Centra, the Irish convenience chain owned by Musgrave, saw its total sales increase by 2.5% to €1.98bn during 2021.
The group stated that this was driven by growth in Centra’s convenience offering, including its own-label ranges and Frank and Honest coffee. The performance was also said to have been underpinned by increasing consumer demand for wide-ranging product offerings and Centra’s position as a local top-up grocery shopping destination.
Centra revealed that its Moo’d Ice Cream concept recorded sales of €10m last year, up over 52% on 2020. Meanwhile, sales of its ‘Inspired By Centra’ range jumped 40% and its freshly prepared meal range also climbed 40%.
Looking ahead, the retailer revealed that it was investing €25m in its expansion programme. This will see 18 new Centra stores opening in 2022, following 11 additions in 2021 that took the total to 438 sites. The group also spent €17m last year revamping 64 existing stores.
Centra Managing Director Ian Allen commented: “This robust sales performance underscores our position as Ireland’s leading convenience retailer. We have seen significant growth driven by increasing consumer demand for healthy and high-quality own-brand products at reasonable prices.
“We are continuously redefining convenience retail to ensure we satisfy the evolving needs of our shoppers by offering market-leading ranges. We are acutely aware of the rising cost of living challenges and we are working hard with our suppliers and retail partners to continue delivering the best value and quality to our customers.”
