Food retail, wholesale and foodservice company, Musgrave Northern Ireland, has today revealed a ten-figure annual contribution to Northern Ireland’s economy, as a result of being one of the region’s top employers and its investment in local produce.
Growing Good Business: An Economic and Social Impact Report, prepared by leading economists at Grant Thornton on behalf of Musgrave NI, sets out how critical the retail, wholesale and foodservice business is to Northern Ireland – supporting the employment of over 5,000 jobs, working with 250 local suppliers and investing significantly in local communities, as well as in sustainability and affordability initiatives.
Key annual economic contributions include:
- £1.2 billion in total spending across the NI economy.
- £329 million in Gross Value Added.
- £121.5 million in wages, representing 3.7% of sector employment.
- £240 million invested in local supply chain partnerships.
Musgrave, operating in Northern Ireland since 1983, works indirectly with over 3,000 farmers and features over 6,000 homegrown products across its retail stores and wholesale brands.
The impact of Musgrave’s total spend with Northern Irish suppliers, equated to a further £256m injection in indirect expenditure, as calculated by Grant Thornton.
In 2024, Musgrave NI reinforced its commitment to supporting local producers and delivering value to customers by launching a new brand, Good Food Locally Sourced. This initiative represented a £14 million investment in partnerships with local suppliers, alongside a £6 million investment in value-driven offerings to ensure greater affordability for shoppers and accessibility to quality, home-grown produce and locally sourced products.
It also made capital investments of £16m in new and refurbished stores and energy-saving upgrades, as well as its sector-leading £3.6m Sustainability Fund that it launched back in 2022. Across the SuperValu, Centra and Mace brands, Musgrave operates over 220 stores across Northern Ireland with ambitious plans to grow the network in 2025 and beyond.
Despite a challenging economic environment, marked by rising inflation, global uncertainty, post-Brexit Trade adjustments and cost-of-living pressures, Musgrave NI has continued to invest in long-term value for its customers, suppliers and communities under the Group’s overall mission of building sustainable communities.
Social impact highlights in 2024 include:
- £6 million in value-focused initiatives to support affordability.
- Over £260,000 raised for local charities.
- Over 7,200 meals donated to people in need.
- 5,000 native trees planted as part of a long-term environmental commitment.
Trevor Magill, Musgrave NI Managing Director said: “At Musgrave NI, we’re focused on Growing Good Business and adding value to all those within our ecosystem, including unwavering support for our local suppliers, creating quality employment opportunities and delivering everyday value for our customers.
“Right across the board, we have deepened our investment in Northern Ireland over the past year through new store openings and refurbishments, environmental initiatives, local sourcing partnerships, and impactful charity contributions. To see this all accumulate into a figure of £1.2bn in economic output makes me incredibly proud of our team and the efforts that are made. We are very committed to continuing this journey and to remain a positive force in Northern Ireland’s economy, in support of the communities we’re part of.”
Andrew Webb, Chief Economist at Grant Thornton said: “Musgrave NI is a hugely important business to the Northern Ireland economy and this economic impact report proves that. To be responsible for injecting £1.2bn of spending into the economy in one year is an incredible feat and something that doesn’t happen without momentous effort. The company’s commitment to value and supporting local goes a long way to set a new standard, and places Musgrave NI as a leader and inspiration for businesses both within and outside of the retail industry.”
The report findings were released at the launch of Musgrave’s Love Local Campaign which took place in St. George’s Market in Belfast on Wednesday 4th June. The consumer focused campaign will go live later this month in stores as well as across digital platforms.
Musgrave NI forms part of the Musgrave Group, operating across both retail and wholesale sectors and is the parent company of well-established retail brands SuperValu, Centra and Mace. The Group has a proud 149-year legacy in food expertise and brand development.
In addition to its retail operations, Musgrave NI’s wholesale division encompasses Musgrave Marketplace, Drinks Inc., La Rousse Foods and recently acquired businesses Robb Wines, Parkview Provisions and AFT.
