Month: May 2026

What Sets Great Retailers Apart?

What Sets Great Retailers Apart? Lessons from Ireland’s Top Grocery Leaders

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

Nikki Murran, Director of Grocery Retail Recruitment, reflects on how judging the recent Grocery Management Awards was a reminder of just how much talent exists across Irish grocery retail, and discusses the people, passion and customer focus that set leading retailers apart.

Listening to some of the country’s top retailers speak about their stores, teams and communities was genuinely inspiring. Across every category, from convenience and forecourt to supermarket and discount retail, one thing became very clear: the best store managers are rarely successful by accident. It also raised an interesting question. What is it that separates good retailers from exceptional ones? What common traits appear again and again among the very best operators in the country?

Future Leaders

While every retailer had their own personality and management style, several characteristics consistently stood out. For employers trying to identify future leaders, these are the qualities worth watching for. The first, and probably most important, is that great retailers are obsessed with people. They are obsessed in a real and authentic sense. The strongest store managers are invested in the people around them. They care about their teams, they want to see people develop and create environments where staff feel supported and valued. As a result, they get buy-in. Teams work harder for managers who care about them. The best retailers understand that strong cultures create stronger stores. They know happy, engaged teams tend to deliver better standards, better customer experiences and ultimately better commercial performance. That same focus extends beyond their own staff. Top retailers are deeply connected to their customers and communities. They listen, they notice trends and they understand what their customers want from their local store. They also build relationships naturally, whether that’s with suppliers, neighbouring businesses or regular shoppers who call in everyday. At its core, grocery retail is still very much a people business.

Belief

Another trait that consistently stood out was belief. The strongest store managers believe in their store, their team and their brand. They take pride in what their business represents locally, and they see their stores as more than simply a place to sell groceries. That confidence matters. You can feel it when you walk into well-run stores. Standards are high because expectations are high. Teams buy into the culture because management buy into it first.

Community Involvement 

Community involvement was another major common denominator. Nearly every top-performing retailer spoke passionately about their local area and the importance of giving something back. Whether it’s sponsoring local sports teams, supporting school raffles, organising charity events or simply helping local causes, the best retailers understand the value of community connection. They never take customer loyalty for granted. Regardless of whether it’s a convenience shop, a supermarket or a discount retailer, the strongest store managers position themselves as part of the local community. Customers know them, trust them and associate them with the store itself.

Passion

Passion was another recurring theme. The best retailers still genuinely love the industry. They are passionate about developing people, passionate about fresh food and passionate about delivering consistency and high standards every single day. You can hear it when they speak. Their enthusiasm lifts their teams and creates positive cultures within their stores. Retail can be demanding and fast-paced, but the strongest operators still speak about it with energy and pride.

Customer Service

And finally, there is customer service. While people and relationships are central to great retailing, the customer remains at the centre of every decision strong store managers make. For the best retailers, customer service is not a KPI or a department. It is the foundation of the business. Every decision, from staffing levels to store presentation, is made with the customer experience in mind. In a market where customers have more choice than ever, consistency and service are often what keep people coming back. And perhaps that is the real takeaway from meeting some of the country’s best retailers. Exceptional store managers are not just operationally strong. They lead with people, belief, passion, community and customer focus. The commercial results usually follow.

The Talent You Can’t Replace

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

Nikki Murran discusses why fresh food roles are the new gold dust.

Walk into any well-performing supermarket and you’ll see it straight away. The queue at the deli. The theatre at the butcher counter. The smell of fresh bread pulling customers across the shop floor.

Fresh food isn’t just part of the offer anymore. It is the offer. And yet, behind the scenes, there’s a growing problem that many retailers are only now starting to fully feel… the talent behind those counters is becoming harder and harder to find.

The candidates everyone wants… and few can find candidates for

Over the past 24 months, we’ve seen a clear shift in hiring demand. Butchers, bakers, deli managers, and in-store chefs are now some of the most requested roles across the grocery sector.

The challenge? The talent pool hasn’t grown with that demand. In fact, in many cases, it’s shrinking. Fewer young people are entering traditional trades like butchery and bakery.

Experienced professionals are being pulled between retailers, some are leaving the industry entirely for roles with more predictable hours.

The result is a very simple supply and demand issue. More jobs. Fewer qualified people. And increasing pressure on stores trying to maintain standards.

When one person makes all the difference

We often talk about “headcount” in retail, but fresh food roles don’t behave like standard hires.

A strong shop floor assistant is important. A great butcher or deli manager is transformational.

They:

→ Drive sales through product knowledge and upselling

→ Maintain standards that directly impact margin and waste

→ Build relationships with regular customers

→ Bring energy and personality to the store

Take that person out of the business, and the impact is immediate. Standards slip. Sales dip. The customer experience changes overnight.

The cost of getting it wrong

There’s a tendency to treat fresh food hiring like any other vacancy. Advertise, interview, fill the gap.

But the reality is, a poor hire in these roles costs far more than a temporary vacancy.

→ Waste increases due to poor prep and stock management

→ Sales drop when counters lose their appeal

→ Existing team members become stretched, leading to burnout

→ Customers notice… and they don’t always come back – most fresh food products are trust items – customers don’t forgive in these sections!!

In many cases, retailers would be better off waiting for the right person than rushing to fill the role quickly.

