May10Industry
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Topaz Raises €75,000 for UNICEF PICTURED are five year old Molly Murray from Dublin and Isabelle Hartley, Topaz head office, encouraging customers to support the company’s very successful ‘Help Us to Help Haiti” campaign. Over the last couple of months Topaz placed collection buckets in over 100 company owned sites and selected dealer sites all over the country, and
SuperValu to Sell €500,000 of Irish Rhubarb SUPERVALU will account for approximately €500,000 worth of fresh Irish rhubarb sales this year. SuperValu stores expect to sell in excess of 250,000 units this year, with rhubarb bunches retailing at €2 each, with the first new season Irish rhubarb now available in over 194 SuperValu stores throughout Ireland. Three local Irish growers hold the contract to supply Irish rhubarb to SuperValu: Coolmore Market Gardens, Carrigaline, Co. Cork; Jim Rooney, Skerries, Co. Dublin; and Derek Ryan, Oldtown, Co. Dublin. This is part of SuperValu’s strategy to source 100% Irish fresh produce where possible. The rhubarb is picked and packed by order every day, to be delivered onto shelves in SuperValu within 24 hours of harvesting. Pictured at the announcement is Yasmin Kelly, aged 10, from Dublin.
the campaign raised €75,000 for UNICEF Ireland’s Emergency Appeal for the children of Haiti.
Neil Jordan Joins Hennessy X.O Literary Awards Hall of Fame ONE of Ireland’s most prominent literary characters, Sligo-born Neil Jordan was inducted into the Hennessy X.O Literary Awards Hall of Fame recently. Now in their 39th year, the Hennessy X.O Literary Awards are unique awards that espouse the importance of Irish literature in the fabric of Irish life. The prestigious 2009 Hennessy X.O New Irish Writer Award was presented to Madeleine D’Arcy, winner of the First Fiction category, for her short story, ‘Is This Like Scotland?’ Other Awards presented on the night included Emerging Fiction to Michael O’Higgins for his short story, ‘The Migration’; and Emerging Poetry to Corkborn Olive Broderick for her poems, ‘Misconception’ and ‘Market Forces’. Neil Jordan is pictured at the Hennessy X.O Literary Awards, with his daughter Anna.
Walkers TV Now Awards THE Walkers TV Now Awards, which honour the best shows and stars on Irish TV, returned to Dublin’s Mansion House on May 22, where a host of stars from Irish TV and the most popular British soaps came together for a glittering, black tie ceremony. The excitement reached fever pitch as the winners of the 17 different categories were announced, all but one of which are voted for by the Irish public. Viewers were asked to vote for their favourite soap stars, Irish shows, and male and female presenters. In addition, Walkers introduced a new award for 2010 - the Walkers Favourite Soap Family award. Pictured at the launch of the Walkers TV Now Awards are: Joanne Fox, Walkers Marketing; Michael O’Doherty, Publisher, TV Now Magazine; Vivienne Connelly; and Donna Byrne, Walkers Marketing.
William Grant to Acquire C&C’s Spirits Business PREMIUM spirits business and independent family distillers, William Grant & Sons Holdings Ltd, has entered into a binding agreement for the purchase of the shares and assets of C&C Group plc’s spirits and liqueur business for €300m. The purchase will include the C&C portfolio of Irish spirits and liqueur brands: Tullamore Dew, Carolans, Frangelico and Irish Mist. C&C Group is required to obtain 10
shareholder approval for the disposal. Subject to that condition, it is expected that the transaction will be completed on June 20, 2010. According to Stella David, Chief Executive Officer of William Grant & Sons, the company have been looking to further develop their non-Scotch portfolio: “Irish whiskey is a natural fit and C&C’s spirits business provides a unique opportunity to acquire a number of significant brands and enter the highly desirable and dynamic Irish whiskey category.”