The SuperValu own brand range is to be rolled out to Musgrave-supplied stores in Northern Ireland and mainland Britain, the wholesale group has announced.
The range recently made its debut in SuperValu stores in the Irish Republic, and is now going to be made available to retailers operating under the Budgens and Londis banners, as well as SuperValu stores in Northern Ireland.
Budgens stores are expected to receive their first deliveries during March, with the range rolled out to Londis stores in April. By the end of June, over 900 products will be available across the network in Great Britain. The group will invest over £400,000 in marketing support including advertising, public relations, in-store POS and sampling, and digital marketing.
The Irish range includes canned veg, biscuits, breakfast cereals and olive oil as well as some fresh lines such as bread, cheese and cooked meat. Some products, such as tea, will be specifically sourced to match UK tastes.
Musgrave Group chief executive officer Chris Martin commented: “There has been a significant shift by consumers to own brand products in recent years in Ireland and the UK. Our aim is to capitalise on this by offering products that are up to 20% cheaper than their branded equivalent. We have set aggressive targets and aim to bring own brand sales from €700m today to €1bn across the business by the end of 2014.
“This also represents a fantastic export opportunity for our Irish suppliers as they will deliver a significant amount of our new range in Great Britain. For example, Bandon Vale who supply us with SuperValu Cheddar and the Brady Family who provide us with our own brand repacked cooked meats will benefit from €2.5m and €1m in new business respectively.
“The launch will mark the first time that the SuperValu brand is available in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The brand will be positioned around the statement – SuperValu: Super Value, Super Quality.”
