Retail News|October 2014|www.retailnews.ie|63
62|Retail News|October 2014|www.retailnews.ie
Costcutter Store of the Year
Costcutter Store of the Year
Costcutter Scores on Quality Eugene Carney from Costcutter Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, is pictured accepting the Foodmarket Wine Store of the Year Award from Jim Barry, MD, Barry Group.
The Costcutter Store of the Year Awards saw the top stores countrywide rewarded across a host of categories.
Michael and Josephine Fitzpatrick, from Costcutter Kilmihil, Co. Clare, are pictured receiving the Costcutter Express Store of the Year Award from Jim Barry, Holly Barry and Gerard Burke, Group Account Manager, Barry Group.
Jim Barry is pictured with Aaron Massey, Costcutter Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin, winner of the Costcutter Foodmarket of the Year.
Jim Barry, Barry Group Managing Director, with his daughter Holly, presents the Costcutter Supermarket of the Year Award to Michael, Olive, Susan and George Doherty, from Carndonagh
UP to 35 new stores will open in the coming year under the Costcutter/ Carry Out retail franchise brands in Ireland, creating around 300 new jobs, it was announced at the Costcutter Store of The Year Awards, held recently at The Heritage Hotel, in Killenard, County Laois. Jim Barry, Managing Director of the Barry Group, who support the 120-strong independent Costcutter group, said that the locally owned stores have invested substantially in new technology, range and services in the past year, and that business is very much “on the up”, reflecting the big demand for community based retailing. Upping The Bar The MD thanked the team at the Barry
Group for “upping the bar” over the last year. Acknowledging that the Irish grocery market remains a difficult and ever-changing place to do business, Barry pointed to the continued growth of the discounters and the fact that Tesco continues to lose share. The convenience market, he maintained, had more than halved over the last decade but it is stabilising, he said. The Dublin market, for example, is recovering, along with Cork, Galway and other larger populated areas, but things remain tough in rural areas. However, he opined, we are most likely at the beginning of the next business cycle. Barry argued that our Government suffers from “a lack of joined-up thinking”. We are meant to be the best
small country to do business in, he argued, yet there are many threats to our business. He cited the proposed plain packaging on cigarettes and tobacco as a case in point, as well as the high costs of doing business in Ireland, the threat of crime, counterfeit products and the lack of access to broadband, especially in rural areas. In terms of the Barry Group, however, he argued that their longterm policy of not affecting services to customers during the recent difficult trading years is paying off, and there is a major focus within the Group on how to keep improving these services. New Developments at Costcutter Within Costcutter, there are many new developments in the pipeline, including the roll-out of a new store operator manual, the launch of a Costcutter app, and a new loyalty scheme. Other developments include enhancing the role of the account manager, developing
an off licence offering, extending Costcutter’s private label range and developing a solid fuel offering, as well as increased focus on the product mix and brand development. “How we all manage and develop our brand going forward is vital for us all,” Barry noted. To that end, Barry Group will focus on developing the Costcutter brand through a combination of traditional and new/ social media, as well as in-store
execution. “We need everybody on board, the retailer, supplier and the Colm Allen’s Costcutter Phibsboro, Dublin 7, was named Costcutter Express Wine Store of the Year: Declan Johnson, team at Barry Group, Barry Group, is pictured accepting the award on behalf of all working together to the store. deliver to our maximum Pick, and Carry Out independent retail potential,” the MD franchises, and providing wholesale explained. food and alcohol distribution to over The Barry Group, based in Mallow 800 independent retail customers in Cork, is one of the biggest retail through its central distribution distribution groups in Ireland, owning network nationwide. and operating the Costcutter, Quik
Costcutter Store of the Year Awards Costcutter Supermarket of the Year Winner: Runners-up:
Doherty’s Costcutter, Carndonagh, Co. Donegal Liddy’s Costcutter, Roslevein, Ennis, Co. Clare Tuohy’s Costcutter, Birr, Co. Offaly
Costcutter Foodmarket of the Year Winner: Runners-up:
Massey’s Costcutter, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin Durkin’s Costcutter, Tully, Connemara, Co. Galway Daniels’ Costcutter, Ballina, Co. Mayo
Costcutter Express Store of the Year Winner: Runners-up:
Fitzpatrick’s Costcutter, Kilmihil, Co. Clare Cruise’s Costcutter, Wellingtonbridge, Co. Wexford Skelly’s Costcutter, Virginia, Co. Cavan
Farren’s Costcutter, Buncranna, Co. Donegal
Off Licence of the Year Winner: Runners-up:
Massey’s Costcutter, Rathfarnham, Co. Dublin Daniels’ Costcutter, Ballina, Co. Mayo Durkin’s Costcutter, Tully, Connemara, Co. Galway
Fresh Produce Award Winner:
Liddy’s Costcutter, Roslevein, Ennis, Co. Clare
Best Food To Go Award
Winner: Costcutter Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary (Amber Oil)
Foodmarket Wine Store of the Year
Forecourt of the Year
Costcutter Express Wine Store of the Year
Best Customer Service Award
Winner: Runners-up:
Winner: Runners-up:
Carney’s Costcutter, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo Murphy’s Costcutter, Macroom, Co. Cork Carrig’s Costcutter, Tiermaclane, Ennis, Co. Clare Allen’s Costcutter, Phibsboro, Dublin 7 Cruise’s Costcutter, Wellingtonbridge, Co. Wexford
Winner: Runners-up:
Winner:
Costcutter Fermoy, Co. Cork (Amber Oil) Liddy’s Costcutter, Mill Road, Ennis, Co. Clare Stafford’s Costcutter, Clonard, Co. Wexford
John Moran, Costcutter Dingle.