Nisa-Today’s Announces Two New Members in ROI

23/03/2009

Nisa-Today’s has announced two new members in the Republic of Ireland – Ardkeen Quality Food Store in Waterford and Nolan’s Supermarket in Clontarf, northern Dublin.

Ardkeen Quality Food Store is a family-run, 15,000 sq ft business, founded in 1967. It is an independent food retailer specialising in artisan and locally produced foods. The business has successfully differentiated itself in a crowded marketplace and built strong customer loyalty through innovation and good customer service.

Kevin Jephson, director of Ardkeen Quality Food Store said, “The benefits that membership of Nisa-Today's brings to our consumers have been two-fold. The economies of scale afforded to members of Nisa ensure that we pass on a decrease in the price of everyday brands, thus enabling us to focus on sourcing and nurturing local and artisan producers, developing our unique food offering.”

Nolan’s Supermarket has been successfully trading in Clontarf on the north side of Dublin since 1955 and is a strictly independent, family-run business. The shopping centre in Clontarf includes a supermarket, off licence, newsagents, coffee shop, hardware and garden centre all run by the Nolan family. The business was originally set up by Paddy Nolan and his wife Una, now in their mid 80s but still very much involved in the business today. The centre covers a total of 30,000 sq ft of retail and storage space.

Paddy and Una’s son, Richard Nolan has been directing the company for the last 25 years. Commenting on the decision to join Nisa he said, “We circularised our suppliers in late 2007, early 2008 expressing our concern with regard to our trading terms and that we needed to be able to compete on price with the multiples. We felt that because of the nature of our business and our independent status, we were being disadvantaged with our terms. We got little or no response from our suppliers and we began to look at alternative sources of supply. After an initial approach from Nisa’s BDM in Ireland Richard Smyth, I had a meeting with its Group Sales director Andrew Mouse and he made a presentation on behalf of the Nisa-Today’s group. When we had a look at the total package including pricing, it was not particularly difficult to decide on our next move. Having said that the decision was reached only after some considerable agonising as we have always appreciated the direct business partnership we have had with each of our Irish based grocery suppliers.”

Both Nolan’s Supermarket and Ardkeen will be taking ambient goods from Nisa-Today’s range of over 9,000 lines from its 625,000 sq ft ambient warehouse in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire.

Andrew J Mouse, Group Sales director said, “We’re delighted to welcome both Ardkeen and Nolan’s into Nisa membership. They are superb retailers with a high quality product and service offering for their customers and we are excited to be working with them. We’re now achieving a weekly volume of 18,000 cases and are on course to exceed £11 million in value per annum in the Republic of Ireland. We have been delighted with the interest shown in Nisa in its retail sector and are currently pursuing a number of exciting new prospect opportunities.”

For more information please contact .