Centra on Main Street in Toome has officially relaunched following a major refurbishment and investment of £300,000.

The store, which supports 22 jobs in the community, was recently acquired by experienced retailer Ryan Cathcart, who operates Centra stores on Roguery Road, Toome and on Castledawson Road in Magherafelt.

The store features a wide range of meal solutions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including an enhanced food to go offering with sandwiches, salads and a hot food counter at the deli.

Commenting at the launch of the refurbished store, owner Ryan Cathcart said:

“We’re proud to unveil a fresh new look in the store which has been a fixture in the community for many years. Feedback so far has been very positive, and we look forward to providing shoppers with an extensive range, great value and excellent customer service for many years to come.”

Centra Sales Manager Norman Bennett added:

“Congratulations to our independent retail partner Ryan on his newly refreshed store – a lot of work has gone into the transformation and it’s clear to see customers are impressed with the changes. It’s a real asset to the community, offering the height of convenience at great value.  We have worked in partnership with Ryan for many years and are delighted to see this new addition to his business; I’d like to wish him and the team all the best with the new store.”

Other features in the store include a Frank and Honest coffee dock, which features 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans. Shoppers can also avail of the coffee brand’s digital loyalty app enabling customers to get a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.

As part of Centra’s commitment to value, shoppers will benefit from hundreds of best buys and savings of up to 40% on own brand products.  That’s as well as a Supermarket Price Match on key everyday items with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, plus the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

Centra is also committed to supporting local suppliers, with Musgrave NI spending more than £166m on local food and drink annually, working with more than 3,000 local farmers, over 240 local suppliers and stocking over 4,500 local products across its stores, including the new Good Food Locally Sourced range of meal solutions.

As Musgrave and its brands work to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, the updated store features energy efficient LED lighting and refrigeration system, while digital screens and electronic shelf edge labels will be introduced, all to reduce the store’s energy consumption and carbon footprint.

The store team also celebrated the launch with a fun day for customers with exclusive offers, a spin and win wheel, balloon modeller and face painter.

The store’s opening hours are: 6am to 9pm, Monday to Friday, 7am to 9pm on Saturday, and 8am to 9pm on Sunday.

Following a £1m investment, O’Kane’s convenience store and petrol forecourt on the Moy Road in Armagh, has been refurbished and has officially opened under the Centra brand.

The store which supports 67 jobs in the local community, including 15 new positions, has been in the O’Kane family since the 1990s, started by Tom. The business is now run by his sons Brian and Aidan, and daughter Helen. The store, which includes Moy Road Post Office, is a much-valued amenity for the area, and the significant investment has allowed for new and exciting additions.

To mark the occasion the O’Kane family were joined by Musgrave NI’s Sales Manager Norman Bennett and New Business and Acquisitions Manager, Barry Holland.

Commenting on the opening Brian O’Kane: “We are delighted to relaunch our store under the Centra brand. The refurbishment combined with our enhanced offering is proving extremely popular with our customers and we look forward to continuing to serve the local community with a one-stop shop and the best in modern convenience retailing for many years to come.”

The modern store offers a wide range of fresh and chilled foods plus a greater selection of options and meal solutions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including food-to-go from an enhanced hot and cold deli counter.

Coffee lovers can enjoy a hot drink to-go and refreshing iced coffee at the Frank and Honest Coffee dock, which features 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans. Shoppers can also avail of the coffee brand’s digital loyalty app enabling customers to get a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.

Inspired by the Frank and Honest coffee brand, the family opened a Frank and Honest café next to the store where customers can sit in to enjoy a hot drink and sweet treats from an ice cream counter.

Barry Holland added: “O’Kane’s Centra in Armagh is a fantastic addition to the ever- growing Centra portfolio, and we wish the family all the best on their new journey. The recent renovation will be a real asset to the community, delivering improved convenience along with great value for local shoppers, while the new café is exceeding expectations.”

In addition to an enhanced product range and as part of Centra’s commitment to value, shoppers will benefit from hundreds of best buys and savings of up to 40% on own brand products. That’s as well as a Supermarket Price Match on key everyday items with Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda, plus the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

Centra is also committed to supporting local suppliers, with Musgrave NI spending more than £166m on local food and drink annually, working with more than 3,000 local farmers, over 240 local suppliers and stocking over 4,500 local products across its stores, including the new Good Food Locally Sourced range of meal solutions.

