Musgrave NI has invested £200,000 in revamping its Centra store in Moira, which celebrated its fresh new look today (Thursday, 2nd October). The store which supports 22 jobs in the community has been transformed to offer its customers a bright and contemporary new layout and more modern shopping experience.

The investment has allowed for new and exciting additions in store including an increased range with more than 125 new lines, an improved hot deli and fresh sandwich and salad bar, alongside a new ‘grab and go’ hot food counter, plus a greater range of fresh products and meal solutions.

A new Moo’d Ice Cream counter offers a wide range of sweet treats including scoop and whippy ice cream, while the Frank and Honest coffee dock now offers the option of oat milk. Shoppers can also benefit from the digital loyalty app which offers a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.

Store manager Emma Wray said: “We’re incredibly proud of our newly rejuvenated store – it’s a real reflection of the team’s hard work and commitment. The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive, and it was fantastic to celebrate with a fun-filled day for our shoppers. From food tastings to spin-to-win prizes, it was a great way to say thank you. We look forward to continuing to deliver great range, value, and exceptional service to our customers for many years to come.”

Lead operations manager David Thompson-Lyons added: “Centra is a community retailer, and we’re proud to have served the Moira community for many years. This latest investment reflects our commitment to delivering an enhanced shopping experience, with a more modern environment for our customers.

“Supporting local is at the heart of what we do – Musgrave NI invests over £240 million annually in local food and drink, working with more than 3,000 local farmers, partnering with over 250 suppliers, and offering over 6,000 local products across our stores. We’re also deeply committed to our partnership with Action Cancer, helping bring life-saving early detection services to communities across Northern Ireland.”

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, plus the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

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

The new store has created 50 new jobs in the local area

A brand new Centra convenience store and petrol forecourt has officially opened today on Carn Road, Portadown marking an investment of £4 million. The store will be a welcome addition to the local community creating 50 new jobs.

Ideally located next to the Carn and Seagoe industrial estates, the new store boasts a large hot deli and fresh salad and sandwich bar alongside extensive hot and cold, grab and go options – perfect for those working nearby.

Owned by local Portadown family and experienced retailers, Eamonn, Peter and Andrew Wilson, who also own the SuperValu store on Garvaghy Road, the new Centra will also feature a wide range of fresh and chilled foods and meal solutions, freshly made in store each day, alongside meat products from Wilson’s Butchery.

Peter Wilson, owner of Wilson’s Centra Carn, said,

“We’re delighted to welcome customers to our new store on Carn Road in Portadown. With a wide range of everyday essentials, our own ready meal selection, and butchery range, we’re here to serve the needs of those who both live and work in the area. Whether it’s a quick bite, a family dinner, or the weekly shop, we’re committed to offering quality and convenience to the local community.”

The new store features the popular Frank and Honest coffee with three docks which include a range of coffees including iced as well and oat milk options. Shoppers can also avail of a digital loyalty app and get a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.

With an off licence, an instore bakery offering pastries, breads and scones, and a Moo’d ice cream counter, the store offers a bright and modern shopping experience with convenience at the heart of the concept.

To mark the occasion and officially open the store, the Wilsons were joined by Musgrave NI’s Managing Director Trevor Magill and Retail Sales Director, David Higgins, while customers availed of exclusive offers, food sampling and spot prizes.

David Higgins, Retail Sales Director at Musgrave Northern Ireland, said,

“Musgrave has a long-standing relationship with the Wilson family through SuperValu Portadown, and we’re excited to further develop our partnership with the opening of Wilson’s Centra Carn.

“The new store will be an asset to the community, delivering convenience and great value across a wide variety of everyday products. The modern store is an excellent addition to our network and we wish the Wilson family the best of luck.”

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, plus the Epic Deals promotion on four big brand products, which change every three weeks.

Musgrave Northern Ireland, which operates SuperValu, Centra and MACE brands, supports the employment of over 5,000 jobs, working with 250 local suppliers and investing significantly in local communities, as well as in sustainability and affordability initiatives.

The company recently deepened its commitment to supporting local suppliers launching the campaign ‘Love Local? So Do We’ spotlighting the fantastic range of local products available from the brands across the region.

The campaign followed the publication earlier this year of Musgrave’s economic and social impact report which set out a £1.2 billion contribution to the Northern Ireland economy by Musgrave NI.

