Aldi regional centre opens in Cork

Discount grocer Aldi has said its ongoing expansion here will, in time, create more jobs at its new Cork-based distribution centre, although none past the 160 already being created at the site are currently planned.

The German retailer yesterday announced the overdue official opening of its new regional distribution centre, for the south of the country, in Mitchelstown, employing 160 people.

The positions, recruitment for which began at the beginning of the year, bring to 460 the number of jobs Aldi is creating here over the next three years. The company is in the midst of an expansion programme that will see 20 shops open and 300 additional jobs created.

The 59,535sq metre facility, which will service Aldi’s stores in Cork, Limerick, Kerry, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Clare, Waterford, Galway, Mayo and Wexford, is the firm’s second such operation here, but is being delivered two years overdue, mainly because of planning difficulties affecting its expansion plans dating back to 2010.

Nevertheless, the long-awaited opening will mark “a crucial step” in Aldi’s Irish expansion, according to Giles Hurley, Aldi Ireland regional managing director.

He said this move marks “a significant milestone” for the Irish operations, with the 160 jobs — which are skilled positions across management, administration, warehousing and logistics — “real, sustainable” positions which will be of help to supporting families.

Aldi added that as its store expansion programme continues, “employee numbers at the distribution centre will also continue to grow”.

Aldi has been the standout performer in the grocery market in recent years, maintaining its position as the fastest growing supermarket since the middle of 2008. The company, according to Kantar Worldpanel figures published earlier this week, saw 26.6% sales growth over the 12 weeks to Aug 18, helping it increase its market share to 7.4%.

The company has also tripled its annual spend on Irish-sourced products in the past five years, helping to maintain 20,000 jobs across the food industry.

“Our dedicated Irish buying team is always on the look-out for companies who can produce high quality, innovative, Irish-made products. Our door is always open to Irish producers interested in trading with Aldi,” the group’s buying director in Ireland, Niall O’Connor said.