Dublin, May 11 - German discount supermarket chain Aldi said on Monday it would hire 650 people over the next three years in Ireland as recession bolsters demand for its grocery bargains.
The jobs boost, which will come from a 350 million euro ($476.2 million) investment in 35 new stores throughout the country and a new distribution centre, contrasts with a litany of factory and retail closures since the start of the year which have swollen social welfare lines.
"We already employ 1,200 people in Ireland and we will see this reach almost 2,000 over the next three years," Donald Mackay, managing director of Aldi Stores Ireland, said in a statement.
The group said 400 additional jobs would also be created in the construction of the new distribution centre and offices in the southern county of Cork.
Aldi's Irish sales have grown 23 percent in the first quarter of this year and April sales were up 25 percent on the same month last year, the company said.
Food retailers in Ireland are facing stiff competition from Aldi and rival discount chain Lidl as well as the weakness of sterling, which has encouraged thousands of people to flock to the British province of Northern Ireland to do their shopping.
In response, Tesco slashed prices at 11 stores in the Republic of Ireland and other retailers have done likewise.