Convenience retailer Centra is to create hundreds of new jobs as part of a store expansion programme.
The company says it plans to open 18 new shops here in 2023, which will create 468 new positions.
The €23 million investment will bring its total employment figure to over 12,000.
Centra will also revamp 35 existing stores in the coming year.
It says this is in addition to €25 million announced last year, which included the refresh of 33 outlets.
It comes as the company said 2022 saw sales of over €1.98 billion for the first time across 167 million consumer transactions.
This has resulted in a 17% increase in sales compared to 2019, the last non-COVID impacted retail year.
Centra Managing Director, Ian AllenIan Allen is Centra Managing Director.
"Today’s customers are shopping little and often and Centra is the perfect solution to meet this trend," he said.
"With nearly 500 stores, Centra is Ireland’s leading convenience retailer operating in every community across the country and is well-placed as a destination for top-up shopping.
"The breadth, scale and value offered through our Centra stores ensures that we can continue to meet the changing daily needs of our customers on their doorstep," he added.
Centra also expects to expand its trial same-day delivery partnership with Just Eat and Deliveroo to six further locations.
