Aldi will recruit a whopping 1,050 new staff in 2021, the German supermarket has announced – in a move hailed as "a fantastic boost to our economy" by Leo Varadkar.
And the retailer has four new stores – in Dunshaughlin, Douglas, Newbridge and Bayside, Dublin 13 – in the pipeline, ahead of what looks set to be a busy year for the European chain.
The hiring spree will create 700 permanent jobs for people across Ireland, as well as 350 temporary gigs in a bid to support the current trading period.
It comes after six applications for planning permission were made by Aldi in the last year, on top of the four stores pencilled in for 2021 openings.
The sites where Aldi wants planning permission – in a bid to add to its nearly-150 stores around the country – are in Castlecomer, Roche's Street Limerick, Ballybrit, Ballyhaunis, Kanturk and Shannon.
The Covid-19 pandemic might be laying waste to thousands of businesses around Ireland – but Aldi is thriving, with sales jumping by more than 15% over the last year.
Welcoming the new jobs, the Tanaiste said: "Aldi staff and all other supermarket workers have made a crucial contribution to our country throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, keeping stores open and providing a safe shopping environment for customers.
"I would like to thank them for their continued dedication and commitment during these challenging times," Mr Varadkar said, adding: "These 1,050 new jobs are a fantastic boost for our economy. These come in addition to the 500 which were hired last year and will mean four new stores will open in the coming months.
"I'm really glad to see Aldi continuing to offer both the living wage and sick pay to all employees, two benefits I would like to see more employers offering.
"I would like to thank them for their continued commitment to providing opportunities for Irish food and drink producers."
