Asda is to spend more than £65m expanding its presence in Northern Ireland next year. Its business was already "one of the jewels in Asda's crown", said chief operating officer Andy Clarke at a food industry event in Belfast this week.

Having opened 13 stores since it entered the market in 2005, the retailer planned to open three more next year, including a flagship store in Antrim, he said.

The weak pound has encouraged shoppers in the Republic to cross the ­border to shop and the Enniskillen store was one of the top 10 highest-earning Walmart stores globally this year. Shoppers in Northern Ireland bought more local food than in the mainland UK, with about 20% of all products sold made locally. "In partnership with local suppliers, we've been able to create a fantastic growth model and we're using this to help steer our businesses at a national level," said Clarke.

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