Jobs boost for Meath as Four Star Pizza and Tesco open branches

There was good news on the jobs front in recent weeks with the creation of 13 new jobs at the newly opened Tesco Express store in Dunshaughlin, while the opening of Four Star Pizza in Navan has resulted in ten new jobs.

Tesco Express is the anchor tenant in the neighbourhood centre in the 860-home Willows development on the Dublin Road in Dunshaughlin and offers customers a modern retail experience and a wide selection of quality fresh local and Irish produce.

Local suppliers Tayto, Newgrange Gold and Lir Chocolates are just some of the local producers who will be found on the shelves in Dunshaughlin. The store has also been fitted with several energy-saving measures, such as doors on fridges, which will help reduce energy consumption.

Paul Healy, Retail Operations Director, Tesco Ireland said: “We are excited to be anchoring this neighbourhood centre in this beautiful new development, which is part of our ongoing investment in stores in urban centres across the country. We always receive a warm welcome from the communities in which we are based, and we are committed to ensuring that our new stores play a big part in these communities in the future.”

The new store was officially opened by experienced store manager, Gerry Farrell who will lead a team of 13 colleagues. At the opening in he said: “This is a big moment for all the team. We are looking forward to welcoming our new customers, and we cannot wait to actively engage with the community. Through the Community Fund, we are pleased to be able to support local groups and projects over the coming months”.

Tesco is a proud supporter of the communities it serves and to date its Community Fund has helped support thousands of organisations across the country from GAA clubs to children’s charities.

In its first campaign, the Dunshaughlin store will support the locality with donations to three local causes including Dunshaughlin Youth FC, Dunshaughlin Mens Shed and Drumree Gaels. Through the food surplus redistribution programme, FoodCloud partners and OLIO Food Waste Heroes will be on hand to ensure no good food goes to waste.

Meanwhile, Four Star Pizza, Ireland’s biggest indigenous pizza company, recently opened a new store in Navan, creating over 10 new jobs.

As well as delivering its famously fresh pizzas to homes in the Navan area, the new store, located on Metges Lane in the town centre, also features a ‘sit-in’ option that can cater for up to 10 customers on-site.

Whilst Four Star Pizza has to date been a franchise-based chain, the Navan store takes on added significance as the first company-owned and run store on the island of Ireland.

Operated by Four Star Pizza’s Head Office in Dublin and managed locally by Store Manager Fionn Rogers from Navan, the store will also play an important role as the company’s training centre and test kitchen in Ireland.

Four Star Pizza CEO Colin Hughes he was delighted to announce the opening of the new store, their first company-run store.

“This is a significant investment by Four Star Pizza which will create over 10 new jobs for in-store staff and delivery drivers and give people in the area the opportunity to enjoy the best tasting pizzas, lovingly created using fresh dough that is made daily on site.

“As our first company-run store, Navan will also be an important training and research hub for Four Star Pizza going forward, from where we can train and develop new staff, organize team get-togethers and carry out continued new product development in excellent working conditions."

When it comes to tickling the tastebuds of local pizza aficionados, Store Manager Fionn Rogers believes that the secret to a perfect pizza is ‘all about the base’.

“What makes our pizzas stand out is that we actually make our own dough, fresh in store, each and every single day,” said Fionn. “That’s a big difference between us and our competitors when it comes down to the crucial taste test.”