Lidl confirms plan to roll-out 50 more Irish stores
Lidl has confirmed plans for the roll-out of a further 50 stores across the island of Ireland.
Lidl Ireland managing director JP Scally confirmed the plans while speaking at the opening of the German supermarket group's 200th Irish store, in Tullamore.
With the opening of the store in Tullamore - Lidl's second outlet in the town - the grocery retailer operates 162 stores in the Republic and 38 stores in the North, with two million customers passing through its doors every week.
The company is now 20 years in Ireland and has an 11.7% share of the multi-billion euro supermarket sector here.
"The opening of the 200th store is part of a €200m investment in 2019. In 2019, we plan to complete the construction of our new state-of-the-art distribution centre and open 10 new stores," Mr Scally said.
This year's investment follows a €150m expansion programme in 2018 which incorporated the opening of 10 new builds in Nenagh, Fortunestown, Brunswick Street, Sligo, Limerick, Northwood, Birr, Dunshaughlin and Castleknock and Magherafelt.
Mr Scally said that the construction of Lidl Ireland's new distribution centre in Newbridge replaces an existing centre "which no longer meets our growing business needs".
“This development, the largest of its kind in Ireland, sees an investment of €100m, employing nearly 2,000 people throughout the construction of the new 58,000 square metre facility.
"One hundred new permanent staff will be hired for the new facility and 250 full-time staff will move from the current distribution centre.”
Lidl has already opened six stores in Ireland this year and has plans for four more openings by the end of the year.
