centres. He said that the "current situation, where town centres are being disadvantaged by free out-of-town parking is damaging and unsustainable."
Did you know… Woodie’s DIY, Oasis, Sam McCauley and Mothercare are now accepting One4All cards online? One4all announced the new additions to its portfolio of retailers ahead of the busy Christmas period, and has added a total of 129 new retailers to the scheme this year. “We know that some people prefer to shop online or simply don’t have the time to shop in store, so the addition of these new retailers reflects our commitment to being the seriously smart choice for all shoppers this Christmas," said David Walsh, group Retail Manager at One4all.
Did you know… France is the leading Continental European market for Irish food and drink products? Minister of State Tom Hayes last week welcomed representatives from the French food industry to a Bord Bia Irish Food and Drink Trade Reception in the Irish Embassy in Paris, in an effort to “consolidate and strengthen the links between Irish food and drink exporters and their expanding French customer base”. Over 25 Irish food representatives, all of which export to France, were also present.
Did you know… 28% of consumers are consuming less wine than this time last year? The findings were taken from the Wolf Blass & Lindeman’s Wine Intelligence Survey carried, where 1,038 Irish wine drinkers were canvassed about their wine drinking habits and perceptions. It found that of 2.3 million wine drinkers in Ireland, 71% of Irish adults drink wine. Irish adults drink approximately 17 litres of wine per person per year.
Did you know… Greencore chief executive Patrick Coveney sold more than €2.1 million worth of shares in the sandwich maker last week? According to the Sunday Times, the shares were vested to him under a six year bonus plan. Coveney, who earned a fixed pay of €1.1 million last year, is likely to be among the beneficiaries of a new 'performance incentive plan' due to be introduced at Greencore following shareholder approval.
Did you know… Complete Cuisine has announced the creation of a new food-to-go franchise, Nom Nom Subs, situated on Dublin's Westland Row? The company plans to have 10 Nom Nom outlets in operation in 18 months time, and have thus far invested approximately €500k in the venture. Commenting, Dermot Hanrahan, sales director, Complete Cuisine, told the Sunday Business Post: "Typically in this industry, the counters are very generic in terms of branding. We wanted to create a strong brand with a fun personality."
© 2013 - Checkout Magazine by Stephen Wynne-Jones
{loadposition ri17122013}
