Food group to create 150 jobs

MUSGRAVE will create 150 jobs at a new warehouse and distribution operation in Co Kildare.

The Cork-headquartered food and grocery distribution group will spend €35 million on the new facility in Kilcock, which will begin operations in January 2005.

The facility will serve as a distribution centre for over 500 independently-owned SuperValu and Centra shops around the country. Musgrave already has two such centres in Cork and Galway and chose Kilcock for its third site because it is has easy access to the main roads leading from Dublin.

The group said it would develop a second phase in Kilcock in line with Musgrave’s expansion plans. The new centre will comprise 150,000 square feet of warehousing, loading bays, offices and associated facilities.

Speaking at the jobs announcement yesterday, Tánaiste Mary Harney said the new centre was a sign of the vibrancy of the Irish retail food sector and would make Musgrave one of the biggest employers in north Kildare. The area has suffered from the closure of manufacturing plants recently.

Michael Nason, managing director of Musgrave Supervalu Centra, the retail franchise division of the Musgrave group, said the new facility would help the group to manage its supply network.