The Henderson Group, owners of the SPAR and EUROSPAR Brands in Northern Ireland, has announced record levels of sales, investment and job growth in the year ending 31 December 2016. The results were announced during the company’s Wholesale Conference in Seville, Spain in April, attended by over 250 of its retailers, suppliers and staff.

Turnover increased by 6% to £699.3m compared to 2015, profit climbed 11% to £24m, and employment levels rose to 3,099 – an increase of 270 new jobs on 2015.

Like for like grocery sales growth of 3.5% was recorded, driven by strong performance of the fresh food categories growing in volume terms by over 8%, increasing footfall and basket spend in its supplied retailer stores. In addition, retention of existing retailers and recruitment of new retailers to its symbol brands were both key to the success in 2016.

The company said that an ongoing co-investment strategy with its retail partners to establish a market leading portfolio of supermarket, forecourt and convenience stores has boosted the strong sales performance across all its brand formats. In addition, fuel volumes in Henderson Retail Ltd (company owned stores) grew by 8.6% on a like for like basis, driving increasing footfall to the stores.

Henderson Foodservice delivered 11% growth on the previous year, performing strongly across all key market channels, with good growth in the Republic of Ireland market. The Company’s Barista Bar coffee brand had an exceptional year with sales up by 30% on a like-for-like basis. Henderson Foodservice was also recently awarded Deloitte Best Managed Company Gold standard.

Ron Whitten, Henderson’s Chief Financial Officer, commented on the results, saying: “Strong like for like growth across all subsidiaries, high retention rates of existing retailers, recruitment of new retailers, coupled with significant investment by the group, directly within our company owned stores as well as with its retail partners, has delivered additional sales of £40m.”

Patrick Doody, Sales & Marketing Director, added: “It was also another record year of investment by the Group, with a spend of over £34m in store acquisitions, store refurbishments and head office infrastructure, designed to future proof the business to meet consumer and retailer demands going forward. In 2016, 16 new stores were opened under the Group’s main retail brands.

“SPAR and EUROSPAR continue to dominate the local symbol group scene in Northern Ireland. A comprehensive strategic growth and profitability plan implemented in 2016 which included continued focus on delivering excellence in customer service, investing in our people, developing our information systems, maximising our operational efficiency, enhancing our fresh food ranges and instore proposition, continues to yield results as projected.”