SuperValu has a long and distinguished history of being at the heart of thriving and vibrant local communities in all the locations in which they operate both north and south of the border.

Through this sponsorship SuperValu and the GAA bring together in true partnership two of Ireland's most community focused organisations and for this year's edition of the Wee County, we profile Newry SuperValu and speak to general manager Kieran Lowery about his role and the part that the nationwide retailer plays in the community.
For the past three years, Kieran has been at the helm of Supervalu/The Good Food Shop on Hill Street, Newry's main shopping district and he explains that they have a large customer base.
"The majority of our customers have been with us many years but we are always seeing new faces which tells us that our reputation for what we do is still drawing in new trade, we still get some cross border trade and we're always happy to see people from Dundalk and North Louth because I think we have a lot in common, my sister actually lives in Kilcurry and has done for about 14 years and her two oldest lads Robbie and Christopher play for Roche Emmetts GAA Club" said Kieran.
"We would have a very loyal local customer coming in to us and we would be dealing with the same people all the time, to the point that our staff know most of them on a first name basis which gives us a great bond with the local community."
SuperValu has been on Hill Street for the past six years, but there has been a supermarket on the premises dating back the last three decades. "We currently employ over 120 staff, making us one of the biggest employers in Co Down's main town".
"We would be familiar with the majority of our customers and although this branch would not be involved directly in sponsorship, we have helped raise between £70,000 and £80,000, annually, through bag packing for local groups throughout the year, such as Action Cancer, Southern Area Hospice and various GAA Clubs".
"Sponsorship is an area that we are looking to get involved with; we are keen to help out as many groups as possible as our customer base would cover many associations."
In total there are 40 SuperValu stores across Northern Ireland and the Newry branch would be one of the best examples of a good independent local business focused on delivering value, quality and service. Kieran knows that in order to keep improving the offer and improve the level of service, they must consider the customers thoughts.
"We take in a lot of feedback from customers through suggestion boxes but mostly I find just talking to the customer is the best way to find out what they want, which is the part of the job i enjoy most, we use that feedback to make up the many promotions that we have on offer all the time. About half of the promotions we would develop ourselves in the store, while Musgrave, our retail partners, would have some input into some of the fantastic £1 deals, Half Price deals and Buy One Get One Free deals that we run constantly, we are finding that our customers want value but they want a good level of friendly service too."
Kieran admits that on a daily basis there are different challenges to contend with, but it is a role that he is thoroughly enjoying. "There are a lot of different challenges, no two days are the same and it's great to be able to interact with the customers. There's always some great banter and good craic at times and there is a lot of positivity in the store because of that relationship.
"People are a lot more price conscious these days given the current economic climate, but they still want quality, especially in fresh food and this is an area where we feel we can give them what they want, The Good Food Shop aspect of the store is based around the principle of good quality fresh food at affordable prices, the Downeys are third generation Butchers so there is nothing we don't know about fresh food."
A Down native, Kieran has a keen interest in the GAA and indeed his wife Michelle lined out for the Down Senior Ladies for a short while, and played her club football for The Bosco in Newry. He stressed that there were many positives for both Louth and Down to take from 2010.
"It was a fantastic year for Down, they were unlucky in the final, but I'm certain that it was no flash in the pan, I firmly believe that they will be back challenging for honours next year.
"Louth can take great heart from their performances and look, everyone knows that they were robbed in the Leinster final, but they can bounce back from that. They have some excellent players and in Paddy Keenan, they have obtained their first ever All-Star, so there is still plenty to cheer about."
Since the sponsorship deal between the GAA and SuperValu was announced earlier in the year, the two organisations have worked hand in hand in promoting the games.
SuperValu has been continuously involved in a number of competitions and it is just another example of how this retail giant is at one with the local community.
SuperValu's commitment to Irish produce and the communities it serves across the island is testament to the importance that they place on community life and the GAA was delighted to be involved with a company that shares so many of its own values. The alliance will enthuse many members of the company's vast retail network, many of whom are already GAA members and supporters.
The GAA is a natural fit with the SuperValu brand. The organisations share common values through focusing their approach on relationships, honesty, hard work, achievement and of course community identity.  The GAA Football Championship is not just about winning games; it is about Ireland's heritage, it is what makes us uniquely Irish; gives us our sense of 'pride in place' and pride in our county colours.  In the years ahead, SuperValu and its retail partners will look forward to building their partnership and bringing it to life locally in their stores across all 32 counties.            
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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