Work has completed on the newly re-branded EUROSPAR Fortfield in Carrickfergus, which has now been upgraded to supermarket status, creating nine new jobs for the local area.

The store, which opened as a SPAR in 2018, will bring an even bigger choice of fresh and locally sourced products, with even more value thanks to the EUROSPAR fleet of deals and promotions, thanks to investment from owners Henderson Retail.

Mark McCammond, Retail Director at Henderson Group explained; “EUROSPAR Fortfield sits within a highly competitive area in Carrickfergus, and to meet demand for a wider range of fresh and local products, alongside heightened deals and value, we made the decision to convert the store to a EUROSPAR so that local shoppers can take advantage of the greater value proposition under the brand.

“EUROSPAR offers an unrivalled supermarket offering, right in the heart of local communities. We have invested in our Tesco Price Match initiative to bring down the cost of over a thousand products in-store, plus we have our weekly Wow and Mega Deals. Currently, we’re running the 12 Deals of Christmas campaign, which sees one big ticket item’s price slashed for one-week only.”

Shoppers can browse 22 bays of fresh products, all locally sourced, alongside Henderson’s own brands including The CHEF, The Kitchen, SPAR Enjoy Local and the Greengrocer.

The outlet is also home to the first ever Barista Bar Café in Northern Ireland, a concept which works so well at Fortfield, the brand has recently opened the Barista Bar Coffee Drive Thru in SPAR Mallusk in Newtownabbey.

Mark continued; “Fortfield’s Barista Bar Café is multi award winning, most recently winning Best Coffee and Hot Beverages Outlet at the prestigious Forecourt Trader Awards and is now complemented with a brand-new menu from our new food-to-go brand, Delish. Delish has a full deli range of hot and cold food, which can either be made fresh to order and to go or enjoyed within the Barista Bar Café.”

Delish is Henderson Group’s new and exclusive brand which brings together the retailer’s innovative approach to food-to-go, focusing on fresh, made-in-store hot and cold offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner, from traditional hot food to culinary trends, all made with fresh, quality ingredients.

Shoppers on the go can also get their coffee fix from one of the two Barista Bar coffee machines in-store, offering the full range of signature serves and treats from Barista Bar at the touch of a button, a range of freshly baked favourite from SPAR Bakery, plus a full range of sandwiches, salads and wraps from the dailyDeli range, including veggie and vegan options.

While the store has many food to go options in store, including the popular Subway counter, it is also complemented with a Burger King drive thru which adds to the level of convenience offered to those on the go.

Jamie Adams, Store Manager, adds that although the store has changed brands, his team’s outreach within the local community will continue; “Since we opened in 2018, we have embedded ourselves within the heart of the community, and engaged with our local schools, community groups and charitable organisations.

“When trading as a SPAR, we raised thousands for our charity partner, Marie Curie, through their Twilight Walk initiative, plus our own Blooming Great Tea Party and in-store activities over the years. As a EUROSPAR, we will now partner with Cancer Fund for Children, and we celebrated that by going yellow over our opening weekend.

“We have been participating in local litter picks, most recently at Carrickfergus Castle, while also donating to our local foodbanks. Two staff members recently went for the chop and donated their hair to Little Princess Trust which provides free, real hair wigs to children and young people who are undergoing treatments, or have conditions, which cause hair loss. We also look after our local furry friends and donated over £200 worth of goods to the Mid Antrim Animal Sanctuary for the animals in their care.”

During the official reopening day, the store invited Carrickfergus Foodbank, an organisation which the team have donated to over the years, to do a food shop worth £100 for their service users.

Jamie continued; “We may look a little different with our new branding, but our culture remains the same and we are dedicated to providing value, choice and quality for our local shoppers, while we continue to be there for our local community too. The Post Office remains open and offers a full range of services that are vital for our shoppers who know us well, they trust our local faces on the shop floor, and we’re just delighted to be bringing them even more, right on their doorsteps.”

EUROSPAR Fortfield was officially re-opened by local residents and shoppers, Brian and Sheila, who regularly pick up their shopping in-store and enjoy the café.

EUROSPAR Fortfield is open daily, 6am to midnight. Barista Bar Café has new extended opening hours, 8am – 8pm, Monday – Sunday.

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