Page 17 - Linkline Spring 2017

Is Musgrave’s New Facility the Cash and Carry of the Future?
Committed to catering to their customer’s changing needs, the Musgrave Group invested €2.2 million in revamping their Ballymun cash and carry outlet. CILT Eastern Section paid a visit to this new facility to see what the wholesale giant has next in store for its future.
Leading retail and foodservice wholesalers the Musgrave Group is one of Ireland’s most successful home grown businesses. Founded in Cork in 1876 by Tom and Stuart
Musgrave, the business is 141 years old this year. Following losses of €9.6 million in 2014, the group bounced back and positioned itself on a path to growth. In 2015 the group reported sales of €4.4 billion and profit before tax of €67.5 million. Currently the business employs over 35,000 people through their retail brands SuperValu, Centra and Daybreak and their wholesale brand MarketPlace.
The company has spoken about enhancing customer experience and has invested heavily in their new, showpiece, facility in Ballymun. CILT members paid a visit to the site in March where on arrival they were treated to a food and drink reception prepared by Musgrave executive chefs. They were then greeted by Supply Chain Director Barry O’Neill, who spoke about the evolution of the Musgrave wholesale partners business and their supply chain network. The group is split into two divisions: Musgrave retail partners, that supply Supervalu and Centra; and Musgrave wholesale partners that supply Daybreak, Topaz, independent retailers, foodservice customers and the Musgrave cash and carry sites. The company operates a network of MarketPlace cash and carry’s which provide sourcing, sales, marketing and supply chain expertise to support independent retailers, restaurants, pubs, clubs and SMEs.
The Musgrave Group has gone through a tremendous amount of change in the last three years following the consolidation of the distribution network into one main logistics centre in Blanchardstown. The business operates using the hub- and-spoke model which allows for one centralised hub – Blanchardstown – which then distributes to multiple centres. The Leinster region is serviced directly from the Dublin 15 facility while the rest of the country’s requirements are collected there, trunked to regional cross dock centres and then, from these, forwarded on for final delivery.
Looking ahead to the future, Barry explained that the emphasis is now on new technology and what efficiencies it can deliver for their supply chain network. Advances have already been made – the Blanchardstown depot operates with voice and RF technology and this year they will introduce a system to dynamically plan routes allowing them to serve multiple customers and increase efficiency. Furthermore, with all sales registered against customers individual Musgrave accounts, they are data rich and have many options open to them when it comes to tailored marketing and promotion.
€2.2 million has been invested into the company’s new cash and carry facility in Ballymun and it was apparent for all on the tour to see. Those CILT members who had visited the site in the past were particularly struck by the transformation and impressed at how professional and customer friendly the new site is.
Showing us around, Brian Staunton, Musgrave general manager explained that this investment is the pilot for what will be the new format for all Musgrave sites in Ireland. As well as many new products the space has speciality areas for meat, cheese, fish and fruit with experts on hand to provide advice.
CILT members tour Musgrave's new Ballymun outlet.
The site is designed to operate as a one stop shop for any retailer or fast food business and supplies everything from kitchen equipment to all the ingredients needed to provide quality food. To encourage this feeling, a state-of-the-art culinary theatre has been created with a full time chef employed to work with customers, helping them create new dishes and try the range of products on offer.
Strong customer relationships are central to the Musgrave brand. Brian explained how, during the recession, the company helped struggling SMEs by providing them with lines of credit. By fostering these relationships, it has helped the business grow over the years.
And it seems expansion is set to continue as Musgrave venture into the chip shop business by opening a franchise model similar to that of Daybreak, Centra and Supervalu. Their brand ‘Chipmongers’ is already up and running with three outlets in operation in Churchtown, Bray and Enniscorthy. With further growth planned for 2017 it’s a case of watch this space!
Many thanks to Barry O’Neill and Brian Staunton of Musgrave for giving us a tour of the new Ballymun facility and providing us with a great insight into the company’s supply chain and its plans for the future.
Brian Staunton, Musgrave general manager, discusses the company's new customer driven facility
The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport 17
MUSGRAVE VISIT