Grocery chain Centra, which is operated by Musgrave, broke through the €1 billion sales mark in the Republic of Ireland in 2005. The group said its sales rose by 15% to €1.035 billion for the year to the end of December 2005.
The results were announced at the group's national conference in Killarney, Co Kerry by its managing director Donal Horgan.
43 new stores joined Centra during the year, bringing the total number of stores to 382. About 525 new jobs were created last year and the chain now employs about 11,000 people nationwide.
Centra store owners invested about €70m in new stores and the refurbishment and development of existing stores last year.
Outlining Centra developments for 2006, Mr Horgan said that up to 40 new stores are planned, creating an estimated 900 jobs, as a result of greenfield development and transfers from other symbol groups.
'The lifestyle shift, with both partners in half of all households now working outside the home, continues to create demand for convenient, easily accessible stores, with ready meal solutions and food-to-go,' commented Mr Horgan.
