Ryan’s SuperValu Togher pulled of a famous double at the prestigious SuperValu Store Awards 2026 when it was named ‘National SuperValu Store of the Year’ and ‘Best Large Store of the Year’.
Presented at the SuperValu National Conference in The Great Southern Hotel, Killarney in late February, the overall award recognises the store’s exceptional performance across food leadership, fresh-food offering and quality management along with its customer service and community engagement. In what was a highly-competitive field, Ryan’s stood out for its consistently outstanding standards and the unique strengths of SuperValu’s independent retail model.
The store on the southside of Cork City was commended for the way it supports local clubs, charities and organisations, reflecting SuperValu’s long standing role not just as a retailer, but as a vital part of the communities it serves.
Accepting the ‘National SuperValu Store of the Year’ accolade, store owner Liam Ryan paid tribute to his dedicated team and loyal customers.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be named National SuperValu Store of the Year 2026 – it’s a title we have been chasing for years. This award is a testament to every single person in our store, who brings passion, pride and commitment to their work every day,” he enthused.
“Our team goes above and beyond for our customers. That’s what makes the difference – the friendly faces, the care for quality food and the genuine connection we have with the Togher community. We’re honoured to be recognised.
“I want to sincerely thank our colleagues, our loyal customers and everyone locally who has supported us. This achievement belongs to all of us.”
Congratulating Ryan’s SuperValu Togher, SuperValu managing director Luke Hanlon commented: “Their commitment to quality food, exceptional service and community leadership truly embodies what SuperValu stands for. It is stores like this that bring our independent retail model to life in communities across the country.
“What sets each SuperValu apart is the passion and commitment of our retail partners and the role they play in providing local employment, supporting local suppliers, and helping to build stronger communities across Ireland.
“Each year, these awards serve as a reminder of that commitment and the extraordinary standards being delivered in SuperValu stores nationwide.”
Paul Ellison, independent retail consultant and competition judge, added: “I would like to extend my congratulations to Ryan’s SuperValu Togher who demonstrated great commitment to quality food, outstanding service and strong people leadership, all delivered at the heart of the local community.”
The double success comes less than three years after Ryan’s SuperValu Togher unveiled a new-look, state-of-the-art store following a €7.5 million investment. The revamped store offers an extended range of top-quality produce, including new expertly-led deli, butcher and fishmonger counters, an expanded bakery range, an in-store café and Ryan’s own prepared meal range, ‘The Supper Pot’.
The award-winning Cork store’s bakers, butchers and fishmongers offer a range of exciting creations through the ‘Prepared by Our Butcher’ and ‘Supper Pot’ dishes, while The Happy Pear, Health & Wellness and Taste of Local zones bring an exclusive and unique offering to shoppers.
As part of the revamp, Ryan’s SuperValu incorporated a number of sustainability upgrades to enhance the efficiency of the store. These upgrades included the installation of solar panels, the introduction of LED lighting throughout the store as well as the installation of energy-efficient refrigeration doors, all of which have led to a dramatic reduction in energy consumption across the premises.
Furthermore, the revamp created an extra 20 jobs, bringing the overall total to more than 100.
“The revamp has been a ‘game-changer’ for us,” store assistant manager Derek Hackett says.
“It has doubled our floor area to 20,000 sq. ft. and allowed us to offer a more modern and spacious shopping experience to our valued customers. Our off-licence has also doubled in size and we’ve greatly expanded our fresh-food and ambient offering. As our product range has grown, so too has our list of local suppliers.
“Since the revamp, we made a few tweaks here and there by listening to our customers. Their feedback is very important to us. We continue to go from strength to strength. Even during the revamp when the shop looked more like a building site at times, we experienced growth and our customers stuck with us. We’re very grateful for their continued support.
“We also have a strong social media presence and that has helped to attract younger shoppers and students from the nearby UCC and MTU Cork. We also have ample parking space.”
Bringing home the ‘National SuperValu Store of the Year’ and ‘Best Large Store of the Year’ accolades was a great source of pride for all the team in Togher, according to Derek.
“We were delighted and so were our customers. It was our third year in-a-row to be finalist in both categories, so to win two awards at once was very special. We previously won ‘Best Performing Off-Licence’ in 2024. The awards are testament to the hard work and dedication of our amazing team, which is led by store manager Kevin Morgan.
“We pride ourselves on our consistently high standards and our ability to execute SuperValu’s national concepts. We buy into the different SuperValu ranges and highlight the value-for-money they offer. We make their Multi Buy and Real Rewards front and centre. In addition, our retail excellence systems are second to none.”
Supporting local is of key importance to the team at Ryan’s where customers are able to purchase an extended range of products from local producers in the Taste of Local area in store. Not only that, the store also gives back to the community where and whenever possible. Since taking ownership 34 years ago, Liam Ryan has supported many local charities, community groups, local schools and sporting teams including St Finbarr’s GAA, Togher Tidy Towns, Cork City Children’s Hospital Club, Togher Boxing Club and Marymount Hospice to name but a few.
Ryan’s SuperValu Togher is one of five supermarkets owned by Liam and his wife Diane in the Munster area. They also operate three other SuperValu outlets in Glanmire, Grange (Frankfield) and Kilmallock, while they lease a smaller Centra supermarket in Aherla, Co. Limerick.
At 27,000 sq. ft., Glanmire is believed to be the largest SuperValu in the country and will shortly undergo a €5 million revamp. The Kilmallock store will also be upgraded to the tune of €2.5 million by the ever-progressive Ryan Group.
Opening hours at Ryan’s SuperValu Togher are 7am to 9pm Monday-Wednesday, 7am to 10pm Thursday-Friday, 7am to 9pm on Saturdays and 8am to 8pm on Sundays.
Ryan’s SuperValu Togher
Togher,
Cork,
T12 N67A.
Telephone: 021 431 3268
First published in Grocery & Retail Ireland magazine Vol 5 No 2, Summer 2026
featured, Ryan’s SuperValu Togher