As Musgrave and its brands work to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040, the store features digital screens, energy efficient LED lighting, an energy efficient refrigeration system and electronic shelf edge labels.

The store team also celebrated the launch with a fun day for customers with exclusive offers, a spin and win wheel, balloon modeller and face painter. The store’s opening hours are: 6am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and 7am to 10pm on Sunday.

For more information on Centra stores in Northern Ireland, visit www.centra.co.uk

Frank and Honest named Northern Ireland’s favourite convenience store coffee

With the coffee you’re carrying saying as much about you as the trainers you’re wearing, latest research* puts Northern Irish preferences under the microscope as the latte is crowned Northern Ireland’s favourite type of coffee.

The findings revealed that more than 28% of respondents pick the milky hot latte, with Cappuccino and Americano both following behind at 17% each. The research was commissioned by Musgrave, Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company and parent of the Frank and Honest coffee brand, which came out as Northern Ireland’s favourite convenience store coffee.

On average, coffee drinkers are consuming three coffees per day, with 13% claiming to have five or more per day – with a third of respondents risking a sleepless night and enjoying a coffee past 6pm.

With the seemingly ever-expanding coffee menu across establishments, a major trend amongst consumers is personalisation, with a third adding flavours, and 54% of those satisfying their sweet tooth with a pump of caramel syrup.

Whether it’s oat, soya or coconut, the alternative milk trends also continue to froth to the top as 1 in 4 will now opt for non-dairy milk, rising to 30% with those aged 18-34 years old.

The results also showed that even though Northern Ireland gets on average 180 days of rain per year, a third of the population drink an iced coffee every week, with one in seven opting for the cool drink no matter the weather.

Sales of the icy beverage are being driven by the Gen Z and younger millennial market with 18–34-year-olds purchasing yet conversely over half of those aged 45+ have never and don’t intend to drink iced coffee.

Desi Derby, Director of Marketing at Musgrave said: “Coffee trends are ever- changing and evolving as more options and alternatives get added to the menu. We have noticed corresponding trends across our stores with syrups being chosen daily, and there has been a clear uptake in iced coffee preferences year-round in many of our stores; we look forward to rolling out the cool alternatives in even more stores soon.

“We’re delighted that Frank and Honest has been crowned Northern Ireland’s favourite convenience store coffee. Not only is it a great tasting coffee, but it also has an environmental pledge at its heart not least with fully compostable cups and lids. We’re committed to providing the injection of caffeine the region needs; in whatever brew they prefer.”

To celebrate the findings, Musgrave teamed up with local personality and radio presenter Melissa Riddell who hit the streets of Belfast with a giant love wall, filled with handwritten notes from the public declaring their love for the perfect cup of Frank and Honest coffee. Frank and Honest Coffee is available exclusively at participating SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores.

Coffee beans are at the ready in Centra and SuperValu stores across Northern Ireland, as the retail brands call on coffee loving customers to buy a coffee and Espresso they care in a fundraising campaign for Action Cancer.

Announced today on International Coffee Day, the initiative will run from this Thursday (3rd October) until Sunday (6th October). 50p from the sale of every Frank and Honest Coffee in participating Centra and SuperValu stores, will go straight to the brands’ charity partner to help it continue to provide its life-saving and support services.

Now in its fourth year, the ‘Espresso We Care’ fundraising initiative has raised £57,000 so far for Action Cancer thanks to caring coffee drinking customers.

These funds go directly to help keep Action Cancer’s mobile clinic the Big Bus on the road, bringing its breast screening service, health checks and skin cancer detection clinic to communities across Northern Ireland.

Director of Marketing at Musgrave NI, which owns the retail brands, Desi Derby, said: “Supporting local is very important to Musgrave and our Centra and SuperValu stores, and we are very proud of our long-term partnership with this local charity. We’re delighted to run this fundraising campaign again for the fourth time and hope our caring customers will pick up a coffee when they’re in-store and help us raise funds for a very worthwhile cause.”

Centra and SuperValu have been partnering with Action Cancer since 2001, and to date have raised more than £3.8million for the charity.

Thanking Centra and SuperValu staff and their customers, Gareth Kirk, CEO of Action Cancer said: “We are delighted that Centra and SuperValu are running their ‘Espresso We Care’ coffee campaign once again this year. We have been able to provide communities throughout Northern Ireland with our life-saving breast screening service and health checks on board the Big Bus for the last 24 years, all thanks to the continued support of Centra and SuperValu customers and employees. Last year, we expanded our list of mobile services available on board the Big Bus to include a new skin cancer detection service.

