Magherafelt retailer JC Stewart makes it two in a row at London awards

Widely considered the most prestigious of the UK-wide industry awards to win, the Retail Industry Awards are a mark of excellence, and this year’s judges praised JC Stewart as “a truly first class operation”.

Two other Northern Ireland retailers picked up the highly commended gong in the Fresh Produce Retailer of the Year category; JD Hunter’s in Armagh and Morrison’s VIVOXTRA in Saintfield.

The judges were impressed with the traditional market feel of JC Stewart which makes them stand out from a competitive crowd, they added; “JC Stewart has superb and innovative displays of locally sourced produce with some exceptional seasonal displays that show the abundance and freshness off to its best.”

Gary McCulloch from JC Stewart said it was fantastic to take home the award for the second year; "Fresh and local is what we pride ourselves on to provide for our local shoppers. Supporting our local agri-food industry, farmers and suppliers gives our shopper's peace of mind that they're buying quality, local food. The Produce team, Beverley & Laura put a lot of effort into ensuring our displays are enticing and drive sales, and we couldn't be prouder to lift this award for another year."

Paddy Doody, Sales and Marketing Director at Henderson Group added; “JC Stewart has provided an excellent example of how merchandising and marketing their fresh produce to local shoppers can reap rewards in sales and growth for the store. The store’s team listens to what their shoppers want and responds with fresh and local products at value prices. It’s an unbeatable combination. Congratulations to the team!”

Other winners from Northern Ireland on the night included SPAR Malone Road, Lynch’s EUROSPAR in Derry, Mulkerns EUROSPAR in Newry and EUROSPAR Victoria Road in Carrickfergus. SPAR, EUROSPAR and VIVOXTRA retailers in Northern Ireland picked up a total of 10 winners’ trophies, plus eight highly commended accolades.

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