Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh has been recognised as one of the top supermarkets in Ireland by claiming a prestigious award.
No stranger to winning coveted awards, the Co. Cork retailer saw off strong competition to be named ‘Best Medium SuperValu Store of the Year’ at the SuperValu National Conference which was held in The Great Southern Hotel, Killarney recently. The store was judged on a wide range of criteria, including product range, presentation, sustainability, customer care and hygiene standards.
The competition was judged by retail consultant Matthew Brown who praised the store for its innovative practices and its celebration of local suppliers. He said the Garvey’s SuperValu, Cobh team should be very proud of their achievement and that they put on a ‘world-class’ performance.
“We are over the moon to have won this award and would like to congratulate all those who have been shortlisted as we know the hard work and high standards set by stores each year,” Garvey’s SuperValu store manager John Paul Curtin says.
“I’d like to congratulate our amazing team who go above and beyond for our customers. This award is a testament to the hard work and enthusiasm they show every day of the week and would not be possible without them and our fantastic customers. Customer service and quality products are what we pride ourselves most on.”
SuperValu managing director Ian Allen commented: “Every year, we are blown away by the high standard set by finalists who are paving the way as exemplar SuperValu stores nationwide and leading the way in our mission to build sustainable communities.
“I’d like to congratulate Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh for showing excellent leadership in the area of sustainability, implementing a truly innovative store product range and supporting local producers. The team at Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh are hugely deserving of this accolade and I’d like to wish them every success going forward.”
The award caps a very successful 12 months for the store which also won ‘Best Bakery’ and ‘Best Meat Offering’ at the 2022 National Grocery Retail Awards as well as ‘Medium Store of the Year’ at last November’s SuperValu Off-Licence of the Year Awards. In addition, Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh was a finalist in the 2022 ‘Best in Fresh Awards’ and was also a Top30 finalist in the Retail Excellence Awards after being rigorously tested with a 10 pillar of retail submission and an onsite visit from Retail Excellence and Echochamber personnel.
Employing 70 people, the store is part of the Garvey Group which operates seven SuperValu and three Centra stores in the South and South-West. The SuperValu stores are located in Corbally, Tralee, Castleisland, Dingle, Listowel, Dungarvan and Cobh, while the three Centra outlets are in Dungarvan, Adare and Newcastle West.
Founded in Tralee in 1935, the Garvey Group’s success has been achieved through the vision of its management team, the skill and wholehearted committed of all employees, its dedication to achieving the highest standards and its ongoing support of the local communities it is proud to serve. Passionate about fresh food, the Group prides itself on offering customers the very best in locally-sourced fresh produce which is delivered on a daily basis. Each store goes to great lengths to source the freshest fresh fruit and vegetables from farmers and food producers in their locality. They believe fresh is always best!
Since opening its doors in 2007, Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh has gone from strength to strength. In November 2021, it underwent a €2.5 million revamp which has enabled it to offer an extended range of produce across a new premium meat counter, fishmonger and bakery.
The new-look store also boasts an enhanced fresh food offering with a new focus on artisan and vegan departments, including a Happy Pear vegan section alongside a new deli and cheese counter. The new store was also designed with the environment in mind, coming with 562 solar panels that produce enough renewable electricity to power over 400 homes a year. Eco-friendly LED lighting also features throughout, alongside closed refrigeration units which have led to a 40% reduction in energy consumption across the premises.
“We have the largest number of solar panels of any SuperValu store in Ireland which underlines our commitment to sustainability. These changes meant that we were able to secure SEAI grants for Cobh GAA and St Benedict’s Priory for their energy upgrade works,” John Paul explains.
“Under the same roof, we have a beauty salon, opticians, hairdressing salon, chemist and café, while a primary care centre is also due to open soon. It’s important to be a one-stop shop, especially when you have other large retail outlets beside you.”
In addition to the goods already available, the new store places a strong emphasis on fresh produce from local suppliers, with 75% of goods being sourced in Ireland. It brings a taste of Cork’s famous English Market to Cobh with brands such as O’Flynn’s Sausages, Pig’s Back and Mr Bell’s Spices.
“The first aisle has a market feel to it. We wanted to create a ‘Best in Cork’ section featuring local premium produce. We have great local brands like Hassett’s Bakery, Hanley’s Pudding, Glorious Sushi, Little Thai Kitchen, Field Fresh Potatoes, Slaney Farms and Athula Fusion Foods,” the affable store manager continues.
When entering Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh, customers are greeted with a smile and an array of quality fresh foods across all departments. The store offers a full range of scratch bakery, deli, meat, fish, dairy and groceries. Its fishmonger, Michelle Lynch, has been part of the team for 18 years. In addition, the store’s craft butchers offer a wide range of prepared-by-butcher meals, while its 28-day dry-aged beef is renowned for its flavour and tenderness.
Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh also has a large selection of specialty foods and stocks a wide variety of wines and beers in its off-licence from local, national and international producers. Furthermore, the store combines the best of SuperValu’s own grocery brands with the leading brands.
The store has been a long-standing supporter of the local community in Cobh. SuperValu sponsors the GAA Football All-Ireland Championships and the National Tidy Towns competition, and also works closely with schools and communities as part of its ‘Save the Bees’ campaign.
“We provide over 100 food hampers to people in need every Christmas. We also provide sponsorship to the local GAA and soccer clubs, the Tidy Towns and are also committed to working towards making Cobh an autism-friendly town. We’re immersed in the local community.”
Open 8am-9pm Monday to Saturday and 9am to 8pm on Sundays, Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh would like to take this opportunity to thank its customers and suppliers for their continued support as well as its staff for their hard work, dedication and expertise.
Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh
Tiknock,
Cobh,
Co. Cork,
P24 CY96.
Telephone: 021 490 8340
First published in Grocery & Retail Ireland magazine Vol 2 No 1, Summer 2023
