Three Portlaoise retailers praised at national awards

Portlaoise retailers have been recognised at this year’s National Grocery Retail Awards held in Dublin.

Three local stores received a highly commended award - Polonez Portlaoise, O’Sullivan’s Gala Portlaoise and Portlaoise Plaza.

The awards were held at the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel in Dublin on Wednesday, November 4. Organised by Checkout magazine and hosted by broadcaster Claire Brock, the event celebrated excellence in supermarket, convenience and forecourt retailing, fresh food, customer service and community involvement.

Every store that enters undergoes a comprehensive mystery-shopper assessment, covering more than 100 questions and observations across key aspects of retail operations. Stores progressing to the next stage receive a further site visit as part of the judging process.

A number of stores were honoured through Checkout’s Highly Commended initiative, which recognises entrants that performed exceptionally well in the judging process without becoming finalists in individual award categories.

In the Retail Store of the Year categories, Scally’s of Clonakilty was named Large Supermarket winner, Garvey’s SuperValu Cobh won Medium Supermarket and Broderick’s SPAR Croom took Small Supermarket.

The convenience retail awards went to Quish’s Centra Ballincollig in the Larger Format category and Herlihy’s Centra Patrick Street in the Smaller Format category.

Several stores celebrated multiple wins. Sligo Junction received Ireland’s New Store of the Year and Ireland’s Forecourt Retailer of the Year, following its extensive redevelopment. Broderick’s SPAR Croom was also recognised for Customer Service Excellence, while Scally’s of Clonakilty received Ireland’s Most Creative Fresh Food Retailer award.

Fresh food was a major focus of the ceremony. Garvey’s SuperValu Listowel won Excellence in Fresh Food Retailing in a Large Supermarket; Murphy’s SuperValu Castletownbere won the Medium Supermarket category; and Cosgrove’s Centra Mountain Top won the Small Supermarket category. Herlihy’s Centra Grand Parade and Lee’s Centra (Limerick Road) Charleville won the corresponding Convenience Store and Forecourt Store awards.

Other honours included Ireland’s Best Sustainability Initiative for Barry Collins’ SuperValu Carrigaline, recognised for measures including solar panels and energy-efficient refrigeration, and Ireland’s Best Supporter of Local Community Initiatives for Cahill’s Centra Marley Park. Keogh’s Farm won Ireland’s Fresh Food Supplier of the Year, while Junction 14 Mayfield was named Motorway Services Outlet of the Year.

Category sponsors included IVG, Kelsius, Gala Retail, European Supermarket Magazine, GigGrafter and Invest NI, whose support helped recognise achievement across the sector.