Food and drink retail brands Centra, SuperValu and Mace, plus wholesale brands Musgrave MarketPlace and Drinks Inc., all part of Musgrave Northern Ireland, have today launched their latest campaign ‘Love Local? So Do We’ which will spotlight the fantastic range of local products available from the brands across the region.

The campaign follows the recent publication of Musgrave’s economic and social impact report which was unveiled at a special event at St George’s Market in Belfast earlier this month and set out a £1.2 billion contribution to the Northern Ireland economy by Musgrave NI.

Supporting the findings and celebrating the brands’ commitment to local, ‘Love Local? So Do We’ is live in stores, branches and online now, with customers encouraged to enjoy the very best local products.

Director of Marketing Desi Derby said: “Our commitment to local is evident not least in our £240m annual spend on local food and drink, our relationships with over 250 local suppliers and our support for our local charity partners Action Cancer and Northern Ireland Chest Heart and Stroke, for which we have raised a combined total of £4.4 million.

“We’re excited about our new campaign which will spotlight everything local, from food and drink to people and partnerships, testament to the positive impact we’re committed to making in local communities here.”

Following a major £500,000 investment, the Mace store and Post Office in Waringstown has converted to the Centra brand. This is the second Centra store to officially launch this month, following the opening of Centra Scotch Street in Portadown on 9th May.

The store, owned by Leon and Deirdre Toland, supports 21 jobs in the local community, including five new positions, and is a much-valued amenity for the area. Significant changes have been made to the store to create a more seamless and modern shopping environment for customers.

Owner, Deirdre Toland, said: “We have been serving the local community for 18 years and are delighted to relaunch our store under the Centra brand, continuing our long partnership with Musgrave. 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 modern store offers a wide range of fresh and chilled foods plus a greater selection of meal solutions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including food-to-go from a greatly enhanced hot and cold deli counter, and a new range of freshly baked items from the in-store bakery.

Honest Coffee lovers can enjoy a hot drink to-go at the upgraded 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.

To celebrate, the store team hosted a family fun day with a spin to win wheel, goodie bags, balloon modelling, face painting, ice cream and more. Leon and Deirdre were also joined by Musgrave NI’s Retail Sales Director David Higgins and Sales Manager Norman Bennett.

David Higgins commented: “Musgrave has worked with Leon and Deirdre for many years, and we are delighted to continue this valued 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 hundreds of best buys and savings of up to 40% on own brand products. “

“This store is also a fantastic addition to the growing Centra portfolio, and we wish the Tolands all the best on their new journey.”

Centra also offers shoppers 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.

Committed to supporting local suppliers, Musgrave NI spends 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.

Significant investment has been made in sustainability measures, as Musgrave and its brands work to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2040. Features include LED lighting and top-grade energy efficient refrigeration.

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

Centra stores have been commended for excellence at the annual Musgrave Northern Ireland ‘Store of the Year’ awards. The Musgrave awards ceremony celebrates and recognises the achievements, hard work and dedication of its retail partners across its brands.

Centra McPolin’s in Annaclone scooped the Centra Foodmarket Store of the Year award, acknowledged for its outstanding customer service standards, strong sales and continually delivering what the community wants; ‘a store that’s small in size but big on stature’.

In the Centra High-Convenience category, Centra Kavanagh’s Waterloo Place in Derry~Londonderry was awarded Store of the Year for the fourth time due to its excellent teamwork, plus very high standards across range and customer service. Described as a ‘small store that packs a big punch’, the store also picked up the LRQA award which recognises the highest standards in food quality and safety.

The ceremony also saw Centra McCloskey’s Frosses Road in Cloughmills, which opened in July 2024, take the title of Newcomer of the Year. In the charity category, Centra Cuttle’s Deansbridge in Armagh was crowned Fundraiser of the Year for Action Cancer, after raising a fantastic £4,573 in 2024. In the Excellence in Social Media category, Centra Lusty’s Larne clinched the title, while Centra Boal and Martin’s in Holywood was also recognised for continuous improvement in the LRQA food quality and safety category.

Trevor Magill, Managing Director of Musgrave Northern Ireland said: “The Musgrave Store of the Year awards provide us the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements, hard work and dedication of our retail partners, across our three brands.

“I want to say a huge thank you to all our retailers who work so hard to maintain the highest standards across our brands. Congratulations to all the finalists and award winners who never fail to deliver the best customer service to communities across Northern Ireland.”

The awards ceremony was hosted by radio presenter and DJ Pete Snodden last Friday night in The Slieve Donard Hotel. Finalists are selected following several rigorous rounds of performance and standards audits, with the highest accolade being ‘Store of the Year’.

