SuperValu announces “Value Irish” Week – a celebration of Irish suppliers & brands

4 August 2009

A week of food tastings and great offer is set to demonstrate SuperValu’s appreciation for all things Irish

SuperValu has further demonstrated its commitment to Irish food and suppliers by launching the inaugural SuperValu “Value Irish” Week. Taking place from today, “Value Irish” Week will see all 194 independently-owned SuperValu stores showcasing the very best of Irish food and brands with more than 1,500 demonstrations and tastings.  Suppliers involved in “Value Irish” Week include Kepak, Brennan’s Bread, CountryStyle Foods, Glanbia, Carbery, Green Farm Foods, Lyons Tea, Boyne Valley, Green Isle, Unilever Ice Cream and Georgia Pacific.

Bord Bia is also supporting “Value Irish” Week by providing hundreds of recipe leaflets to each SuperValu store throughout the country, to help families make the most of Irish products in their daily meals.  Plus, each SuperValu store will be running competitions and special giveaways each day for shoppers. All of this is in addition to the €200 million recent price cuts, which slashed the cost of an average trolley of goods by €30 – further demonstrating the brand’s commitment to delivering lower prices without sacrificing Irish suppliers and jobs.

Donal Horgan, Managing Director, SuperValu, said; “Value Irish Week is just one way SuperValu stores are showing their support for Irish food, which we believe is amongst the best quality found anywhere in the world.  As an Irish brand that’s been around for more than 30 years, SuperValu is proud to work closely with Irish suppliers and local producers to provide consumers with Irish, home-grown products at the best possible price.”

SuperValu is home to more local producers than any other retailer, ensuring each store stocks goods specific to its local area.  Centrally SuperValu also stocks goods from an additional 600 Irish suppliers, ensuring that 75% of everything on SuperValu’s shelves is sourced or produced in Ireland. These purchases are worth in excess of €2.85 billion every year to the Irish economy and indirectly support 14,000 Irish jobs.  For example all SuperValu branded beef, lamb, chicken, pork and bacon is 100% Irish, while 65% of all fruit and veg is also Irish, adding up to €1.2 billion worth of fresh produce every year.

Later this year, SuperValu is also set to launch the Supervalu ‘Irish Supplier of the Year’ Awards, which will recognise and reward Irish suppliers and brands throughout ‘2010.  The awards scheme will celebrate successful and innovative Irish food companies through a nationwide competition to search for the best companies, suppliers and producers in a range of categories.  Entrants will be invited from categories such as Best Fresh Produce, Most Innovative Product, Food Entrepreneur of the Year, Best Newcomer and more.  Awards in the form of business bursaries will total approximately €30,000.  

Added Horgan, “The search will be on for Ireland’s best and hardest working Irish suppliers. I look forward to applauding these individuals and companies, as their core values are parallel to SuperValu’s – honesty, passion for food and working hard for our local communities and Ireland.”
                                                               
Ends

For further information please contact:

Katie Markese/ Emma Doherty        
Edelman                    
01 6789333                    
087 2688537 / 087 2546762        
Emma.Doherty@edelman.com