Senior executives from America’s largest retail chains have been in Dublin with Enterprise Ireland to view Irish consumer products with particular potential for large-scale distribution in the American retail market.
Between them, said Enterprise Ireland, these US retail chains have 11,000 stores and sales valued at $182bn per year.
The US delegation included the presidents and vice presidents of major US retail chains Walgreens/Duane Reade, Ahold, HEB and Kroger. They met with 17 leading Irish consumer products companies, including food and beverage companies.
According to Enterprise Ireland, the visit represented tremendous potential for Irish companies to break into the top retail chains in the United States and significantly boost their international sales.
“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,” said Richard Bruton, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
“To have such senior representatives from these leading US retail giants is a major coup for Ireland and Irish products,” said Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland. “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.”
