Supermac’s has committed to spending €32million on Irish produce in 2018 following a meeting with the President of the IFA, Joe Healy and IFA officials in the Irish Farm Centre.
Supermac’s MD, Pat McDonagh, said that the family chain of restaurants was projecting a spend of €32million on Irish farm produce in 2018.
“This is a very strong endorsement of the quality of Irish produce on Irish farms and I am proud to serve it in each of our restaurants. We are strongly committed to Irish farmers and the farming community in general,” said Mr McDonagh this week.
“We are 40 years in business this year and since we started in Ballinasloe in 1978 we have always looked to local suppliers wherever possible, be that for farm produce or construction materials,” Mr McDonagh said.
“Since we introduced our ‘Fresh’ range of beef and chicken products, customers have indicated that quality, taste and traceability are key factors when they are choosing their food. We work hard to let them know that our beef and chicken comes from Irish farms and supports Irish farm families. We still have some of the same suppliers that we had 35 years ago and that depth of relationship and the trust built up over the years is key to the success of our Fresh range.
“It means that when a customer comes to the Supermac’s counter they know that the Grilled Chicken Sandwich they order is fresh and never frozen, 100 per cent Irish chicken that comes from Irish farmers. Our chicken is the best in the business and the main reason for that is because it’s fresh and it’s Irish,” he said.
Mr McDonagh said that he has absolutely no doubt that you can taste the difference.
“Frozen meat loses moisture and when you lose moisture you lose flavour. That’s why fresh never frozen is so important and why all our Fresh range is cooked to order.”
The increase spend is largely driven by the expansion plans of the group with 6 new stores opening throughout the country in the 1st half of 2018 bringing the total amount of outlets to 114 with a number of others in the planning stages.
The group currently employs over 2,700 people throughout the country. Supermac’s also operates Papa John’s Pizza, SuperSubs and Macs Place Diners. The latest store to open was in Headford, Co. Galway. The Só Hotel Group as well as the Claddagh Group of Pubs in the United States are also owned by Pat and Úna McDonagh.
The company is on a major recruitment drive for management staff in particular at the moment. “We will be engaging in a major recruitment drive to get staff for these new openings,” Supermac’s MD Pat McDonagh said. “We have career opportunities at all levels. We are looking for staff in the area of managers, store managers, assistant managers and catering assistants.
“We put structured career paths in place for staff that leads to store manager positions as well as site managers and area managers. Some of the stores that are scheduled to open will be franchised operations and we are looking for people who want a career. People who will stay with us and develop with us. A lot of our franchisees are people who started working for us initially,” Mr McDonagh said. “We have an extensive careers page with testimonials from company and franchise staff and managers at www.supermacs.ie/careers ”
“Last year we spent over €7million on Irish chicken and our projections indicate that we will be spending more in 2018,” Mr. McDonagh continued. “We will be opening a further 6 outlets in the 1st half of 2018 and this will bring our total number of outlets to 114 across the country. On this basis we are projecting that our spend on Irish beef, chicken and vegetables will be €32million in 2018.” he said.