“From October 3 to October 6, please purchase a Frank and Honest coffee to support this wonderful initiative. Not only will you enjoy a delicious cup of coffee, but you will also be helping Action Cancer make a positive difference to the lives of local people.”

Starting at £2.70 for a Frank and Honest coffee, 50p from the sale of each coffee will be donated to the charities over the four-day period.

Leading retail group Musgrave continues its commitment to providing value for money for its customers with the launch of a Big Brand Sale across its Centra, SuperValu, and Mace stores.

The promotion, which sees 50 big brands discounted in Centra stores, and over 30 brands in SuperValu and Mace stores, until 28th September is just one element of a wider £6 million investment in value announced earlier this year by Musgrave.

Shoppers can save over £200 on special offers across Centra, while there are savings of more than £125 to be made across SuperValu and Mace. This is in addition to Centra’s and SuperValu’s ongoing Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products which change every three weeks.

While grocery inflation reached its lowest rate in almost three years in July, data and insights specialists Kantar reported that August saw a slight increase from 1.6% in the previous month to 1.8%*. This, teamed with back-to-school expenses, has placed additional strains on household budgets for many consumers.

Brand manager Jennifer Morton said: “We understand the pressures many shoppers are faced with at this time of year as summer ends and back to school bills mount. To help shoppers, we are committed to offering the best value in convenience through our Big Brand Sale across Centra, SuperValu and Mace, as well as our Epic Deals promotion and our extensive own-brand ranges which are up to 40% cheaper than better known brands, in Centra and SuperValu.

“Our investment in value, alongside an annual spend of £166 million in local food and drink, shows a real commitment to our stores, communities and customers.”

The current offers and Big Brand Sale promotions are in place until 28th September. The full range of offers can be found here:

https://www.centra.co.uk/leaflet

Centra is bringing enhanced convenience to people travelling from the North Coast with the arrival of its highly anticipated brand-new store and petrol forecourt located outside Cloughmills on the A26, the main road between Coleraine and Ballymena.

The bright and contemporary 3,400 sq ft store, which opened its doors to the public today (Tuesday, 23rd July), combines high convenience shopping with an extensive food-to-go offering providing a welcome stop for those travelling in the vicinity.

Operated by experienced retailer Oran McCloskey, Centra Frosses Road is the 108th Centra store to open in Northern Ireland.

Commenting on the opening, owner Oran McCloskey said: “I am very proud to have opened the doors of Centra Frosses Road which will provide a convenient shopping and refuelling point for customers on the move as well as a great amenity for the surrounding community. I’d like to thank the team for all their hard work so far in getting the store ready and we look forward to welcoming customers and providing them with a one-stop shop for modern convenience.”

Offering a wide range of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the store has something for everyone whether travelling home in the evening, on the road for work or out for the day with the family.

Amenities include a hot and cold deli counter with freshly made sandwiches and salads, and a selection of hot food to go. The Frank and Honest Coffee dock provides a wide selection of hot drinks and features 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee beans, while a digital loyalty app offers customers a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps. Sweet treats are also available from the Scoop Ice-cream counter.

The new store features a Solo fuel forecourt as well as a seating area, customer Wi-Fi and customer toilets.

Speaking today, Trevor Magill Managing Director for Musgrave in Northern Ireland said – “We have worked with Oran under the Mace brand for several years and are delighted to continue our partnership as he opens his first Centra store which is a fantastic addition to both the local area and the wider Centra network.

“The store will be a real asset to those travelling the busy commuter route from the North Coast – delivering first-class convenience along with great value for shoppers. We wish Oran and his team the very best.”

In addition to an extensive product range, including the new Good Food Locally Sourced range which supports local suppliers*, shoppers will benefit from over 100 special offer items every week and over 300 own brand products up to 40% cheaper than better known brands. This is as well as the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

The store has also been built with sustainability in mind, as Musgrave and its brands work to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Features include solar panels, LED lighting and top-grade energy efficient refrigeration. Features include LED lighting, digital screens and top-grade energy efficient refrigeration.

Run Together aims to raise £30K for Action Cancer

Leading convenience retailer Centra is calling on runners and walkers to take part in its annual fundraising event, Run Together, which is back for 2024, and promises to be another fantastic event at Ormeau Park in Belfast.

