CEO says focus on home brands is key to growth

The success of the Kilkenny Group is due to its commitment and focus on Irish designers and brands, according to Marian O’Gorman, the company’s chief executive.

Ms O’Gorman, in announcing the opening of the group’s 11th shop, said that people associated the brand of the Kilkenny Shop with quality, Irish-made products and that this is where customers want to spend their money at the moment.

“Certainly the fact that we have Irish-designed and made products is a big factor,” Ms O’Gorman said.

“We are the store people think of when it comes to Irish products.”

Over the past number of years, the family-run retail company has enjoyed successful trading activity, as more Irish consumers are embracing a “buy Irish” mentality.

This has led to an increase in turnover and profitability for the Kilkenny Group as it seeks to expand its portfolio of shops and add to the company’s workforce.

The company has also relaunched its online store, kilkennyshop.com, to cope with changing consumer demands. and in a bid to improve the online shopping experience of customers.

The company’s marketing manager, Greg O’Gorman, said that they were planning on opening two further shops in the foreseeable future.

“We have grown to 11 stores since 1989. We are a progressive and aggressive brand and we plan to open two new stores in the near future,” he said.

The latest addition to the Kilkenny Group was the opening of its 11th store, on Dublin’s Grafton St, close to the flagship Nassau St shop.