Herlihys Supermarket Group Heads To The International Stage

Herlihys Centra Fermoy has been announced as finalists in the NACs Summit International Convenience Retailer of the Year for 2016.

Herlihys Centra Fermoy has been named a finalist along with five other stores from Norway, Sweden and the UK in this prestigious event that takes place on June the 9^th in Knightsbridge in London.

Herlihy Centra Group owned by brothers Brian and Kevin Herlihy is made up of 6 Centra Stores in the Cork area: Mallow, Millstreet, Bishopstown, Fermoy, Grand Parade and Oliver Plunkett Street. Its business is grocery retail with particular focus on convenience and fresh food. Herlihys Supermarket Group employs over 210 staff and is owned and managed by the Herlihy family. It has been in business since 1980 originating in Bishopstown.

Herlihy’s Centra Fermoy is a neighbourhood convenience store that has been in operation for over 20 years.  It has a team of more than 90 people from the local area, many of whom have been with the store since the start.  Its customers come from the local community, which is both rural and urban.

The store offers an excellent range of fresh products across all categories. A thriving bakery and deli boast a large range of nutritious take home meals for lunchtime and evenings; and the in-store scratch bakery is reported to be the best in the area. Passion for fresh food is a way of life for the store, not just a strapline, says Brian Herlihy owner.

The store revamp landed successfully in 2015, has delivered a fresh food offering that meets the needs of today’s busy customers.  Herlihy’s says it differentiates across numerous touch points:

They offer:

•             Freshly baked artisan breads and scones daily

•             Self serve cooked chickens/wings/ribs bar

•             Occasion cakes baked to order

•             Meal solutions - healthy options/nutritious dinners

•             Fresh cut meat and fish from an expert butcher counter

•             A new Café for customers to relax and enjoy our products

From a design perspective, the new-look store ensures a smooth shopping experience throughout the fresh food and ambient ranges. These include a wide selection of grocery products; an off licence, featuring specially selected wines, craft beers and spirits including Midleton Rare Whiskey from a local distillery.

The store has received an Excellence Ireland Emerald Award for Hygiene consistently since the award was introduced.

People development is central to delivering the new offering to the local community in Fermoy. According to Herlihy’s, it’s the personal touch that is offered which differentiates the store from their main competitors in the town, the team is local and the customers know the staff by names.  Many customers often use our town centre store as a meeting point. 

Herlihy Group has been named as one of Ireland’s Gold Standard Best Managed Companies, an accolade awarded by Deloitte, which they have achieved for the past six years.  The store manager Kate Walsh was International Manager of the Year for 2014 and Ireland’s Grocery Manager of the Year in 2015 and team members have achieved the accolade of Pride of Centra in both 2014 and 2015.  

The retailer’s efforts and revamp are paying dividends.

Looking ahead, Herlihy’s plans to build on its café business; increase the home-made product offering and work with its people to further develop the team. Those steps will ensure Herlihy’s continues to meet the needs of its customers today and in the future.

A team from Herlihys Centra Fermoy head to London on the 9^th of June for the award summit at which stage the winner will be announced.