Tánaiste turns sod at Tesco Fermoy

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has welcomed the decision by a British multinational retailer to locate a new store in a north Cork town.

Speaking in Fermoy on Thursday morning, where he performed the sod turning on construction of a new Tesco Superstore at the Old Mart Field on the south-east side of the town, Mr Martin said the new development was evidence of a growing town with a growing population.

“It’s interesting that Tesco UK now purchase about €1.6 billion of Irish products and about 60 Cork companies supply into Tesco, so there’s a lot of downstream employment arising from the development and expansion of stores like this,” he said.

“One company, for example, Silver Pail, which is a local company, which supplies all of Tesco’s ice-cream is a very good illustration of that.”

Among the other Cork companies supplying Tesco are Keohane’s Seafood, Velo Coffee, Bandon Vale, Twomey’s Bakery, Clona Dairies, Irish Yoghurts, and Horgan’s Cheese.

Mr Martin noted that Tesco currently employs approximately 13,000 people in Ireland.

“Here in Fermoy, there will be a further 100, and it is a sign of growth, of population, of demand, for additional retail services, and I think it’s a welcome development over-all for the town,” Mr Martin said.

When operational, in summertime 2025, the store will include car parking and cycle parking facilities, F&F clothing, and a dedicated Tesco Mobile phone shop as well as the provision of Click+Collect services for customers and a grocery home shopping hub to serve the wider catchment area of north Cork.

Geoff Byrne, chief operating officer of Tesco Ireland, said he was happy to turn the sod at the Fermoy site.

“Once completed, this new store will bring all the positive benefits that Tesco brings to a town; including local jobs, community supports, opportunities for local suppliers and a new shopping experience for colleagues and customers,” Mr Byrne said.

Tesco operates 12 stores in Cork, employing more than 1,000 people.

The company is the single largest retail purchaser of Irish food and drink in the world, sourcing produce from more than 500 suppliers across Ireland.