Taking place on Sunday 20th October, registration is now open and with both 5K and 10K routes available, the event plans to bring 1,600 participants together to raise vital funds for Centra’s long-term charity partner Action Cancer.

There are 200 early bird registrations open now for each run with the 10K priced at £15 (normally £22) and the 5K available to book for £10 (normally £13). The full registration fee will be donated to Action Cancer. The runs will be staggered with the 10K kicking off at 9.30am and the 5K at 11am.

Commenting on the launch, Jennifer Morton, Centra brand manager, said:

“We are very excited to welcome back our Run Together fundraising event for 2024. Last year’s event was a sellout, with all proceeds going to Action Cancer, and there was a real buzz and feeling of community spirit among the crowd. We’re looking forward to a repeat of that in October and to welcoming 1,600 people of all ages and abilities back to Ormeau Park.

“As part of Centra’s Live Well initiative, our aim as always is to get as many people as we can up and moving. Whether you’re running the 5K with your family or really challenging yourself with the 10K, the run is a perfect opportunity to get outside and have fun whilst raising vital funds for an amazing cause.”

Centra has supported Action Cancer since 2001 and raised a staggering £33,000 at last year’s Run Together. This year, Centra hopes to match the 2023 fundraising target to help keep the charity’s mobile detection the Big Bus on the road, providing its free life-saving services to communities across Northern Ireland, including breast screening, health checks and skin cancer detection appointments. Every £120 raised can pay for a free mammogram or skin cancer detection appointment, while £50 covers the cost of a health check.

As part of Centra’s Live Well initiative, Run Together is designed to motivate people of any ability or age to embrace a healthy lifestyle by taking part in the run. Whether participants are just starting their fitness journey or are looking for something to do with the family, the event is open to everyone. Participants can walk, jog or run through the park, alongside hundreds of others, to raise funds and awareness for Action Cancer.

Lucy McCusker, corporate fundraising manager for Action Cancer added:

“Run Together is always a fantastic event and we are so grateful to everyone who turns out to support it. The money raised makes a real difference to hundreds of people, by enabling us to bring our life saving services directly to communities across NI onboard the Big Bus. Early detection saves lives, so we would encourage people to sign up, take part and help keep the Big Bus on the road.”

Local fitness Trainer, Bubba, is joining again this year to lead a pre-run stretch for all those taking part while Centra brand ambassador and radio presenter Pete Snodden will start the event and welcome participants over the finish line.

Everyone taking part will receive a T-shirt, bespoke Centra Run Together medal, lunch, goodie bag and Frank and Honest coffee, as well as tasty samples courtesy of our Live Well sponsors. There will also be entertainment for all the family on the day.

For further information and details of how to register for the 5K or 10K visit www.centra.co.uk or find out more on the Centra Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CentraNI.

Centra Run Together is kindly sponsored by: Deep River Rock, Boost, Lucozade, Keoghs, O’Donnells, Fulfil, Grenade, Border, Forest Feast, Ferrero, Coleraine, Dromona, PRM, Yazoo, Hartley’s.

Frank and Honest Coffee has been announced as the new sponsor of Belfast Bikes by Belfast City Council.

A Musgrave Group brand, Frank and Honest is available in Centra, Mace and SuperValu stores across Belfast and beyond.

Belfast Bikes was launched in 2015 and currently has 500 bikes at over 59 docking stations right across the city.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Micky Murray spoke about the announcement and said: “Belfast Bikes is an integral part of city life and since its inception, has helped to create a better connected, low carbon, climate resilient city with a focus on Active Travel.

“The new sponsorship deal with local coffee brand Frank and Honest is great news, as they too share the Belfast Bike scheme’s values including sustainability, convenience and supporting the local community.”

Frank and Honest Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee is served in fully compostable takeaway cups across 24 Belfast retailers.

Councillor Murray continued: “I am really looking forward to seeing the full fleet of branded Frank and Honest Belfast Bikes and docking stations being unveiled later this month including some initiatives to get more people cycling over the summer months.”

Desi Derby, Director of Marketing at Musgrave added: “We are delighted to be the new sponsor of Belfast Bikes through our coffee brand Frank and Honest, which is available in 24 SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores across the city.

“Growing sustainably every day is at the heart of the Musgrave business and our brands; that means we’re always looking for ways to help our customers make more sustainable and healthier choices, therefore our collaboration with Belfast Bikes is the perfect partnership”.

Belfast Bikes recently announced three new docking station locations at Glencairn Park, Drumglass Park and Sandown Road.

