Declan Dempsey doubled the sales of his store’s bakery department by developing a bakery that at its core bakes beautiful unique artisan product. This has created such a point of difference in the locale that the overall store has enjoyed an 8% increase in overall sales. Our winner took the brave decision to go back to full time education, embracing an incredible passion for baking to train as a baker after the recession put an end to his construction business. He is now reaping the rewards.

In a time when we are all concerned about rising obesity and the link between diet and poor health, Mariusz Zarzeeczny is a real ambassador for healthy eating and the benefits of fruit & vegetables. Lecturing on nutrition in his local college and writing his dissertation on consumer attitudes towards organics, our winner is a true example of when your passion meets your job.

This winner has achieved 12% growth through innovative displays, consistent availability and the constant introduction of new product, running an incredible fruit & vegetable department in one of Ireland’s food capitals.

How do you deliver customer service in a business that is quite literally trading out of its skin? This year’s winner runs the customer service function in a business that is the envy of the industry and so successful that it will double its square footage in the next year. With a store vision that believes that you can only deliver the right offer if you have the right service, Maria Irwin works tirelessly to ensure that is delivered through consistent training and an environment where great customer service is a natural warm friendly greeting and a genuine happiness to help.

Managing the delicatessen in a location that boasts some of the best fresh food offerings around, for a business that prides itself on its fresh food credentials, Erica Gavigan sets herself apart through a passion for product, developing people and most importantly around commercial innovation that has driven department sales and margin to double digit growth. Turning an ice cream kiosk into a carvery station that adds 5% to department sales is just one example.

Gwen Culbert trained as a chef, completed the Ballymaloe cookery academy and topped all this off with a degree in Art and Design. She continued her knowledge with courses in everything from sugarcraft to wedding cake design.

Having run the fresh food department in one of Dublin’s favourite food emporiums for 11 years, she returned home, landing in her store owner’s high quality food business, bringing food leadership to a successful store and on to new heights.

Managing a thriving off-licence with 17% of overall store participation — and of this 65% wine sales — the customers ask for Remi Ciutys by name and he seems to know them all. He uses innovative displays and space creatively to drive wine, spirit and craft beer sales that are relocated in company stores.

Kevin O’Connell impressed the judges with creativity in a protein department, exceptional expertise and the personality with flair to sell the product. He helped the protein department become a hero department in his store, exuding excellent knowledge and a real creative flair for displays.

What most impressed was his ability to step up to management effortlessly to product truly great results with sales growth of 15%.

Brian Jacob has worked in the business for more than 30 years and has won numerous awards during this time. Among his achievements is the raising of €30,000 for the Laura Lynn foundation and keeping 55 colleagues employed through the recession which hit their location extremely hard.

Nowadays it is all about driving the business and investing in growth and acting not just as a supplier to customers but as a trusted advisor.

The Field Marketing Team of the Year Award is selected by customer vote.

The Brand Sales Team of the Year Award is selected by customer vote.

The Brand Merchandising Team of the Year Award is selected by customer vote.

Brian Dorgan manages a high-throughput convenience city centre store with 2,000 customers per day…

Trading through 1,500 sq ft, Brian Dorgan delivers a fast but friendly service to local customers, students from a nearby university and constant passing trade. The store has been on the wave of the economy, suffering in the recession and rebounding in more positive times.

His constant search for added sales coupled with the positivity he infects with his staff make him a real winner.

Elaine Kirwan is a career retailer with seven awards under her belt, from hygiene awards to industry recognition awards for her fresh food offering and company awards for the standard of her store.

These achievements are celebrated with her team, the majority of whom have worked in the business ten years, as a way to reward and recognise the effort of her staff leading to continued strong performance.

Anyone visiting his site will see it immediately as a real flag bearer for the brand, but also as an innovative and very high standard convenience and food store.

With this in mind, he believes motivation is the key to success and that a happy and engaged team will perform at the highest level. The success of his site, which is only open since 2014, has prompted his company to expand and redevelop it.

‘Build it and they will come’ isn’t the wisest philosophy to follow all the time in site retailing, however for Gavin Moran that is exactly what the owners did.

Building a wonderful service station and food offering will only bring you some of the way to success; employing a brilliant manager is the key to bringing the business the rest of the way. The business managed by Gavin Moran trades out of its skin with further development adding more size and increased parking will inevitably bring additional success.

Offering customers an outstanding range of fresh food product, from award winning meats through to an innovative bakery, Catherine Brougham drives sales through customer loyalty and a point of difference in the area where the customer is truly king.

An award-winning retailer and previous finalist, our winner prides herself on having started as a member of staff on the shop floor and worked her way up to manage a variety of the company’s stores.

Their customers pass competitors to come to her store, a high standard award-winner.

Garvey’s SuperValu in Dingle is a true ‘state of the art’ food emporium. Whilst the owner’s investment is to commended, the success of this business must be attributed to the brilliance of the store manager. With 15 years’ service to his business and 26 years in retail, Kevin O’Connor brought the business through a pressured and expensive redevelopment to award-winning success, winning a number of accolades including Store of the year.

The business thrives on its outstanding fresh food offering which couples innovation with value.

Managing a relatively new store that was developed in the boom and suffered in the bust, Mark Glynn had to take a value message coupled with high service to his local customer base, driving that message home to turn around declining sales.

Managing at times in high convenience fashion in a traditional trolley shop has presented challenges which this winner overcame with great success.

Margaret Crean manages a thriving best-practice business that sets itself apart from the competition through genuinely delivering standard, service and exceptional availability every trading hour, 24 hours a day.

She began began their career as staff, was spotted as talent and began a journey of development that has led to senior management appointments and managing more than 200 staff in a large successful business.

The team at SuperValu Blackrock works tirelessly to deliver arguably the best retail offering out there with a level of service unsurpassed in the market. This team has been through significant change and has emerged stronger and more positive than ever.

Its watchwords are consistency in retail standards and the delivery of 5-star retail service everyday.

With 145 staff employed, operating 24/7/365 and serving 5,000 customers each day in a 8 time award-winning business, Gavin Moran is an award winner through and through.

He manages a flagship and a highly profitable store. Standards are exceptional, margin is high, and staff numbers are quite frankly ridiculous considering the square footage of the business that has daily transaction levels that would frighten many in grocery retailing.

What really makes this manager stand out is that he has created a destination store where a transient customer has become a daily repeat visitor.