Morrisons Eyeing Store Move Into Northern Ireland

Namnews, 26th January 2024

Morrisons is reported to be in talks to enter the grocery market in Northern Ireland via its joint-branded store concept.

According to trade magazine The Grocer, the supermarket group has had discussions with independent retailer Tom McAvoy about becoming a ‘Together with Morrisons’ partner. The concept is already used by three independent retailers in Britain.

McAvoy owns a 16,000 sq. ft Nisa Extra store in Rathfriland, a market town in County Down. Despite being contracted with Nisa, he started stocking products from Morrisons about three years ago, and the supermarket is now his biggest supplier.

McAvoy told The Grocer that he currently organised the logistics with third parties to collect the stock from Morrisons depots and then back to his store. Morrisons is said to be working on a “more sustainable solution”.

The products currently only span ambient and frozen due to the complex trading rules with moving fresh goods from Britain to Northern Ireland.

McAvoy said he hoped to be officially trading under the ‘Together with Morrisons’ banner by the end of the year.

“Morrisons is one of the big four, and we’re hoping to tap into all of the benefits that come with that,” he said. “Having the brand stamped above our store door would give us a big point of difference in Northern Ireland and access to better pricing.”

Morrisons told The Grocer that it was also providing stock to other retailers in Northern Ireland and was “always looking for ways to grow wholesale”.

The grocery market in Northern Ireland is currently dominated by Tesco, which has a share of over 35%, more than double that held by Asda and Sainsbury’s.

NAM Implications:

• A risk-free way of building the brand in NI.
• And when awareness is sufficiently high…
• …perhaps opening their own shop or two.
• And a ground floor opportunity for suppliers?