Designing for the Future

Mangan’s Centra Edenderry
Offaly, Ireland

A two-generation company isn’t letting its history stand in the way of a brighter future. Mangan’s Centra Edenderry recently revamped its store to create a destination for locals and visitors alike. With an emphasis on providing high-quality foodservice and meeting the ever-changing needs of its customers, Mangan’s Centra Edenderry in Offaly, Ireland, shows how a rural store can compete with market leaders—and win.

Owner Ciaran Mangan completed the redesign of the 2,000-square-foot store in July 2017. “Our vision was to become a world-class destination for food, coffee and convenience retailing,” he said.

To fulfill that vision, the company worked hard to ensure that the products and services that are provided meet and exceeded customer expectations. For example, Magnan’s Centra Edenderry partnered with local suppliers to showcase area products to help customers shop locally without compromising on quality or variety.

In the kitchen, the store brought in two new brands: Frank & Honest Coffee and M’ood Ice Cream. “Soft-serve ice cream is very important to my business,” said Mangan. To grow that part of the foodservice business, the company created a standalone ice cream concept that would be “more appealing to the customer.” So far, the results have been very positive, with sales and profitability up significantly.

Contributing to the food offerings is the store’s open and inviting design, with natural materials, fresh colors, stylish tiles and staged lighting to showcase the food. The layout of the store is focused on delivering an exceptional convenience shopping experience with spacious aisles to accommodate customers.

Mangan’s Centra Edenderry’s attention to detail doesn’t stop at the design, food and inventory—the company also invests in its employees. “We see our staff as one of our most valuable assets,” Mangan said. “They are passionate about delivering the best possible service to our customers.”

The company extensively trains staff, as well as rewards them for service excellence. “As the store is located in the heart of our community, our staff are local to Edenderry and are intrinsically part of this community,” he said.

For Mangan, Mangan’s Centra Edenderry represents the best of what convenience retailing is all about: Offering world-class food and products in an inviting environment. “We wanted to become market leaders in convenience and set the bar for others to follow in our footsteps,” he said.