Centra and SuperValu, part of the Musgrave Group, have today launched their sustainability campaigns with the announcement that the retail brands will plant 50,000 trees in Northern Ireland by 2032.

The initiative will see the convenience retailers partner with Trees on the Land – a charity and not-for-profit project from the Green Economy Foundation – to sponsor the planting of 5,000 native trees in 13 locations across Northern Ireland this year, and a further 5,000 in 2023.

To further support the initiative, colleagues from SuperValu and Centra stores will be pulling on their wellies and volunteering to help plant the trees (Covid-19 permitting).

Desi Derby, Director of Marketing for SuperValu and Centra in Northern Ireland, said:

“This is a very exciting community initiative for us, and we are thrilled to partner with Trees on the Land. We know from talking to our customers that environmental issues are important to them and at SuperValu and Centra, we care about and believe in sustainability, and have already made significant changes to become a more sustainable business.

“We are committed to making a positive impact in the communities in which we operate and being able to facilitate the planting of this number of native trees will have many positive long-term effects, including absorbing carbon dioxide, improving air quality, improving soils and enhancing biodiversity.”

Imogen Rabone, Project Co-ordinator and Founder of Trees on the Land, added:

“We are delighted to partner with SuperValu and Centra for our tree planting scheme. Thanks to their support we can enable community groups, schools, smallholders, and farmers to plant 10,000 native trees across Northern Ireland over the next two years. These trees will create habitat for wildlife, soak up carbon and provide many other useful ecosystem services for many generations to come.”

A commitment to planting 50,000 trees is one in a list of steps being taken by SuperValu and Centra to make their stores and communities more sustainable, and each month, the brands will spotlight the tangible steps they are taking to become more sustainable, while encouraging shoppers to play their part.

“We all have a responsibility to care for the environment and we believe small changes can make a big impact. Together with our customers, we can build a more sustainable future by helping to look after the planet we all share,” Desi said.

2020 saw the entire Run Together series cancelled due to the pandemic but now with restrictions lifting, the flagship event at Ormeau Park will go ahead this Autumn. A small entry fee will apply to both the 5K and 10K races, with full proceeds being donated to Action Cancer – Centra’s longstanding charity partner.

Commenting on the launch, Jennifer Morton, Centra Brand Manager, said:

“We are delighted to be able to bring Centra Run Together back to Ormeau Park this October.  As always, our aim is to encourage as many people to get up, get active and embrace the community spirit of the event, whether they are a frequent runner or a first timer. With both a 5K and 10K race on offer – Run Together has got you covered.”   

Centra Run Together encourages people to get active by running, jogging or walking with a friend, the kids, or even the family dog, whilst raising vital funds for Action Cancer.

Everyone that takes part will receive a free T-shirt, bespoke Centra Run Together medal, a free lunch and tasty samples courtesy of Deep RiverRock, Müller, Alpro, Coleraine, Kingsmill and Fulfil. On the day, there will also be entertainment for all the family.

For further information and details of how to register visit www.centra.co.uk/runtogether or the Centra Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CentraNI

Musgrave NI announces £12 million investment for 2021

Set against an ambitious growth strategy, local convenience retail brand, Centra continues its expansion across Northern Ireland with the opening of its 100^th store.

The landmark achievement comes as Musgrave Northern Ireland, which operates the SuperValu, Centra and MACE brands, announced further investment plans of £12 million for 2021.  This includes the opening of over 20 new stores, creating up to 500 jobs and follows on the back of an investment heavy year in 2020, despite the pandemic.

As part of this significant investment, an additional 17 existing stores across the network will also benefit from a revamp.

Dunman’s Centra in Cookstown is the 100^th store in the convenience brand’s portfolio in Northern Ireland and is located just outside Cookstown on the Moneymore Road. In addition, Lusty’s Centra in Larne Harbour recently opened its doors and the next few weeks will see openings in Knockbreda and Toome.

Significant refreshes are planned for SuperValu Portstewart, McGleenan’s Centra Keady and McCool’s Centra Ballymena, providing more inspiration and ideas for shoppers with a focus on quality across fresh produce, meat, and food-to-go.

Musgrave has invested heavily in its convenience offering in recent years, including its artisan on-the-go coffee brand, Frank and Honest, which is available in over 150 SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores across Northern Ireland. With over 800 Frank and Honest locations across the island of Ireland, Frank and Honest is now the largest on-the-go coffee brand on the island.  Moo’d ice-cream, now available in over 20 stores, provides shoppers with a range of sweet treat options while Green Kitchen, the Centra salad bar offering, expanded the food-to-go menu.

Speaking today, Trevor Magill Managing Director for Musgrave in Northern Ireland said –

“We have ambitious plans for our network with the focus clearly on our vision to ‘redefine convenience’ in Northern Ireland. The development of new stores alongside the refurbishment of existing stores and continuing to innovate when it comes to product lines, ensures we are always focused on what matters to our shoppers.

“Our teams, across the SuperValu, Centra and MACE brands, are dedicated to providing great quality and choice in terms of our offer, with value for money and exceptional levels of customer service at the heart of what we do.”