CONGRATULATIONS TO DONNIE CHRISTIAN, 2019 GROCERY RETAIL MANAGER OF THE YEAR!

Donnie Christian, winner of Grocery Retail Manager of the Year, celebrates with Owen Clifford, head of retail sector, Bank of Ireland
The 2019 Grocery Management Awards saw Donnie Christian of Londis in DCU named Grocery Retail Manager of the Year as well as Large C-Store Manager of the Year in front of hundreds of peers and colleagues from Ireland’s convenience, supermarket and FMCG industries.
A visibly thrilled Christian said his two awards made many years of hard work worth the effort. His store, the newly-built Londis in DCU, is a highly advanced convenience store, packed with features out front and behind the scenes. Judges were highly impressed with the business, as well as with Christian himself whose ambition and enthusiasm for the trade was nothing short of infectious.
At the prestigious event in Dublin’s Citywest Hotel, more than 20 awards were announced in all areas of the business, rewarding those individuals who go the extra mile to make their store stand out in a highly competitive market.
All the deserving and delighted winners are below. To download hi-res images of all the winners on the night, please click here.
SUPREME CHAMPION: GROCERY RETAIL MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Grocery Manager of the Year 2019 Donnie Christian of Londis DCU, receives the award from Barry Whelan, CEO of Excel Recruitment
SUPERSTORE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Food Surplus Management
Superstore Manager of the Year Andrew Collie of Tesco Ardkeen, Co. Waterford, with sponsor Niall J. Lord, MD of Food Surplus Management
LARGE SUPERMARKET MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Valeo Foods
Large Supermarket Manager of the Year Tom Worrall of Dunnes Stores St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, with sponsor Ciara Moore, Head of Customer Activation, Valeo Foods
PROVINCIAL SUPERMARKET MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Provincial Supermarket Manager of the Year Luke Flood of Herlihy’s Centra, Bishopstown, Co. Cork, with sponsor Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland
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HR MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Excel Recruitment
HR Manager of the Year, Jessica Maher of SuperValu Lucan in Dublin, with sponsor Barry Whelan, CEO of Excel Recruitment
CASH & CARRY MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Cash & Carry Manager of the Year Martin Loughran of Value Centre, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, with sponsor Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland
IN-STORE BAKERY MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Excel Recruitment
In-Store Bakery Manager of the Year Christina Keating of King’s Gala Kilteale, Co. Meath, with Nikki Murran, Director of Grocery Retail Recruitment, Excel Recruitment
FRUIT & VEG MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by ShelfLife Magazine
Fruit & Veg Manager of the Year Dusan Zapletal of SuperValu Blackrock, with sponsor Gillian Hamill, editor of ShelfLife magazine
CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Excel Recruitment
Customer Service Manager of the Year Rachel Stritch of SuperValu Sundrive in Dublin, with sponsor Sean Thomas, Senior Retail Recruitment Consultant, Excel Recruitment
C-STORE DELI/FOOD-TO-GO MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Allied Point of Sale
The award for C-Store Deli/Food-to-Go Manager of the Year was won by Helen Taylor of Daybreak Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, and accepted by store owner Kevin Forde, right, with sponsor John Byrne, Director of Allied Point of Sale
SUPERMARKET DELICATESSEN/FOOD-TO-GO MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Allied Point of Sale
Supermarket Deli/Food-to-Go Manager of the Year Claire Lynam of SuperValu Castletroy, Limerick, with sponsor John Byrne, Director of Allied Point of Sale
C-STORE OFF-LICENCE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Gilbeys
C-Store Off-Licence Manager of the Year Paul Coleman of Londis KCR, Terenure, Dublin, with sponsor Linda Cowan, National Sales Manager, Gilbeys
SUPERMARKET OFF-LICENCE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Gilbeys
Supermarket Off-Licence Manager of the Year, Mary Murphy of SuperValu Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, with sponsor Linda Cowan, National Sales Manager, Gilbeys
PROTEIN/PROVISIONS MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by EIQA
Protein/Provisions Manager of the Year Dominic Kelleher with sponsor Soraid McEntee, Operations Manager, EIQA
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BRAND SALES TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Advantage Group
The team from Tayto Snacks, winner of Brand Sales Team of the Year, led by National Sales Manager Gerry Lloyd, with sponsor Mike Doole, Commercial Director, Advantage Group
FIELD MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Field Marketing Team of the Year, FMI’s Justine Costello and Conor O’Raghallaigh, with sponsor Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland
TRADING TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Shoppers Intelligence
The team from Dunnes Stores’ Trading Team of the Year: Padraig Devaney, Darren Dunphy, Tom Worrall and Ronan Doyle, with sponsor Colm Rooney, Country Manager, Shoppers Intelligence
BRAND MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by BWG
Heineken Ireland’s Brand Marketing Team of the Year, accepted by Heather McAree, with sponsor Peter Donohoe, Group HR Director, BWG
SMALL C-STORE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by The Sunday Business Post
Small C-Store Manager of the Year Imran Isfaq of Griffin’s Londis, Lower O’Connell Street, Dublin, accepted by store owner Seamus Griffin, with sponsor Lorcan Hanlon, the Sunday Business Post
MEDIUM C-STORE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Valeo Foods
Colm Beattie, Medium C-Store Manager of the Year, from Mace Sandymount, with sponsor Claire Allen, Valeo Foods
LARGE C-STORE MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Reach Retail Services
Large C-Store Manager of the Year Donnie Christian of Londis DCU, with sponsor Laura Connolly, National Account Manager, Reach Retail Services
SMALL FORECOURT MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Seattle’s Best
Small Forecourt Manager of the Year Kevin O’Donnell of Gala Glenties, Donegal, with sponsor Mark Hargadon, Sales Director, Seattle’s Best
LARGE FORECOURT MANAGER OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Seattle’s Best
Large Forecourt Manager of the Year, Brian Joyce of Spar Galway Plaza, with sponsor Eric Nolan, Head of Retail Sales, Seattle’s Best, and (right) Barry Doyle, BWG
RETAIL TEAM OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Bank of Ireland
Padraig Broderick of Broderick’s Spar, Croom, Co. Limerick, accepts the award for Retail Team of the Year, with sponsor Owen Clifford, Head of Retail Sector, Bank of Ireland and Barry Doyle of BWG