Centra’s Belfast City Centre expansion is continuing with the opening of a new store at River House on High Street, bringing further convenience options to the city’s Cathedral Quarter.  The doors will open to the public on Tuesday 13^th August.

The brand-new store, located on the ground floor of this new 13-storey building on High Street, will be the perfect convenience location for the numerous private offices and co-working spaces in the area and is a welcome addition to the business community.

Commenting on Centra’s continued expansion in Belfast City centre, Nigel Maxwell Sales Director Centra Northern Ireland said –

“Our focus is on redefining convenience – providing our shoppers with a healthier offering and innovative ranges, particularly in food-to go and our Frank and Honest coffee brand.  Centra River House is the latest example of our stores responding to the changing needs of the busy consumer and we wish Donagh and his team every success.”

With stores in Stranmillis, Malone Road and Donegall Street, River House marks the fourth Centra store for owner Donagh McGoveran.  Speaking today, Donagh said –

“We are proud to be opening the doors of River House and look forward to welcoming customers and providing them with a one-stop shop for modern convenience.”   

Offering a range of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner including a hot and cold deli and healthy salad bar Green Kitchen, there is something for everyone.  Coffee lovers will be catered for with an in-store Frank and Honest gourmet coffee dock featuring 100% compostable coffee cups.

With self service tills available, Centra River House will service those on busy schedules while at the same time cater for those seeking a more relaxed eating experience with a comfortable seating area, complete with complimentary USB charging ports and WiFi.

Retailers from Centra have been shortlisted in the 2019 Retail Industry Awards, highlighting the excellence on offer across our stores.

Widely regarded as ‘The Oscars’ of the grocery sector, the Retail Industry Awards reward excellence and outstanding achievement across a broad range of categories, recognising independent retailers alongside the large supermarket groups.

Commenting on the shortlist, Michael McCormack, Managing Director of Centra in Northern Ireland said:

“I would like to congratulate all those stores who have been shortlisted in these prestigious UK wide awards. Excellence is second nature to our retailers, whether that’s the customer service they provide or the food and drink they serve. These shortlistings are testament to the hard work that has been put in over the years by our teams both at local and national level. We can now turn our attention to the awards night on September 17th and look forward to bringing home some wins for our retailers.”

Centra has been shortlisted in the following categories for this year’s Retail Industry Awards:

· Convenience Retailer of the Year – Regional – Centra NI

· Digital Engagement Award – Bradley’s Centra, Maghera, County Londonderry

· Drinks Retailer of the Year – Independent – Lusty’s Centra Larne, County Antrim

· Food-to-go Retailer of the Year

o Independent – Lilley’s Centra, Dublin Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

· Forecourt Retailer of the Year

o Independent – Lilley’s Centra, Dublin Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

o Company-owned – Centra Church Street, Banbridge, County Down

· Independent Retailer of the Year

o 1,200sq ft to 3,000sq ft – Centra Holywood, County Down

o 3,000sq ft to 6,000sq ft – Centra Deansbridge, Armagh

· Store Team of the Year – Lilley’s Centra, Dublin Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

· Symbol/Fascia Group of the Year – Centra

· Symbol Initiative of the Year – Live Well, Centra

Local convenience retailer, Centra has joined forces with Club Orange to offer one lucky winner the chance to jet off on the summer holiday of their dreams. To be in with a chance of winning a £5,000 holiday voucher, shoppers just have to visit their local Centra store and fill out a travel postcard detailing the holiday of their dreams. From swimming the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean to taking a bite out of the Big Apple, this postcard could be the ticket to a great summertime adventure.

 

The exclusive competition celebrates summer arriving at Centra stores across NI with an array of seasonal favourites now in-store. Come Rain or shine, inside or out, Centra has got summer covered with bright refreshing salads to juicy, chargrilled barbecue ingredients. The competition closes on 20th July and the winner will be notified on 29th July. For further information, competition terms and conditions and privacy policy, visit www.centra.co.uk or the Centra Facebook page, www.facebook.com/CentraNI.

Pictures by Stephen Hamilton, Press Eye.

Pictured (L-R) Katharine Walker and Remi Shore launch the Centra 5K summer holiday competition in association with Club Orange.

