Did you know… Tesco is already selling Easter Eggs? The retailer has removed Christmas chocolates and decorations and replaced them with an array of Easter confectionery in selected stores, a full three months before Easter Sunday on April 5. The Journal posted an image of said easter chocolate from Tesco Parnell Street, Dublin, while lifestyle website Joe.ie showed evidence of the same in Tesco, Ballina, County Mayo.
Did you know… Lidl shoppers took part in a ‘Trolley Dash’ in aid of Barretstown? There were 141 winners nationwide in the build up to Christmas in every Lidl store around Ireland. On average, each consumer won €350 worth of goods, and €135,438 was raised from ticket sales over in two weeks. CSR Assistant with Lidl Ireland, Sinead Flynn said, “In two short weeks, Lidl stores across the country have raised over €135,000. We look forward to ramping up our activities in 2015 to raise needed funds for Barretstown." Dee Ahearn, CEO of Barretstown, added, “These funds will go a long way to reducing our waiting lists and increasing our capacity.”
Did you know… Digital goods are now subject to a new tax legislation? From now on digital products will be taxed at the VAT rate applicable in the purchaser’s member state rather than the seller’s. The rules are being introduced to stop companies that trade online like Amazon and Google from routing purchases through low VAT countries like Luxembourg. VAT on digital products like e-books, music downloads, video games and apps were previously charged in the country of the supplier. According to reports, the new tax will cause thousands of micro-businesses to shut down. The new legislation will remove the incentive for companies to locate in low VAT rate jurisdictions, improving Ireland’s attractiveness and competitiveness for e-service companies.
Did you know… The Blackwater Distillery in Cappoquin is set to begin production of a new gin, ‘Blackwater No 5', and will later begin production on a new whiskey. Conna native Peter Mulryan, one of the four directors of the new company, told the Irish Independent: “We have a national distribution operation prepared and we are looking at all marketing aspects, including exports.” Mulryan’s father worked as a chemist in Kiely’s brewery in Waterford, while his uncle was the master brewer with Anheuser Busch Brewery, in St Louis, which produces Budweiser.
Did you know… Castlemine Farms and Kinvara Smoked Salmon are set to merge? The merger has come about as a result of the shared business interests of both companies, along with the opportunity to grow at home and abroad. Castlemine Farms, run by Roscommon brothers Derek and Brendan Allen, produces pork, beef and lamb products from its artisan shop in Roscommon Town. Kinvara Smoked Salmon, operated by Declan Droney, is available in UK and Ireland supermarkets and has been deemed ‘Best Smoked Salmon on the Market’ by the BBC Good Food Magazine. Allen said: “As small companies we need to consider our options for collaborating and how we can exploit markets together”. From a market point of view, there are considerable synergies in a broader offering of West of Ireland premium products.”
Did you know… A new whiskey called ‘The Quiet Man' is to be launched by Northern Irish company Niche Drinks? The new brand ‘The Quiet Man’ will be available in early 2015 as a blended whiskey and as an eight-year single malt. The Quiet Man whiskey has been developed to meet the growing demand, particularly in the US, for Irish whiskey. Ciaran Mulgrew, managing director of Niche Drinks said: “What we are doing is to establish a new Irish whiskey brand on the market, ahead of our plan to develop a state-of-the-art distillery in the Campsie industrial estate in Derry. This represents a £10 million investment for the company.” The projected investment in the new whiskey distillery, currently at the planning stage, also includes new production equipment to support an expansion of the company’s Irish cream liqueur processing.
© 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Genna Patterson and Robert Moloney.
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