SPAR Ireland strategy delivers a win at prestigious IGD Awards

November 20, 2019 IN THE CATEGORY: Awards and prizes

SPAR Merrion Row in Dublin was the recipient of the Small Store of the Year Award at the prestigious international IGD Awards in London recently. SPAR Merrion Row was selected for the coveted accolade ahead of international competition from Great Britain, Denmark, Belgium, Northern Ireland and China.

The Institute of Grocery Distribution, or IGD, is a renowned grocery trade body based in the UK with global reach and award recipients at the annual awards ceremony are internationally recognised as true industry leaders, and the best of the best in their respective categories. SPAR Merrion Row was initially included in a shortlist of six stores from the 900+ stores audited.

This award is a real endorsement of SPAR retailer Thomas Ennis and his team at SPAR Merrion Row as well as SPAR Ireland’s team. The store award is also an endorsement of the SPAR retail strategy  launched one year ago – a result of close collaboration between SPAR Ireland and SPAR International to devise a new store design focusing on instore dining, instore technology and diverse shopper needs.

The IGD jury justified its decision by explaining that the new SPAR look and feel is differentiated in its own right, while Thomas Ennis adds his own unique twist to this both in merchandising and display and also in range, facilitated by the extensive onsite preparation. According to the jury, the range of food-to-go on offer also impresses, well tailored to different missions across distinct times of day.

Commenting on the award, Thomas Ennis said, “We are thrilled with this international award and are grateful to receive the recognition. It’s the people behind any project that will make a success of any venture, so I want to say a massive thanks to both our staff and customers for their continued support.  We pride ourselves on high standards, continually working towards maintaining that level but also looking to improve and keep our competitive edge.”

Congratulating Thomas Ennis, Colin Donnelly, SPAR Ireland’s Sales Director said: “Congratulations to Thomas and his team at SPAR Merrion Row on winning such a prestigious international Award.  SPAR Merrion Row is renowned for its fantastic fresh food offering and great customer service, and the recently revamped store design and retail offer is a true reflection of our ambitious SPAR Strategy.”

At the awards ceremony, Sandra McCormack, General Manager of the Thomas Ennis Group and Declan Ralph, Retail Development Director of SPAR Ireland, were on hand to accept the Award.

Source: SPAR Ireland

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About SPAR Ireland

SPAR Ireland was established in 1963 and is operated by leading wholesale and retail company, BWG Foods. In 2014, 80% of BWG’s shares were sold to SPAR South Africa, however, the existing shareholders remain involved in the business.

With a presence in every county across the Republic of Ireland, SPAR is one of the country’s largest convenience retail groups. In developing the business, SPAR Ireland has a long track record of recognising the strategic importance of introducing new retail concepts. It operates three of the four SPAR formats: SPAR, EUROSPAR and SPAR Express, bringing consumers a comprehensive range of innovative products and instore offerings.