Rosé wine brings out so many relaxing memories within people…… that classy friend’s BBQ last summer serving pale pink Provence Rosé, the glass of Rioja Rosado back in Spain which cost less than a Coca-Cola or those Friday nights in front of the TV with a bottle of White Zin!

Rosé splits opinions when it probably shouldn’t. Sure, I’m yet to sit down and enjoy a bottle of Rosé with my brothers (Brosé?) but why should we think of it as being anything other than a lighter, more refreshing version of red wine? That’s right, for those who don’t spend their weekends reading wine books, Rosé is made from red wine grapes. The clues are in the names, with White Zinfandel being the perfect example. Zinfandel being a poplar red wine in California, White Zinfindel is simply a version with less colour, less dryness and greater popularity!

 Pale or Bright Pink

Pale Rosé is a style, not an indication of quality. Yes, the very best dry rosé wines do come from Provence and yes they are pale pink but some grapes simply have more colour than others plus the time grape skins are in contact with the wine greatly affects the colour of the wine.

 

 

Irish News, 20/05/19

 

Dry or Less Dry

Notice I avoid saying sweet because even White Zinfandel isn’t as sweet as Coca Cola. The sweetness levels in rosé results from residual sugars. A rosé from Provence or New Zealand may have very little residual sugars while a White Zinfandel may have lots. So, on the sweetness level of rosé wine, it’s “horses for courses”!  If you haven’t tried the Portuguese Rosé idol that is Mateus, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by its refreshing yet less dry fruitiness.  On a hot summer’s day in Lisbon, the thirsty locals can be seen enjoying a bottle of Mateus in their street cafes.

Spicy or Simply Served

Rosé can match beautifully with Food. White Zinfandel can challenge beers crown for matching well with a spicy Indian curry, it’s a “once you’ve tried it, you’ll believe it” flavour combination. However, if a pale pink Provence rosé is more your thing and you have the BBQ lit, try a glass with your grilled prawns or fish. Its crisp delicate citrusy flavours pairs beautifully with BBQ prawns.

Fingers crossed for a long hot summer so that you can rethink your pink, and maybe even enjoy a rosé with your bros!

Most of us dare not appear home on Mother’s Day without the customary chocolates or flowers, while the braver or slightly more talented might cook for their lucky mums.  Whichever you opt for, boost your gift with a great bottle of wine from our tips below:

Wine with Chocolates & Forgotten Roses

 

Wine and chocolate are two of life’s great pleasures, with something different to suit every mother.

If your mum loves dark chocolate, gift a bottle of our Wine of the Month San Telmo Malbec @ £6 along with your box of chocolates. A rich dark chocolate will highlight the concentration of fruits in this Argentinean Red wine treat.

For mothers who prefer white chocolate, you’re in definitely in luck. White Chocolate matches really well with most wines, whether they’re dry, medium or sweet wines. An excellent pairing for a few chunks of white chocolate would be a lighted bodied red, like our Beaujolais Villages from Andre Goichot  @ £8.

 

 

While the milk chocolate loving mums are best advised to enjoy their wine and chocolate separately. Rarely does milk chocolate improve the wine, or vice versa.  In this case, forget the chocolate and splash out on a treat wine like Ricossa Barolo @ £16 – this Italian classic is famed for intense aromas of red fruit and floral notes. So with a Barolo, your Mum is getting the enjoyment of a fine wine plus the bouquet of roses you may have forgotten to buy!

 

Run Together series returns for 2019, with addition of a new 10K event,  aiming to raise £20,000 for Action Cancer 

 

Local convenience retailer Centra is encouraging people across Northern Ireland to get up and running with the launch of its annual Run Together series, which returns bigger and better than ever for 2019.

 

Centra Run Together encourages people to get active by running, jogging or walking with a friend, kids, or even the family dog, through a series of free 5K runs in towns and cities across Northern Ireland, whilst raising vital funds for Action Cancer. Building on the success of the initiative over the last three years, this year’s Run Together series hopes to make an even bigger impact, with five events taking place in Enniskillen, Bangor, Derry~Londonderry, Armagh and Belfast between May and October 2019.

 

For the first time, a more challenging 10K race at Ormeau Park, Belfast will be added to the series, aimed at those seeking to take their running journey to the next level. The exciting 10K event will act as a big finale, ending the series on a high during Centra’s annual fundraising week in October. It is hoped the grand finale, which will include a 5K and a 10K route, will raise over £20,000 for Action Cancer, as Centra edges closer to its major £3million fundraising target for the charity.