Pay is rising… but is it enough?

We’re seeing salaries for fresh food roles increase steadily, and in many cases, they’re now commanding a premium over other in-store positions.

But salary alone isn’t solving the problem. The candidates we speak to are also looking for:

Retailers who recognise this are gaining an edge. Those who don’t are finding themselves back at square one every few months.

So, what can retailers do?

There’s no quick fix, but there are a few practical steps that are making a real difference:

→ Invest in developing talent internally Some of the best hires we see come from within. Training up junior staff into specialist roles is no longer a “nice to have”. It’s becoming essential.

→ Protect your top performers If you have a strong butcher or deli manager, you need to know it and reward it or someone else on the market will.

→ Rethink the role itself Can hours be structured better? Can weekends be rotated more fairly? Small changes can make roles far more attractive.

→ Move quickly when you find the right person Good candidates don’t stay on the market for long. Delays in decision-making are costing retailers talent.

Final thought

Stores can invest in refits, layouts, and technology. All important. All visible.

But the real differentiator still stands behind the counter. You can refurbish a store in a matter of weeks. Replacing a great fresh food specialist? That can take months… and sometimes longer.

The retailers who understand that, and act on it, are the ones who will continue to stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

A Question of Money: I’m Moving From Employment to Self-Employment; What do I Need to Know

Posted on | by Excel Recruitment

Our CEO, Barry Whelan, featured in the Sunday Business Post to answer a Question of Money. 

After more than 20 years working as an employee in the public service, I’ve decided to go out on my own and set up my own food business. What are the big financial changes/challenges I need to be prepared for when moving from employment to self-employment and how best can I manage these?

Inconsistent or Irregular Income

One of the biggest challenges you’re likely to face when moving from employment to self-employment is inconsistent or irregular income. As you’re working for yourself, it is up to you to generate your own income.

Your business will need to make a profit and in order for it to make a profit, you must be able to get customers. So, it’s important to think carefully about the kind of business you’d like to set up and to do your market research.

Find out who your customers will be, what they need, what they usually pay for your product or service, the size of the market, and what kind of competition you’re up against. Check in with your local enterprise board for advice on starting up your business, as well as information on any grants, financial or other supports that might be available. Be sure to choose a business that you have the time and skills to run.

Loss of Employment Benefits

Another big financial change you need to be prepared for when moving from employment to self-employment is the loss of employment benefits. For example, self-employed individuals generally don’t qualify for state sick pay (illness benefit) though they may be eligible for supports like the invalidity pension or disability allowance.

As a self-employed individual, you would also lose the annual entitlement to paid holidays which you had as an employee. So, you would need to budget for holidays when self-employed. Saving money into a holiday fund through the year is one way you could do this.

Loss of Pension Contributions

Another important benefit you could lose out on when you leave employment is a company pension. If you had a company pension as an employee, when you leave that employment, you will no longer be able to contribute to that pension or benefit from any employer contributions to the scheme.

The self-employed are not eligible for auto enrolment either. As a self-employed individual, you are very much on your own when it comes to pensions and you will need to make your own pension arrangements.

Tax Responsibilities

Another thing you will be responsible for as a self-employed individual is filing your own tax returns. This will be new to you as previously your employer would have deducted your income taxes, PRSI and universal social charge through payroll.

You will need to register with Revenue for self-assessment, file your tax returns and pay any tax due by the relevant tax deadline. You may also need to register for and pay Vat, depending on your turnover and the nature of the services you provide. You may find it helpful to hire an accountant or tax advisor to help with your tax returns, particularly at the outset.

Start-Up Costs

On setting up a business specifically, other costs to prepare for are start-up costs. You don’t always need a lot of cash behind you to start a business. Start-up costs for a small business could be into the hundreds or a few thousand euro, though can run to several thousand or more, depending on what exactly you establish.

To be able to start a business without much cash behind you, consider setting yourself up as a sole trader or self-employed individual who does not require a business premises.

If you can set up and run your own food business from home, that will be an immediate saving to you as you will save on rent. If you do need a business premises at some stage, explore low-cost rental options. You may be able to rent an office, hot desk or meeting room in your local enterprise centre or a local resource centre for a fraction of the cost of renting elsewhere.

Food Business Costs

You don’t mention exactly what your food business will do. If you intend to produce food, some of the main costs you’ll face include the cost of making the food and the cost of equipment. If you need equipment, see if you can buy second-hand equipment or if you can rent equipment out as this will help keep costs down.

If any friends, relatives or others would be in a position to lend you equipment, that would help too. Other costs you are likely to face include insurance, marketing and packaging. Insurance costs can be substantial, even for a small business, though there are a number of brokers who specialise in insurance for small businesses so it’s worth getting a recommendation here.

Packaging and Compliance

Good packaging will be key to attracting customers to buy your product. There are cost-effective packaging design services which could help save you money here so shop around. As you’re setting up a food business, it’s important to be aware of – and to meet – the rules around food hygiene and food safety, and this is another cost you need to prepare for.

Even if you run your food business from home, you must still meet the various requirements around food hygiene legislation and you must usually register your business with the HSE.

Conclusion

While there are many financial changes and challenges associated with becoming your own boss, once your business is established, you could find running your own business to be hugely rewarding. Getting advice from your local enterprise centre and/or an experienced, successful entrepreneur is key.