We create jobs

I WAS astonished at the headline “Superquinn axes 80 jobs to cut costs” (The Irish Examiner, August 14) which suggested some sort of emergency measure had been put in place when in fact the job losses were part of a voluntary redundancy scheme as a result of a 35m investment with 240 new jobs.

The context of the article was the opening of our Distribution Centre in Blanchardstown in January, which was widely reported at the time. We recruited over 240 employees and, as a result of efficiencies gained, a voluntary redundancy scheme was put in place. What disappoints me here is that the whole issue is unbalanced, with the focus being on 80 job cuts with no corresponding space given to the 240 new jobs yet both are linked.

The Distribution Centre is now handling over half of our products and will be fully operational by October. In the last two years Superquinn has opened two brand new stores in Waterford and Limerick, with over 400 new jobs.