 

As in previous years, the regional 5K events are completely free to enter, with participants encouraged to make a donation to Action Cancer in lieu of an entry fee. For the finale at Ormeau Park, a small entry fee will apply to both the 5K and 10K races, with 100% of the fee donated to Action Cancer.

 

The Centra Run Together series is designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to adopt an active lifestyle and get up and run together. Runners are encouraged to enter the race in pairs, motivating families to participate together.

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, Fridge Raiders and Fulfil. On the day, there will also be face painting and entertainment for all the family.

 

Centra Run Together events will take place in five locations throughout 2019:

• Lakeland Forum, Enniskillen 5K – Sunday 12 May, 10am
• Ward Park, Bangor 5K – Sunday 9 June, 10am
• Queen’s Quay, Derry~Londonderry 5K – Wednesday 12 June 2019, 7pm
• Palace Demesne, Armagh 5K – Sunday 15 September, 10am
• Ormeau Park, Belfast 5K & 10K – Sunday 20 October

 

Commenting on the launch, Jennifer Morton, Centra brand manager, said: “The Centra Run Together series has established itself as a popular part of our Live Well initiative, and we are excited to introduce a brand-new Run Together 10K event in 2019. As social running continues to grow in popularity, people are increasingly progressing from 5K runs to the more challenging 10K routes and we wanted to reflect this in our series, whilst still offering an opportunity for new runners to participate, run together and have fun.

 

“As always, our aim is to encourage as many people to get up, get active and embrace the community spirit of the series, whether they are a frequent runner or a first-timer. Once again, we are delighted to have Deep RiverRock back on board as our title sponsor. With their help, we look forward to building on the success of previous years and raising even more money for Action Cancer in 2019.”

 

Orla McKenna from Deep RiverRock said: “On behalf of Deep RiverRock, a much loved locally sourced water from Northern Ireland, we’re are delighted to be involved in the Run Together series once again this year.

 

“Deep RiverRock’s ‘Thirst For Better’ platform is about connecting people in their collective pursuits, and fostering great community spirit; a message that resonates perfectly with Centra’s Live Well campaign.

 

“We look forward to supporting those new and seasoned runners to come together and have some fun, while getting active.”

 

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

 

 

Your St. Patrick’s Weekend Drinks Guide

 

 

I doubt anyone requires guidance on choosing a suitable beer for St. Patrick’s Weekend! So I’ll focus my attention on a suitable wine or great cocktail.

 

Irish Stew & Italian Rosso – a spiritual experience!

With our Italian Wine Sale coinciding with St. Patrick’s weekend, and Italy producing so many food friendly reds, I’d highly recommend pairing our Tuscan red – Castellani Arbos Sangiovese @ £7 with your homemade Irish Stew. Alternatively, if you’re choosing to make your stew with beef, look further south in Italy and try our Tombacco Aglianico @ £8. If you’ve never tried Aglianico, this star of Southern Italy is considered to be one Italy’s top 3 wine grapes. Its full-body and rich tannins make it a perfect match for a rich hearty stew.

 

 

Try Boxty & Chablis – Saintly Syns!

For many of us Boxty was something we only saw on the food menus of Irish bars in America. Surprisingly, Slimming World have now managed to revive the world of potato pancakes and introduced it to a whole new generation in Northern Ireland. The Boxty pancake may be very low in syns, but for a more sinful treat I’d highly recommend topping your Boxty with crème fraiche and Irish Smoked Salmon with a side of Chablis wine! The fresh, crisp, citrusy minerality of our Andre Goichet Chablis @ £12 will pair beautifully with this luxury Boxty treat.

 

 

And to finish….. the greatest Irish Cocktail ever…

The Irish Coffee! No debate required, just a simple recipe….

 

Perfect Irish Coffee Recipe

 

35ml Jameson Irish Whiskey

1 cup of Freshly Brewed Coffee

1 teaspoon of Brown Sugar

Topping of Lightly Whipped Double Cream

Optional grating of nutmeg on top

Valentine’s Day has always been a great chance to impress. Whether you stick with a refreshing fruity Prosecco, splash out on complex Champagne or look for something a little different with a stylish Crémant, impress with these few nuggets of sparkling knowledge:

 

1. The Prosecco region is within an hour of the romantic city of Venice. Prosecco flows in the bars of Venice and also helps make the city’s famous Bellini cocktail, yet the proximity of these famous vineyards appears to remain a secret to most tourists of the city.

