Eugene Scally has been named the West Cork Business Ambassador of 2023. The West Cork Business and Tourism Awards take place this Friday in the West Cork Hotel, where the award will be presented.
EUGENE Scally took a chance when he moved from Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath to Clonakilty in 1984, in his early 20s, to open what is now the town’s SuperValu.
Suffice to say, 40 years later and with countless awards under the team’s belt, it was a chance that has paid dividends for him, his team, and all those he brought along with him on the journey.
The supermarket is famed nationally and internationally for its emphasis on fresh, organic and local produce which is something Eugene never had to learn, having grown up this way.
One of nine children, he was reared on a mixed farm in Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath and the family produced potatoes, barley, supplied shops with their chickens, turkeys and butter, while also keeping sheep and pigs. ‘So, I always had a passion for great food and I knew that it was something I wanted to get into and to develop,’ he said.
After his Leaving Cert in the early 70s he headed to Dublin for his first job in a Five Star supermarket. His first role was burning boxes ‘out the back’, but Eugene climbed the ladder and was promoted to the meat counter within a year, and when he was just 19 he was already assistant manager.
It was here, he said, that he learned the importance of banter with both customers and colleagues, and work ethic, things that have stood to him over his four decades in retail. The supermarket was later sold to Quinnsworth, and a redundancy package allowed him to purchase a small shop in Tullamore in the early 80s, with his brother.
At this stage Eugene had gained a reputation as a bit of a force to be reckoned with in retail circles. His move to West Cork came after a phone call from neighbour Seamus Scally (no relation), who worked in Musgraves at the time. He invited Eugene to Clonakilty to see a site, with a view to developing a supermarket.
He didn’t even know where Clonakilty was – he thought it was a suburb of Cork like Ballincollig or Bishopstown – but straight away liked what he saw. The site was a derelict garage, which Musgraves purchased, and which Eugene and his older brother Gerard then bought from them, opening the store in 1984.
This year is Eugene’s 40th year in business, you could say the rest is history. But none of Eugene’s success was accidental, and a lot of it came down to hard graft.
He routinely worked 100 hours, seven days a week, collecting fruit and veg in Cork city at 4am and being back on the shop floor by 8am. He also recalls a trip to Boston to see Roches supermarket, run by two brothers from the Old Head in Kinsale, as a turning point in how they operated.
His wife Catriona’s aunt, a nun based in Boston had encouraged him to make the journey to see the set-up. He did, and was blown away by their in-store kitchens, displays and fresh food etc, and he decided the best way to share his vision with his team was to take 12 of them back out to Roches in 1999.
‘The team I brought out delivered in spades, and a lot of them are still with us,’ he said.
Team is a word used a lot by Eugene as he abhors any reference to staff.
‘Staff is a cheap word, I prefer team. Being part of a team brings quality to what you do, and the most important part of the business is the team around you,’ he said.
He feels that your team is your strongest point and employs 133 team members.
‘You have to be able to see around corners and drive the business on, and that comes down to the team and it’s why people being respected in the business is so important to achieve that,’ he said.
Eugene said he never wanted to be known as the ‘man of the business,’ but just another team member.
‘I like to be stuck in the middle, on the floor, in the canteen. I could go into the deli, I might pack mince with the butchers, pack chickens on a shelf, slice cooked meat. I like being stuck in the middle of the work environment,’ he said.
Eugene has long since been a proud promoter of local produce, and is credited with giving many local growers/producers their first start in the industry.
‘Look after the community and they’ll look after you,’ he said.
Eugene has also been a visionary in other areas. The shop is the country’s first autism-friendly SuperValu (Clon is the country’s first autismfriendly town), which has been rolled out across the SuperValu network by Musgraves.
He was also ahead of the curve when it came to producing gluten-free products, prompted by a customer who was looking for a birthday cake for her son. It’s typical of his ‘can-do’ attitude.
His second-eldest child Niamh is now at the helm of Clonakilty Gluten Free Kitchen, making a name for herself in her own right in the retail industry.
Outside of SuperValu Eugene was involved in developing the Quality Hotel, now the Clonakilty Park Hotel, with others, recognising the potential for the town as a tourist destination. Starting with building a pool and 28 bedrooms, it’s now a 102-bedroom hotel with a leisure and adventure centre.
The GAA played a big part in his life since moving to Clonakilty, from playing himself (getting to a county final in 1985), to being involved in teams as a manager and also as a sponsor. The GAA played a big role in helping him integrate in the community.
Eugene has been heavily involved in Tidy Towns over the years, culminating in his role as chairperson of Rathbarry Tidy Towns which was Ireland’s Tidiest Village in 1999.
Married to Caitriona, they’re parents of four. As well as Niamh, Eoghan manages the Clonakilty supermarket; Martin is travelling and Fiona is training to be a solicitor.
Retail is in the family DNA. Eugene’s brother Gerard returned to Maynooth where he operated his own Centra store until recently. Tom, his younger brother, also started off in Clonakilty with Eugene before moving to Cork where he now runs his own successful SuperValu store in Blackrock.
Aidan Scally, Eugene’s cousin also came from Co Offaly to work in Clonakilty and also branched out to run his own Centra store at the other end of town until recently.
His top business advice? ‘Don’t be afraid to work hard and get stuck in!’ he said, adding that you don’t have to be a college student to be a successful person in business.
‘There is a huge shortage of skills in every aspect of life, in our case butchers, bakers and deli professionals. If young people could start learning the trades, there are businesses to be built and the potential for great success,’ he added.
Eugene said he is very humbled to have his time in business in West Cork recognised with this award.
‘It is poignant that it comes at the beginning of our 40th year in business in Clonakilty and at a time when the family are now becoming more involved in the business and expanding their horizons. It’s nostalgic looking back and thinking about all the people who have helped him make it all possible,’ he said.
Reflecting on the anniversary he says he’s ‘very happy’ with his lot and his life.
‘I’ve a great life, family, and great team of people. I couldn’t ask for any more,’ he said. At the age of 66, he said he’s winding down – just a little. ‘I’ve got free bus travel and I plan to use it!’
Something tells us he’ll always be looking around corners, to see what’s coming up next!
The West Cork Business Ambassador award is sponsored by The Southern Star.
