Musgrave invests £100M in Northern Ireland food

Retail leader Musgrave has announced a £100 million commitment into the Northern Ireland food and drink industry this year as well as a £10 million investment into its store network across Northern Ireland.

In 2017 Musgrave will buy more than £100 million worth of local food and drink, working in partnership with over 140 local suppliers, selling more than 3,000 local products across its stores and working with over 3,000 local farmers.

This multi-million outlay is part of a province-wide campaign to demonstrate Musgrave's commitment to the local community and industry across its SuperValu, Centra, Mace and MarketPlace brands.

The company recently celebrated its 20th birthday in Northern Ireland and is a committed local employer of over 5,000 people across its business along with a dedicated partner of almost 130 retail families within the province.

Musgrave and its independent SuperValu and Centra retailers have invested significantly in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives across the province, having raised a massive £2.5 million for charity partner Action Cancer since 2005, believed to be the biggest single donation by a Northern Ireland company. Mace retailers and the MarketPlace brand have raised more than £60,000 for Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke, since beginning the charity partnership in 2016.

Musgrave managing director, Michael McCormack said: "Musgrave recently celebrated 20 years of investment in Northern Ireland and this year alone, we're committing £100 million to the local food and drink industry and £10 million to deliver the best in convenience retailing for consumers across our entire network of SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores.

"We pride ourselves on bringing great value and fresh food to the heart of local communities. Supporting retailers, local suppliers and communities remains a top priority for our business," he continued.

"Our consumers know that when they shop with us, their money is invested back into their local community through wages, local sourcing, professional services and charitable contributions," Michael added.

Food NI's chief executive Michele Shirlow said: "This significant commitment from Musgrave represents a huge vote of confidence in Northern Ireland's innovative food and drink industry. We welcome this investment, which provides support and opportunity for the local producers who are growing our reputation as a great food region."

Musgrave in Northern Ireland comprises the retail and wholesale segments of Musgrave Group and supports independent retailers through the SuperValu, Centra, Mace and DayToday brands and wholesale customers through the MarketPlace brand across the province.

Pictured: Ciara McClafferty, trading director, Musgrave.