 

2. Although Champagne is a sparkling white wine it is made predominately of red wine grapes. French magic? Not quite, it’s more like a delicate French touch. The colour in red wine comes from the dark skins, so very gentle pressing and minimum skin contact means the skins never release this colour into the wine.

 

 

3. English Sparkling Wine has impressed the French so much so that they’ve been buying up English land! One of France’s most prestigious Champagne Houses, Taittinger, has already planted a vineyard in Kent with Bollinger now hinting that they may follow soon.

 

4. Cava is the Catalan word for Cave, linking the Spanish sparkling wine to its Catalonia origins. It’s in the cool, underground caves and cellars of Catalonia, near to Barcelona, where 95% of all Cava transforms from still wine to sparkling wine.

5. Crémant is the name the French give to sparkling wine made outside of the Champagne region. Produced in great French wine regions like Alsace, Burgundy and the Loire, these are some of the best value wines in France and great alternatives to Champagne.

 

Centra celebrate coffee success story as 1 cup sold every 10 seconds

 

Centra are celebrating following the opening of the 100^th Frank and Honest site in Northern Ireland, following a £2.25m investment over the last two years.

 

The first Frank and Honest machine was installed in Northern Ireland in 2016 and since then the gourmet coffee has become the biggest selling on-the-go coffee brand on the island of Ireland.

 

The 100^th Frank and Honest site opened in Lilley’s Centra Drumlyon, Enniskillen, and expansion of the coffee brand is set to continue, explained Ciara McClafferty, Trading Director.

 

“We installed the first Frank & Honest machine in Northern Ireland in June 2016 in Centra Cathedral Quarter.  Since then, we have sold over 2 million cups of Frank & Honest Coffee which is 37.5 tonnes of beans and our weekly sales are over 50 k cups.  These incredible numbers are telling us that we have found the right formula in providing a premium coffee brand that delivers on taste, every time”, said Ciara.

 

Musgrave has invested in state of the art bean to cup Swiss-made Eversys coffee machines for all of its 700-strong Frank and Honest sites right across the Island of Ireland.

 

Ciara continued: “Self-service bean to cup machines have come a very long way.  We’d challenge coffee connoisseurs to tell the difference between a barista-made coffee and a coffee from one of our bean to cup machines. They really do produce a great cup of coffee – each and every time.

 

“Each store, whether under the SuperValu, Centra or Mace brand, has its own distinctive Frank & Honest dispensing station with a range of coffees backed up by a tempting bakery range. Our SuperValu Comber store has Northern Ireland’s first sit-in café as well as a Frank and Honest machine, where people can prepare their own take out coffee.  The café will has its own barista, free Wi-Fi and a comfortable seating area where locals can catch up.

 

“Store owners and staff have been trained in the operation, maintenance and cleanliness of the Frank & Honest stations.  But the all-important bottom line is that, on average, retailers have seen double-digit growth in sales volume as a result of having the Frank & Honest coffee offering in store”, said Ciara.

 

On that note, and for the connoisseurs, it’s worth noting that Frank & Honest uses 100% arabica coffee beans sourced from Brazil and Colombia….with tasting notes of gingerbread, white chocolate, brown sugar and (believe it or not) sherbet.

 

Last year, Frank and Honest replaced all non-recyclable single-use coffee cups with a new compostable cup and lid. This new initiative has the potential to divert millions of coffee cups from landfill annually.

 

The brand has also been extended to cover customers who have their own coffee machines at home via a range of take-home products, including a coffee pod, coffee beans and ground coffee, carrying Frank & Honest into the domestic marketplace.

 

Ciara concluded:  “We’re very proud of the Frank & Honest brand and we’re very proud of what we’ve achieved from scratch. It’s been quite a journey but a very successful one for both our retailers, our business and of course our customers who get to enjoy the superior flavour of Frank and Honest.”

 

Find your nearest cup of Frank and Honest by visiting www.frankandhonest.ie.