Musgrave Group is one of Ireland's largest companies, founded in 1876. It is a family-owned business and Ireland's biggest private sector employer. Musgrave partners with over 3,500 local stores across Ireland, the UK, and Spain operating brands like SuperValu, Centra, and Londis. As an intern at Musgrave, the document outlines working with product developers on "own brand" products from concept to shelf. Tasks included organizing weekly product sampling panels and supplier conferences. The internship improved the author's time management, organization, and Excel skills while learning Musgrave's new product development process.

1. Musgrave Group Placement
Colin Stanton
111474462

2. Brief Overview of Organisation
• Musgrave Group is one of Ireland’s largest and most successful
companies. It is a family-owned business founded in 1876 and is
Ireland’s biggest private sector employer.
• Musgrave, through their brands, are responsible for almost €7
billion of annual economic activity in the ROI alone.

3. • Musgrave partners with entrepreneurial retailers and support more
than 3,500 local stores, operating 10 brands in Ireland, the UK and
Spain. These include SuperValu, Centra, Superquinn, Daybreak,
Budgens, Londis and Dialprix.
• They supply the sourcing, marketing, brand development skills,
logistical and financial expertise that enable these local businesses
to go head-to-head with the international supermarket chains.

4. • Musgrave also operates a network of cash and carry outlets across
Ireland and Spain to meet the needs of independent retailers,
hoteliers and restaurant owners.

5. Outline of Role
• As an intern in Musgrave I was given a great deal of responsibility.
• I worked with the seven product developers and four technologists
who work here in group commercial on “own brand”.
• We work with the product developers as well as product
technologists, suppliers and trading managers on Supervalu and
Centra own branded products from product concept right through
to the finished product on the shelf. This is done in “stages” as part
of the stage gate process.

6. • As part of the process, blind sampling takes place at gate 3.
Suppliers send in samples of their product and we organise weekly
sampling panels for the developers and complete reports on the
findings. This will determine who will be awarded business. We also
complete many tasks at each gate for the developers and
technologist.
• As well as the everyday stage gate process we have organised
supplier conferences, management conferences and in-store
tastings. Musgrave are also leading the market with new research
which aims to introduce a traffic light system on all own brand food
products as part of the EURO-FIR project and all research was
carried out by the interns. This is an exciting project which involves
help from UCC, medical professionals as well as industry experts.

7. Skills And Experience
• Placement at Musgrave was very challenging and tiring to
say the least but was an excellent placement all the same.
• My time management and organisation has improved
dramatically and my ability to get a task done improved day
after day.
• I know exactly how to conduct the product sampling process
and how to make packaging FIR compliant.
• My ability on excel has improved considerably by using
Range Manager to generate OB codes for new and existing
products .

8. • I have a lot of knowledge of Musgrave’s online specification system
Muse which I navigated through daily dealing with suppliers specs
etc.
• I understand the NPD and EPD process that Musgrave uses on a
stage gate process.
• I witnessed an e-auction and conducted an e-tender on own brand
cheese, salads and chilled pasta.
• I attended a management conference in Croke Park and got to meet
directors from around the business which was one of my highlights.
I made long lasting friendships and connections between my team
at Airport Rd and also with the other interns during my time. I
would recommend to anyone considering working for Musgrave to
do so without second thought as it was such a rewarding place to
work in for 6 months.