These are exciting times for McCarthy’s SuperValu Newpark Shopping Centre which recently rebranded after 46 years as McCarthy’s EUROSPAR, is celebrating 20 years in Kilkenny and was also one of the big winners at the annual National Grocery Retail Awards and Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards.
A truly neighbourhood shopping experience conveniently located within a puck of a sliotar of the iconic UPMC Nowlan Park and easily accessible from Kilkenny city centre, McCarthy’s SuperValu anchors the Newpark Shopping Centre and is owned and operated by John and Margaret McCarthy, and their family. McCarthy’s officially became a SuperValu store on October 1 last and will celebrate 20 years in its current location this coming July.
“We were with EUROSPAR for 46 years, including over 20 years in Templemore,” John explains.
“We were in Templemore for 27 years in all. Then, in 2005, an opportunity came up to move to a greenfield site in Kilkenny which is now the Newpark Shopping Centre, and is home to 40 different shops and businesses. We’re still familiarising ourselves with Musgraves’ systems and giving our 15,000 sq. ft. store the full Super Valu spec’ ahead of the official opening in July, which coincides with our 20th anniversary.”
A desire to grow their fresh food offering was the main reason behind the decision to rebrand, according to John.
“We got on great with BWG Foods and wouldn’t say a bad word about them, but we wanted to grow our fresh food range and felt we could do that with SuperValu. We think it’s a better fit for us. We’re delighted to be part of the Musgrave Group and look forward to working with them for many years to come,” he says.
“The changeover was a concern for some of our customers who feared that our scratch bakery – which is one of our main draws – would be impacted. But with SuperValu having 232 stores compared to EUROSPAR’s 70, it has given us access to a wider range of products, home brands and more choice. When it comes to food, you always have to be creating new products and being part of the SuperValu family allows us to do that.
“Both ourselves and SuperValu share a strong passion for fresh food, customer service and local jobs, so it’s a very good partnership from that point of view.”
McCarthy’s SuperValu’s bakery offering is second to none and this was duly recognised at the National Grocery Retail Awards which took place in the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Dublin on Thursday, October 10 last when it received the accolade for ‘Ireland’s Best Bakery Offering’. The National Grocery Retail Awards highlight best-in-class performance in retailing and honour those who help Ireland’s pioneering stores and retail outlets achieve levels of service and product excellence that set them apart from their competitors.
In addition, the bakery team won bronze at the Blas na hÉireann Awards for their deliciously fruity Tea Brack. They also claimed bronze in 2023 for Tin Loaf in the Craft Bakers Soda Bread section. The Blas na hÉireann Awards celebrate and reward the very best tasting Irish food and drink products as well as the passionate, driven producers who make it.
“We were delighted to win the awards. They are all down to our amazing bakery team,” John enthuses.
“We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for cakes, including special occasion cakes. We’ve always insisted on making our own bakery products from scratch using local ingredients such as Kells Wholemeal. The cakes are made with fresh cream and Belgian chocolate. The sourdough is made in-store and given time to rise. We’re very passionate about baking – only the best ingredients go into making our cakes and breads.
“We have 10 people – including supervisors Ann, Caroline and Adina – working in the scratch bakery who, like the rest of our 70-strong team, are on first-name terms with many of our customers. Our tagline is ‘the fresh food centre of Kilkenny’ which we strive to live up to every day.”
Not to be outdone, the store’s talented team of butchers, which includes head butcher Matt, John, Gavin and fish monger Denis, won silver at the Blas na hÉireann Awards for their Tuscany Chicken. They also brought home silver in 2023 for Gourmet Lamb Noisettes. This recognition reflects their dedication and passion in crafting top-quality products for their valued customers.
“We’ve been lucky enough to win several prestigious awards down through the years and appreciate and cherish every single one of them.”
McCarthy’s SuperValu’s mission is to provide customers with the best quality and prices as well as a friendly and enjoyable shopping experience. All of its fresh meat, fruit and vegetables are locally sourced and can be traced back to the farm where they were produced. Unlike many other big supermarket chains which operate in this country, SuperValu is Irish-owned and enjoys a wonderful relationship with its customers.
The Kilkenny store is a bright, spacious and well laid-out store which is easy to shop in and places a strong emphasis on fresh foods. It offers a full range of scratch bakery, hot deli, meat, fresh and veg, dairy and groceries. McCarthy’s SuperValu 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.
“It’s a real team effort led by our store manager James. Everyone from the till operators to the bakery plays a part. Our people are our greatest asset and we’d be nothing without them,” John stresses.
The store has a strong reputation for being customer and community-focused. A huge amount of time and effort is put into working with local suppliers to offer customers high-quality, local produce at good value. It is also a longstanding supporter of the local community, being a sponsor of O’Loughlin Gaels GAA among other clubs and groups.
John concludes by saying: “We extend a heartfelt thank you to all our customers and suppliers as we embark on a new journey with SuperValu. We are excited to continue serving as Kilkenny’s fresh food centre, bringing you the very best every day. Thank you for being a part of our success.”
McCarthy’s SuperValu
Newpark Shopping Centre,
Kilkenny,
R95 N67T.
Telephone: 056 778 6700
First published in Grocery & Retail Ireland magazine Vol 4 No 1, Spring 2025
