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US retail giants eye Irish products

Monday, September 03 11:46:03

Senior executives from America's largest retail chains are in Dublin with Enterprise Ireland today to view Irish consumer products with particular potential for large-scale distribution in the American retail market.

Between them, these US retail chains have 11,000 stores and sales valued at $182bn per year.

The US delegation being hosted by Enterprise Ireland includes the presidents and vice presidents of major US retail chains Walgreens/Duane Reade, Ahold, HEB and Kroger.

They will meet with 17 leading Irish consumer products companies and the products on show include food & beverages, baby care, household, healthcare and tourism products as well as Nualight's innovative retail lighting products.

The visit represents tremendous potential for Irish companies to break into the top retail chains in the United States and significantly boost their international sales, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, who met the delegation this morning, said.

"Central to the Government's plan for jobs and growth is to ensure greater access for Irish companies to real and practical opportunities to break into new markets and grow their exports. The delegation taking part in this Enterprise Ireland initiative are the most senior representatives from America's leading retail chains. In a very practical way, it offers a significant opportunity for these innovative Irish companies to showcase their products and hopefully secure shelf space on as many of those 11,000 stores as possible."

Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland added: "To have such senior representatives from these leading US's retail giants is a major coup for Ireland and Irish products. Between them, the visiting delegates represent over 11,000 retail stores in the US. To achieve a listing with any one of these US retail giants is a massive boost for any of these Irish consumer goods companies. It represents a major move into the US market, and a huge international endorsement for their products."