An in-store kitchen for meal prep, a made from scratch in-store bakery, and six larger trolley self-checkouts are among the features of Eurospar’s Kilkeel forecourt shop which has undergone a £4.7 million refit.
The Greencastle Street outlet, in County Down, Northern Ireland, has doubled in size to 10,279sq ft, to become the largest fresh foods supermarket in its owner’s estate.
As well as the Delish deli counter, offering hot food for now alongside a sandwich, salad and wrap bar, there is a new Southern Fried Chicken bar also available. There are three Barista Bar coffee machines, including one of the first Barista Bar Iced machines in Northern Ireland. And there is a dedicated Fish & Chips branded bay.
Owned by family-run Henderson Retail, the business, which runs a Texaco branded filling station on the same site, has grown its product range by 54%. It now stocks products from over 190 local suppliers, and also uses local ingredients to make meals in its kitchen such as beef lasagne, chicken curry and rice, sides and desserts, says store manager, John Fox.
“Eurospar Greencastle Street is the area’s newly upgraded destination for locally sourced fresh produce, homemade meals cooked up with local ingredients, an outstanding range of hot and cold food to go, plus everyday essentials and services,” he says.
Local products include John Mulligan Potatoes from Kilkeel, eggs from Riverlodge in Annalong, and bread and cakes from Corn Dolly in Newry.
Kilkeel’s popular Cunningham’s Butchery also has a counter in-store, providing advice on prep, cooking and recipes alongside a range of ready prepared hampers, breakfast, weekend dinner and barbecue packs for shoppers to take home.
George Rankin, retail director at Henderson Group, says: “We have not only invested heavily in the infrastructure and refurbishment of the store, but we have invested in our range of locally sourced products to provide our shoppers with choice, quality and value, all under one roof.
“Eurospar Greencastle Street has been built around a passion for food. Local sourcing is in our roots as a company, and particularly in the South Down area, there is a celebration of the fields and farms that have been producing fresh meat, fruit, veg and seafood for generations. Championing these local suppliers helps shoppers make the best choices for their trollies, whether they’re picking up something for tonight’s tea, or for now.”
