Next weekend sees the opening of the 10th outlet for The Butler's Pantry, the high-end, Dublin-focused food retail chain that has been on the go since 1987.

The shop in Castleknock is the first such investment for the company for a while, with managing director Jacquie Marsh recalling deciding against an outlet in the village in 2006/07 because the key money was “astronomical”.

Rent has since reduced by about half in Castleknock, with the company’s other landlords having also been reasonable in delivering reductions in recent times.

The Butler’s Pantry is investing about €100,000 from its own resources in the new outlet, which Marsh sees as the platform for a more ambitious expansion programme.

She expects The Butler’s Pantry, which is based on high-quality “home-style” ready-made food, to make it on to Dublin’s “high streets” (or perhaps shopping centres) before long.

Franchising
Establishing a viable e-commerce offering is also on the cards, as is expansion into cities in Britain. Marsh also wants to examine franchising.

“We’re coming out of what we would see as the first phase of growth,” she says, pointing to the steady organic growth of 4-6 per cent delivered by the company as it stands.

Marsh says the expansion she has in mind will necessitate a mixt ure of both borrowings and, probably, external investment.