Centra on Donegall Square West in Belfast has officially relaunched following a significant investment of £530,000 to refurbish the store.

Run by experienced retailer Peter Jez, the busy city centre store supports 17 jobs including three new positions and has been totally transformed to offer customers a modern new layout and more seamless shopping experience.

The investment has allowed for new and exciting additions including a wider range of meal solutions for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including an enhanced food-to-go offering at the new hot deli and fresh sandwich and salad bar, plus a ‘grab and go’ hot food counter.

Coffee lovers can enjoy a hot drink-to-go at the popular Frank and Honest coffee docks, which offer a range of coffees including iced as well as oat milk options. Shoppers can also avail of a digital loyalty app and get a free coffee after earning ten digital stamps.

Commenting at the launch of the refurbished store, owner Peter Jez said:

“We’re thrilled to reveal the transformation of our Centra store right in the heart of Belfast. This transformation offers city centre workers and shoppers a brighter, more convenient experience, packed with quality, choice, good value and great service. Known for our excellent food-to-go options, we’ve made sure the new store delivers even more of what our customers love – fresh, tasty choice, ready when they are.”

David Higgins, Retail Sales Director for Musgrave NI, which owns the Centra brand, added:

“Congratulations to our retail partner Peter on the 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 city centre, offering the height of convenience at great value. I’d like to wish Peter and his team all the best with the new look store and look forward to working with him into the future.”

In addition to an enhanced product range and as part of Centra’s commitment to value, shoppers will benefit from hundreds of special offer items every week.

Centra is also committed to supporting local suppliers, with Musgrave NI spending more than £240m on local food and drink annually, working with more than 3,000 local farmers, over 250 local suppliers and stocking over 6,000 local products across its stores, including the Good Food Locally Sourced range of meal solutions.

Supporting Musgrave’s ambition of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040, the store has 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 reduce paper usage.

The store also supports Centra’s charity partner Action Cancer, a local charity which delivers life-saving breast screening, health checks and skin cancer detection services to communities across Northern Ireland on its mobile detection unit the Big Bus.

Musgrave NI has invested £470,000 in revamping its Centra store in Culcavy, which unveiled its fresh new look on Friday (5th December). The store, which will celebrate 20 years of serving the local community next February, supports 26 local jobs, including three new positions.

It has been transformed to offers its customers a bright and contemporary new layout and more modern shopping experience. To celebrate, the store team hosted product sampling and a spin-to-win wheel with prizes, including vouchers for five local businesses.

The major investment has allowed for new and exciting additions in store, including an increased range with more than 200 new lines, a new hot deli and fresh sandwich and salad bar, plus a ‘grab and go’ hot food counter, while a new bakery offers a wide selection of in-store baked breads and pastries.

Coffee lovers can enjoy a hot drink-to-go at the popular Frank and Honest coffee dock, which offers a free coffee after earning ten stamps on the digital loyalty app. In addition, the off licence has been revamped and now features a zero-alcohol section.

Customers can also look forward to a new Post Office service in store early next year.

Store manager Liam Houston said:

“We’ve been pulling out all the stops to get our store ready and are very proud to unveil its new look. We have been serving Culcavy village for almost 20 years, and it’s been fantastic to receive so much positive feedback from our customers. We’re looking forward to continuing to offer a great range and value, plus exceptional service for many years to come.”

Oliver Martin, Head of Musgrave’s Company Owned stores added:

“Centra has been a part of this community for many years and this investment in the store reflects our commitment to the area, and to giving our customers an enhanced shopping experience.

“Supporting local is at the heart of what we do – we spend more than £240m on local food and drink annually, and we work with more than 3,000 local farmers, partner with over 250 local suppliers and stock over 6,000 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.

“I’d like to thank our shoppers for their valued custom over the years, and we look forward to continuing to serve the community with a one-stop shop and the best in modern convenience retailing into the future.”

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, as well as weekly deals in the run up to Christmas.

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 reduce paper usage.

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.

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 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

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.”

Shore Road store creates 12 new jobs

Experienced store owners from Centra York Road in Belfast, Gareth and Tracey Beacom, have opened the doors to their second Centra, located on the Shore Road in Newtownabbey.  The 1,700 sq ft store and petrol forecourt is a welcome addition to the area supporting 12 jobs and combines convenience retail with an extensive food-to-go and grocery offering.

Bright and contemporary, Centra Trackside which officially launched with a family fun day on Saturday (24th June), is a fantastic amenity for the local community and on the go customers.

The comprehensive range includes a deli counter offering customers freshly made sandwiches and salads, or a selection of hot food to go.  Shoppers can also enjoy a hot drink to go with the Frank and Honest Coffee 2.0 coffee dock which 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.

Speaking today, store owner Gareth Beacom said –

“We’re delighted to have opened the doors of our second Centra store. It will provide a convenient shopping and fuelling point for customers on the move  as well as a great amenity for the local community. The team and I are looking forward to welcoming customers instore and providing them with a one-stop shop for modern convenience.”

The new store also features a Nicholls fuel forecourt with a 24/7 pay at pump service, along with car washing and laundry facilities and extensive parking, while EV Charging points will be installed.  In-store services include PayPoint, Lottery and an ATM.

Aligning with Musgrave Group’s, (owners of the Centra brand) sustainability goals, the new store also features new LED lighting, energy-efficient refrigeration, and digital screens to reduce the store’s energy consumption and carbon footprint.

Musgrave NI’s Retail Sales Director, Paddy Murney said:

“The new Centra store in Newtownabbey will provide the height of convenience and value for local shoppers. With the cost of living continuing to affect our communities, it’s clear that keeping household costs down is important to our customers. As part of Centra’s commitment to value, our shoppers will benefit from over 200 special offer items every week and over 300 cheaper own brand products. That’s on top of our Epic Deals on four big brand products every three weeks.”

Centra is also committed to supporting local suppliers, with Musgrave NI spending more than £160m on local food and drink annually.

Paddy continued: “We work with more than 3,000 local farmers, partner with over 150 local suppliers and stock over 3,500 local products across our stores providing shoppers with the freshest produce and range of choice.”

The store’s opening hours are: 6.30am – 10pm Monday to Friday, 8am – 10pm Saturdays and Sundays.

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.”