The scheme offers annual membership and a ‘pay as you go’ option.

For more information or to register for Belfast Bikes, visit belfastbikes.co.uk

You can also register at any Belfast Bikes docking station terminal or download the Nextbike app.

Musgrave NI invests £500,000 in Bushmills

Musgrave NI has invested £500,000 in revamping its Centra store in Bushmills, which unveiled a modern new look on Saturday (4 May).

The business, which was acquired by Musgrave in October 2022, has been significantly transformed to offer local residents and visitors to the area, a bright and contemporary new layout and more modern shopping experience, and created six new jobs.

The major investment has allowed for new and exciting additions in store, including over 700 new products, a new hot and cold deli counter offering customers freshly made sandwiches and salads, and a selection of hot foods to go and a new in-store bakery. The off licence has also been expanded with more beers, wines, and spirits, as well as zero-alcohol beverages.

A new Moo’d Ice Cream counter offers a wide range of sweet treats while coffee lovers can enjoy a hot drink-to-go and refreshing iced coffee from the new Frank and Honest coffee dock. An environmental pledge is at the core of the gourmet coffee brand, featuring 100% compostable coffee cups, plastic free coffee capsules and Rainforest Alliance certified coffee beans. Shoppers can also benefit from the digital loyalty app which offers a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.
Customers will also benefit from a brand-new seating area and self-service tills.

Store manager Mandy Glass said: “We are very proud to unveil our new look store, which is very much at the heart of the Bushmills community. We were delighted to welcome Bushmills United Youth FC to join our celebrations, after supporting them with a donation from our Big Community Giveaway at the end of last year.

“We’re here to provide an excellent service, plus a great range of products and value to both the local community and to visitors to the area, and we look forward to welcoming customers into our modernised store.”

In addition to an enhanced product range, including the new Good Food Locally Sourced range, and as part of Centra’s commitment to value, shoppers will benefit from over 100 special offer items every week and over 300 own brand products up to 40% cheaper than better known brands. This is as well as the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

Caroline Rowan, Head of Retail Operations for Musgrave NI added: “Centra is a community retailer and supporting local is very important to us. Musgrave NI spends more than £166m on local food and drink annually, and 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. We’re also committed to our partnership with Action Cancer, a local charity that visits communities across Northern Ireland with its life-saving early detection services.”

Supporting Musgrave’s ambition of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040, the store has also been refitted with energy saving technology.

Caroline continued: “Sustainability is also high on Centra’s agenda, and we have significantly invested in new energy saving technology to make store operations more efficient and reduce our carbon footprint. This includes energy efficient LED lighting, top-grade energy efficient freezers and refrigeration, as well as electronic shelf edge labels which will reduce paper usage.

“We look forward to continuing to serve the community of Bushmills with the best in modern convenience retailing.”

Leading convenience retail group Musgrave Northern Ireland has today announced a £14 million investment in local produce with the launch of a new own-label range, which has been developed especially for Centra, SuperValu and Mace.

Good Food Locally Sourced comprises a range of almost 150 products, offering a variety of everyday wholesome tasty food, including meat, poultry, dairy and meal solutions – all sourced from local suppliers across the island of Ireland.

Brought to market in partnership with suppliers including McAtamney’s Gourmet Kitchen in Portglenone and Strathroy Dairies in Omagh, the new range delivers convenient products to Northern Irish customers at the great value the retail brands are well known for and will be made available to more than 200 stores.

Customers nationwide can shop the range from 6th May, enjoying fresh milk, a selection of meat cuts, as well as delicious readymade offerings such as lasagna, pies and bakes. Global cuisine influences include the popular honey chilli chicken, chicken tikka masala and an NI favourite – the peppered chicken stack – all with the quality assurance of local.

Julie Cherry, Trading Director at Musgrave NI said: “Good Food is an authentic promise of taste, quality and value, while Locally Sourced makes an equally important promise that the range is sourced from here”.

“Our investment to bring Good Food Locally Sourced to market reflects our already firm commitment to supporting local producers and suppliers – we spend £166 million annually on local food and drink, we work with 3,000 local farmers and 240 local food and drink suppliers, and stock over 4,500 local products across our stores”.

The launch will be supported with in-store POS, mix & match promotions, and a through-the-line marketing campaign including OOH advertising, TV and radio.

Good Food Locally Sourced will be available to purchase from 6th May 2024 and will be available from Centra, SuperValu and Mace stores.

For more information click here.