CLEAN SWEEP FOR SUPERVALU AT 2008 QUALITY AWARDS

29 January 2009

180 SuperValu stores have just been awarded Excellence Ireland Hygiene & Food Safety certificates at its annual Quality Awards, demonstrating SuperValu’s commitment to rigorous quality standards. The National Hygiene programme, devised by Excellence Ireland Quality Association provides independent verification of the highest standards of hygiene and food safety in the food sector.

The National Hygiene and Food Safety Certificates were presented by Donal Horgan, Managing Director of SuperValu.  SuperValu retailers from all over Ireland gathered at the annual awards ceremony including SuperValu Newmarket Co-Op, O’Keffee’s SuperValu Millstreet, Twohig’s SuperValu Kanturk, Dano’s SuperValu Mallow and Reidy’s SuperValu Mitchelstown.

With 180 stores awarded the EIQA Hygiene & Food Safety Certificate, SuperValu remains the supermarket network with the best representation within the EIQA Hygiene and Food Safety programme, having been awarded more National Hygiene Certificates than any other supermarket.

SuperValu spends €6m annually on an integrated approach to food safety and quality assurance and invests over half a million euro, each year, in store hygiene systems.

In addition, 61 stores received the SuperValu Supreme Quality Award.  Receipt of the ‘SuperValu Supreme Quality Award’ is based on the accumulated total of highest Excellence Ireland audit scores received over the past three years.

Commenting at the awards ceremony, Donal Horgan, Managing Director, SuperValu, said, “SuperValu is committed to meeting and exceeding the highest standards of food safety and quality.   Being awarded the EIQA Hygiene & Food Safety Certificate doesn’t simply mean that we keep our shops floors clean, this hygiene quality ethos is embedded in our DNA and is maintained throughout the food chain, from production right through to sales.”

For further information please contact:

Des O’Mahony
Brand Communications Manager
Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland
Mob: 021 480 3474
E-Mail: des.omahony@musgrave.ie