Musgrave NI has boosted sales by 14% at a company-owned Centra store in Newcastle after investing £1.4m to create a larger-format concept for the convenience brand.
The store, known locally as Centra The Barbican, reopened in April after transitioning from its sister retail brand, SuperValu, which had been serving the community since the 1980s.
It now represents the largest Centra store in Northern Ireland, at 7,900 sq ft, with the aim of combining “SuperValu’s strong food heritage and Centra’s modern convenience offer”.
Musgrave NI MD Trevor Magill told The Grocer it wanted to champion four key shopper missions: food for now, dinner for tonight, top-up, and alcohol, with each having a designated zone within the store.
For those on the go, the store features a new hot and cold deli counter, offering a baked potato station and pizza by the slice, alongside fresh bakery and hand-crafted patisserie items.
It has refurbished the ‘Dinner Made Easy’ zone, offering an extended range of fresh foods, meat, and convenient meal solutions.
The new store also boasts an expanded alcohol selection, featuring wines, beers and spirits, alongside a chilled zero‑alcohol zone.
The larger format has also allowed it to host all of Musgrave Group’s brands, including Frank & Honest Coffee, Easy Meals, Mercato Italiano, and Caramico Pizza, as well as Centra and SuperValu own label.
Musgrave NI’s own-label brand, Good Food Locally Sourced, spanning meat, poultry, dairy and meal solutions, is also featured. The range launched in 2024 and boasted £14m in sales last year across the Musgrave’s NI convenience estate, said Magill.
Another new concept brought to the store was Meals @ The Barbican, marking the first time Musgrave NI has developed a bespoke sub-brand dedicated to a specific store. It consists of products freshly prepared on site.
The store has also debuted a bay that is dedicated to local suppliers under a ‘Love Local?’ banner. It features a range of products from suppliers on a rotational basis to give them the chance to sell their goods through the estate, Magill added.
“The launch of the new Centra concept was a reflection of moving with the times because shopper needs and aspirations are constantly changing,” said Magill. “We knew our shopper missions and verified these by carrying out extensive consumer research, and focused on how bring those missions to life while making sure we drive value. It’s gone down really well with shoppers, and sales are up 14% compared to pre-refit and on a like-for-like basis.”
He added that the concept was still in a trial phase and the business would continue to analyse shopper feedback before rolling it out further.
Musgrave NI’s retail estate spans 230 SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores, including 43 that are company-owned. Mace is solely operated by independent retailers.
Magill also revealed that Musgrave NI was developing a loyalty app for shoppers that can be used across the independent and company-owned estates, with the aim of launching by Q1 next year.
It will feature member pricing, a ‘buy six, get one free’ coffee deal, and personalised offers. It is an adaption of Musgrave Group’s loyalty scheme across the Republic of Ireland.
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