Proud of its GAA links
September 02, 2010The announcement earlier this year of a new three-year All-Ireland football championship partnership between SuperValu and the GAA was greeted by Des Cosgrove of Cosgrove's SuperValu in Bundoran.
A native of the football stronghold of Knockmore in Co. Mayo who is now involved as a juvenile hurling and football coach with Coolera-Strandhill in Co. Sligo, Des is delighted with the new sponsorship arrangement which further strengthens the links between the retailer and the country's largest sporting organisation.
"As a GAA man, I'm thrilled. SuperValu and the GAA have a lot in common and it's entirely fitting that they have come together in this way. We are both extremely proud of our Irishness and we both have a presence in every corner of the country so it's the perfect partnership in my opinion."
Speaking at last February's sponsorship launch in Croke Park which was attended by store owners from all over Ireland, SuperValu managing director Donal Horgan said: "SuperValu is immensely proud of its Irish heritage, so today it gives me great pleasure to announce the brand's sponsorship of the GAA football championship.
"As with the GAA, our retail partners in Donegal and across the country have a long and distinguished history of being at the heart of building thriving and vibrant local communities. Today is a very proud day for us as we bring together in true partnership two of Ireland's most community focused organisations.
"The GAA is a natural fit with our brand and our SuperValu partners in Donegal have a proud tradition with the GAA. Our organisations share common values through focusing our approach on relationships, honesty, hard work, achievement and, of course, community identity.
He added: "The GAA football championship is not just about winning games. It is about our heritage. It is what makes us uniquely Irish, gives us our sense of 'pride in place' and pride in our county colours. In the years ahead, SuperValu and its retail partners look forward to building our partnership and bringing it to life locally in our stores across all 32 counties, including our Donegal stores."
Welcoming the announcement, GAA president Christy Cooney said: "This is a major boost to the Association and we are delighted to officially welcome SuperValu on board as official sponsors of the GAA. The arrangement is an excellent fit in so many ways. Just as we are proud of our GAA network, SuperValu and its retail partners are justifiably proud of their presence across Ireland.
"SuperValu's commitment to Irish produce, and the communities it serves across the island, is testament to the importance that they place on community life, and we are happy to align ourselves with a company that shares so many of our values.
"I am sure this alliance will enthuse many members of the company's vast retail network, many of whom are already GAA members and supporters. We wish them every success with this venture and look forward to a long-lasting and fruitful partnership."
Only two weeks earlier, the GAA announced a separate three-year deal with SuperValu's sister brand Centra to sponsor the All-Ireland hurling championship. This was also music to the ears of Des Cosgrove who is the proprietor of Cosgrove's Centra in Magheraboy, which is situated across the road from The Showgrounds - the home of Sligo Rovers FC.
"It's great to have the hurling sponsorship as well. Like SuperValu, Centra is immensely proud of its Irishness and there is no sport more Irish than hurling," he says.
Of farming stock, Des has been involved in the retail trade since leaving school as a 16-year-old to work with Dunnes Stores. Some years later, he moved to Cork where he joined the Musgrave Group (which SuperValu and Centra are a part of) as a fresh food advisor. He also acted as a buyer before opening his first Centra store in Watergrasshill seven years ago.
But after two years, the opportunity came along for Des and his wife Martha to return to the northwest. They sold their store in Watergrasshill and purchased their Centra store in Sligo.
"It was always in the back of our minds to move back closer to home at some stage. Martha and I are both from Mayo, so when the store in Magheraboy came on the market, we jumped at the chance to buy it," he recalls.
In July 2008, Des and Martha opened a state-of-the-art 15,000 sq ft SuperValu supermarket in the new Market Square Shopping Centre in Bundoran. Built at a cost of €7 million, the store is finished to a high standard and is the most modern of its kind in the country. It houses an in-store bakery, fresh fruit and veg section, meat and fish counter, deli sandwich bar and a self-service hot food unit. Special features include a coffee dock with freshly ground coffee, fresh sandwiches, salad bar and a range of whole foods under the SuperValu brand.
With 42 staff, Cosgrove's SuperValu is Bundoran's largest employer. It also deals with local suppliers, further sustaining jobs in the area.
"The big focus here is on fresh food, quality and customer service," Des says.
"All our fresh produce is locally sourced where possible and can be traced back to the farm where they were produced. Unlike many other big supermarkets, we are Irish-owned and have an excellent relationship with our customers. We are also committed to the local community in terms of employment. We employ 42 staff which makes us Bundoran's larger employer."
Des is delighted to report that business is up 20 per cent so far this year as more and more customers turn their back on shopping over the border.
"Because of our proximity to the North and the favourable exchange rates, we had a tough first year," he admits. "But since the value of the euro against sterling started to fall, customers have been coming back to us in their droves. We have excellent promotions every week and people are beginning to see the benefits of shopping local once again."
Des has been involved with the GAA everywhere he has gone. He coached underage teams in Sarsfields, Glanmire and Watergrasshill during his time in Cork and is now heavily involved with Coolera-Strandhill, mentoring their under 14 football and hurling teams.
"My son Matthew plays for both teams and he's also a member of the Sligo under 14 hurling and football development squads. My interest in hurling stems from my time in Cork and it's great to be involved with a club like Coolera-Strandhill, which promotes both sports equally.
"When the Sligo hurlers won the Nicky Rackard Cup in 2008, we had a good-sized representation on the team. The highlight of my involvement with the club to date came in 2006 when we became the first hurling club from Sligo to win an All-Ireland Feile na nGael title.
"We won the Division 5 title and Matthew was the youngest member of the team. I was also involved as a mentor, so it was a very proud moment for the family," he concludes. Tweet
