Following a major £750,000 investment, the Mace store, petrol forecourt and Post Office in Annaclone has converted to the Centra brand.
The store, owned by the McPolin family, supports 16 jobs in the local community and is a much-valued amenity for the area. Significant changes have been made to the store including an extension to create a more seamless and modern shopping environment for customers.
Centra Annaclone store owner, Sharon McPolin, said: “We are delighted to officially relaunch our store under the Centra brand. The refurbishment combined with our new offering for customers is a welcome addition to the local area and will provide a more modern shopping experience. Feedback from our shoppers has been extremely positive and we look forward to continuing to serve the local community with the best in modern convenience retailing for many years to come.”
The store offers a wide range of options and meal solutions for breakfast, lunch and dinner including an improved hot and cold deli counter, plus a full carvery lunch every Sunday.
Coffee lovers can enjoy a hot drink to-go at the Frank and Honest Coffee dock which features 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans. The gourmet coffee brand also offers a digital loyalty app enabling customers to get a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.
To mark the launch of the new look store, Sharon and her brother and co-owner Eoin McPolin were joined by Paddy Murney, Retail Sales Director for Musgrave NI, owner of the Centra brand.
Paddy commented: “We have worked with the McPolin family under the Mace brand for several years, and we are delighted to continue our partnership with them as they move to the Centra brand.
“The recent renovation will be a real asset to the community, delivering improved convenience along with great value for local shoppers. As part of our commitment to value, shoppers will benefit from over 100 special offer items every week and over 300 own brand products which are up to 40% cheaper than the better-known brands . That’s on top of our Epic Deals on four big brand products every three weeks.
“This store is a fantastic addition to the growing Centra portfolio, and we wish the McPolin family all the best on their new journey.”
Centra is also committed to supporting local suppliers, with Musgrave NI spending more than £166m on local food and drink annually.
Paddy continued: “We work with more than 3,000 local farmers, partner with over 240 local suppliers and stock over 4,500 local products across our stores providing shoppers with the freshest produce and range of choice.”
Significant investment has been made in sustainability measures, as Musgrave and its brands work to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2024. Features include solar panels, LED lighting and top-grade energy efficient refrigeration and freezers.