BWG Foods has announced a new €35 million investment programme for its MACE business, which is aimed at supporting the convenience retail network’s ambitious growth and expansion plans.
The investment programme was announced to retailers and partners today at MACE’s Retailer Conference event in the Europe Hotel in Killarney where BWG Foods revealed an ambitious new business strategy. The new strategy entitled, Partners for Ambition, aims to drive increased shopper footfall and spend, protect and enhance retailer profitability, and reinforce MACE’s positioning as one of the country’s leading retail brands.
This follows 3 years of accelerated growth for the MACE business, driven by a €28.5 million investment by BWG Foods and MACE Retailers from 2020 which delivered cumulative growth of 41% percent during the period. MACE registered record sales of €400 million in 2023, marking a 6.5 percent increase on 2022, significantly outperforming the market and making MACE the fastest growing convenience retail group in Ireland.
A key factor in MACE’s recent performance has been major investment in brand related activations and MACE store re-developments, including national advertising and targeted digital media campaigns, such as its iconic partnership with brand ambassador Johnny Sexton. Growth has also been underpinned by investment in footfall driving departments such as MACE’s For Food Sake deli and its wide ranging off licence offering.
BWG Foods is now forecasting further growth of 5 percent for the MACE business in 2024 which would push retail sales to €420 million. Over €1 million is to be invested this year in a new marketing campaign, featuring brand ambassador Johnny Sexton, to support 2024 growth ambitions.
MACE is led by Sales Director Keith Crawford who was appointed to the role in 2023 to oversee the development and implementation of its new business strategy in close collaboration with the MACE Retail Council, chaired by retailer Sinead Roche.
Commenting on the announcement, Keith Crawford, Sales Director, BWG Foods, said, “The exceptional performance of our MACE network is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our retailers and the ever-growing strength of the brand itself. Convenience retailing is still very much a people driven business and MACE is currently benefitting significantly from having a highly motivated network of dynamic retailers who have big ambitions to grow the brand and their businesses. We believe the €35 million investment will enable our MACE retailers to realise their ambitions and we look forward to supporting them on that journey over the coming years.”
In conjunction with the investment from BWG Foods, MACE’s retailers are also projected to continue to invest significantly in their own retail operations with a focus on rolling out a new store design, extending existing and opening new stores and implementing key sustainability initiatives such as the continued rollout of renewable energy installations.
