Superquinn has confirmed it has received expressions of interest from British retailers but denied its owners had put the business up for sale.
A spokesman for Superquinn and its owners, Select Retail Holdings (SRH), said "more than one" major British supermarket group had approached Goldman Sachs after the investment bank handled the sale of Bernard McNamara's 14.5 per cent stake in the chain in the spring.
"There was a disposal earlier this year from one of the original investors and it would appear that on the back of that there have been some expressions of interest," he said. He declined to comment further beyond stating that SRH was "not actively looking to sell the business".
Superquinn has 23 stores and a 7 per cent share of the Irish grocery market.
Media reports have put a price tag on the business of around €450 million and named possible suitors as Waitrose, owned by the John Lewis Partnership, Asda, owned by Wal-Mart Stores, and J Sainsbury.
However, a spokeswoman for Waitrose said the retailer had not made an approach. Asda and Sainsbury declined to comment.
Reuters