~ Musgrave NI and Action Cancer celebrate 25 years of partnership ~

SuperValu and Centra retailers have officially raised over £4million in fundraising for Action Cancer, a record-breaking amount achieved by a company for an individual charity in Northern Ireland.

Entering their 25th year of loyal partnership in 2025, SuperValu and Centra stores have worked tirelessly for a quarter of a century to raise critical funds, enabling Action Cancer to provide life-saving services in local communities through the Big Bus as well as the Health Action Programme (HAP).

Focused on cancer prevention, detection and support in communities across Northern Ireland, Action Cancer delivers health promotion and improvement programmes, digital breast screening, health checks, skin cancer detection assessments as well as support and therapeutic services.

Over the last 25 years, Musgrave NI has funded 30,000 breast screenings, 30,000 health checks and 450 skin cancer detection appointments on board the Big Bus. In addition, there have been 2,576 Health Action Programmes delivered face-to-face in schools and 25 online sessions to local children in their classrooms.

The vitalness of Action Cancer’s service continues to be prevalent across NI as 20,000 people engage in the charity’s local services year on year, with the Big Bus making 200 visits throughout NI and 8,000 women screened for breast cancer every year.

Desi Derby, Director of Marketing at Musgrave said: “We’re committed to making a positive impact on the communities we’re part of; and are thrilled to reach such a significant fundraising milestone for Action Cancer. Our retail partners, colleagues and indeed shoppers, across SuperValu and Centra have shown incredible support for 25 years now, we’re extremely proud of this and the difference it has made in aiding Action Cancer’s essential life-saving work. With cancer now affecting one in two people, there is no time to slow down, so we look forward to working alongside Action Cancer for many years to come”.

Gareth Kirk, CEO of Action Cancer added: “The support Action Cancer has received for the past 25 years and which it continues to enjoy today from Musgrave NI through its SuperValu and Centra brands, is both incredible and extraordinary. £4million is an incredible amount of money; money which has ensured that our mobile screening clinic the Big Bus, has year on year been able to deliver its life-saving breast screening, skin cancer detection and health check services throughout the whole of N .Ireland.

“The support received from SuperValu and Centra staff and their customers, has resulted in young women having their breast cancer detected early, young and old a skin cancer detected and others a health check leading to a GP referral.

“Extraordinary, for in the charity world, corporate / charity partnerships rarely, if ever, continue for 25 years. Our enduring partnership is based very much on a mutual respect for each other and our shared Values and Common Goals of making a positive difference to local people living in local communities throughout N.Ireland.

“We look forward to the next 25 years working together and in partnership delivering on our Mission: to save lives, support and improve quality of life for people in Northern Ireland through cancer awareness, prevention, detection and support.”

Making a real tangible and valuable impact, Musgrave, Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale and foodservice company and the parent of SuperValu and Centra brands, began working with Action Cancer in 2001, which has led to life-saving interventions.

Fundraising highlights this year included the Espresso We Care initiative which saw 50p from the sale of every Frank and Honest coffee over 4 days donated, plus Sponsor a Mammogram, which challenged every store to raise £120 – what it costs Action Cancer to provide a free breast screening appointment to women outside of NHS screening age with no symptoms (40-49, and over 70).

Action Cancer Ambassador Nicola Somerville had her breast cancer detected on board the Big Bus when it visited Fruitfield SuperValu store in May 2023 when she was aged 48.

Nicola said: “I have availed of breast screenings on board the Big Bus since the age of 40. I attended every 2 years and was very organised about booking an appointment. I realised the importance of this service and was keen to avail of it. I found the mammograms themselves to be absolutely fine, I had no pain, and I was in and out in twenty minutes.

“I am very thankful for the Big Bus service, coming to towns and villages like mine and making this service more accessible to busy women outside of Belfast. I have encouraged work friends, family and friends to avail of the screening. We’re really fortunate to have this free service as it doesn’t exist anywhere else in the UK or Ireland so it’s really important that you book an appointment, it could save your life.”

In celebration of the 25-year milestone, Action Cancer has release additional breast screenings for women aged 40-49 or 70+ (those who fall outside of the NHS screening service age range), specifically for those who have no breast cancer symptoms (asymptomatic).

Women who are experiencing any breast cancer symptoms are strongly advised to contact their GP immediately.

Breast screening appointments can be booked online at www.actioncancer.org/appointments or by calling 028 9080 3344.

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