'Life and soul' of Limerick store wins Small Supermarket Manager of the Year

THE SHELF life of the manager of a shop in County Limerick certainly hasn’t gone past his sell by date as he has been honoured at a prestigious retail ceremony.

Damien White, of EUROSPAR Rathkeale, was named Small Supermarket Manager of the Year at the ShelfLife Grocery Management Awards.

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EUROSPAR Rathkeale is a nationally recognised community supermarket and Damien’s success is further proof of the outstanding service the store provides the local community. 

Peter Dwan, EUROSPAR sales director said Damien is “a wonderful example of the tremendous talent we have within the EUROSPAR estate”. 

“His dedication to duty and to providing an invaluable service to the Rathkeale community is second to none. To be named Small Supermarket Manager of the Year is a phenomenal achievement, especially given the heady competition in this competitive category,” said Mr Dwan.

Derek Downes, owner and operator of EUROSPAR Rathkeale, praised Damian on his achievement.

“Damian’s recognition with this award is a true testament to his outstanding dedication. He is the life and soul of this store and is deeply appreciated by both customers and colleagues.’

The ShelfLife National Grocery Management Awards are now in their 20th year and are the long-standing benchmark for those in management in the retail industry.

The shop is at the heart of the local community in Rathkeale. Late last year Derek and his staff  handed over a cheque for €4,100 to the National Breast Cancer Research Institute. They organised a static-cycle in the store and invited staff and customers to donate to the cause which they did with incredible generosity.