Keeping and spending money locally is essential to sustain the Irish economy and guarantee growth in the years to come. SuperValu retailers in County Mayo invested almost €9.4 million in the local economy in 2012. This was delivered through staff wages, direct sourcing from local suppliers, contracts with local businesses such as trade and professional services firms, and contributions to local charitable causes.
As one of the country’s largest employers, SuperValu is dedicated to supporting local jobs and last year alone the eight SuperValu retailers in County Mayo spent over €6.5 million on wages, employing between them 434 local people and making them collectively among the biggest employers in the county. Many of these jobs are for highly skilled, highly qualified and highly motivated people such as store managers, craft butchers, fishmongers and fresh food advisors. After all, SuperValu is the one store where you can go from stacking shelves to operating and owning your own store.
SuperValu’s support for its local community doesn’t stop here. The brand is committed to sourcing produce locally and spent over €2.3 million supporting 119 Mayo farmers and producers in 2012.
In doing so, retailers continued to deliver a wide variety of quality, local fresh food to customers at exceptional value. In addition to supporting local farmers and producers, SuperValu stores in the county spent almost €340,000 on local trade and professional service providers such as electricians, builders and accountants.
Owned by locally based entrepreneurs, SuperValu stores all over the country invest back into their communities which has a ripple effect on the local economy. It is an internationally recognised fact that for every euro spent with an independently owned store, three times more money stays in the local community when compared to spending with an international chain.
Commenting on the investment, Martin Kelleher, managing director SuperValu said: “We believe in supporting local communities and both myself and our retailer partners in SuperValu Mayo are very proud of our contribution to the local economy. By employing local people and purchasing from local suppliers, our retailers offer a shopping experience that is not only exceptional quality and value, but is different and better and tailored to the local community. Every time someone shops in our stores, their money goes back into the local economy, as the store provides employment to local people and supports local producers and businesses in the area. In the current economic climate, investing locally makes a real difference both at local and national level and our retailers will continue to play their part by supporting local communities.”
As well as supporting local jobs and the economy, SuperValu retailers contribute to local charities and voluntary organisations. In 2012, SuperValu retailers in County Mayo spent €154,000 on charitable contributions to St Vincent de Paul, Mayo Roscommon Hospice and Ballina Rugby, to name but a few.
SuperValu serves over 2,000,000 customers every week and has 198 stores nationwide. Seventy five per cent of everything on SuperValu’s shelves is sourced or produced in Ireland, contributing over €1.6 billion to the Irish economy and helping to sustain almost 30,000 Irish jobs in the farm, food and retail sector.
