Asda is claiming a great success with its first foray into the Northern Irish grocery market.
It said sales at its first four stores had exceeded its weekly sales targets by 30% in their first week of trading.
Chief executive Andy Bond said: “We thought our prices would prove popular, but we’ve been bowled over with just how busy the stores have been.”
Local suppliers had to make extra deliveries to cope with demand. Michael Murphy, business development controller at Irwin’s Bakery, said: “This has far exceeded our expectations and had assured us of Asda’s commitment to wholeheartedly supporting local producers.”
Asda opened stores in Bangor, Cookstown and Coleraine on October 10 and in Ballyclare on October 13.
As predicted in The Grocer, Asda’s arrival in Northern Ireland has sparked a price war over fuel (October 1, p8). It stuck to its promise of offering the same prices at the pump as offered in the rest of the UK.
Within hours of Asda’s openings, Tesco in Bangor cut its price to match Asda’s 90.9p/litre for unleaded and 93.9p for diesel. Sainsbury also cut its prices at its store in Coleraine.
Nisa-Today’s has recorded better than expected third-quarter trading figures. Grocery was up 9.7% on last year - boosted by coffee at 20.5%, breakfast cereals at 17.6% and biscuits at 3.8%. The impulse category was also up 5.1%, with cider and wine up 21% and 35.4%.
The illegal dye Sudan 4 has been found in various batches of palm oil brands, the FSA has said. The affected brands are Active Spiced Palm Oil (500ml), GhanaUK Trade Brand Zomi Pure Palm Oil (1 litre), with an expiry date of September 2007, and Rika Ventures Palm Oil (500ml).
Masterfoods has withdrawn three batches of its Galaxy milk drink after the company found that some of the cartons may not be sterile. The cartons affected are 230ml cartons with best before dates of 28/01/2006 and 04/02/2006 and batch codes of 2AD3 and 2AD4.
The food industry is backing the Asia Quake Appeal. Dhamecha has donated £50,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee, Greencore has despatched Scottish mineral water to the region through Pakistan Relief, while the National Federation of Retail Newsagents has launched an appeal and has vowed to donate £5,000.
Heinz avoided strike action at its Wigan plant this week when workers voted in favour of a last minute pay offer worth 8% during the next two years. About 800 of the 850 staff at the factory, which produces 1.34bn cans of baked beans, spaghetti and soup per year, were due to start an indefinite walkout on Wednesday, before the T&G, Amicus and Ucatt, negotiated the deal.
nisa thrives
sudan 4
withdrawal
quake help
strike averted
It said sales at its first four stores had exceeded its weekly sales targets by 30% in their first week of trading.
Chief executive Andy Bond said: “We thought our prices would prove popular, but we’ve been bowled over with just how busy the stores have been.”
Local suppliers had to make extra deliveries to cope with demand. Michael Murphy, business development controller at Irwin’s Bakery, said: “This has far exceeded our expectations and had assured us of Asda’s commitment to wholeheartedly supporting local producers.”
Asda opened stores in Bangor, Cookstown and Coleraine on October 10 and in Ballyclare on October 13.
As predicted in The Grocer, Asda’s arrival in Northern Ireland has sparked a price war over fuel (October 1, p8). It stuck to its promise of offering the same prices at the pump as offered in the rest of the UK.
Within hours of Asda’s openings, Tesco in Bangor cut its price to match Asda’s 90.9p/litre for unleaded and 93.9p for diesel. Sainsbury also cut its prices at its store in Coleraine.
Nisa-Today’s has recorded better than expected third-quarter trading figures. Grocery was up 9.7% on last year - boosted by coffee at 20.5%, breakfast cereals at 17.6% and biscuits at 3.8%. The impulse category was also up 5.1%, with cider and wine up 21% and 35.4%.
The illegal dye Sudan 4 has been found in various batches of palm oil brands, the FSA has said. The affected brands are Active Spiced Palm Oil (500ml), GhanaUK Trade Brand Zomi Pure Palm Oil (1 litre), with an expiry date of September 2007, and Rika Ventures Palm Oil (500ml).
Masterfoods has withdrawn three batches of its Galaxy milk drink after the company found that some of the cartons may not be sterile. The cartons affected are 230ml cartons with best before dates of 28/01/2006 and 04/02/2006 and batch codes of 2AD3 and 2AD4.
The food industry is backing the Asia Quake Appeal. Dhamecha has donated £50,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee, Greencore has despatched Scottish mineral water to the region through Pakistan Relief, while the National Federation of Retail Newsagents has launched an appeal and has vowed to donate £5,000.
Heinz avoided strike action at its Wigan plant this week when workers voted in favour of a last minute pay offer worth 8% during the next two years. About 800 of the 850 staff at the factory, which produces 1.34bn cans of baked beans, spaghetti and soup per year, were due to start an indefinite walkout on Wednesday, before the T&G, Amicus and Ucatt, negotiated the deal.
nisa thrives
sudan 4
withdrawal
quake help
strike averted
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