Poundland will be called Dealz as it takes successful brand to Europe
Poundland will be launching itself into Continental Europe in the next 18 months – but it will be called Dealz.
Chief executive Jim McCarthy says the firm will use the Dealz brand created by Poundland's successful two-year-old venture into Ireland.
Meanwhile, back at home, the company is gearing up to start recruiting between 1,500 and 2,000 temporary workers this Christmas.
Mr McCarthy said: "Our Christmases are as busy as five Christmases at other stores. And a lot of our temporary jobs translate into full-time jobs post-Christmas."
The company is also recruiting new drivers for its base at Willenhall and its main depot at Bilston, where it already employs around 750 of its 12,000-strong UK workforce.
Mr McCarthy said there would be some jobs created in this country from Poundland's expansion into Europe, but the main increase in staff numbers would come from the chain's ambition to have 1,000 stores in the UK – more than double the current total.
"Each of our new stores creates 25 to 30 new jobs, so that will mean another 12,500 jobs just in the UK," said Mr McCarthy.
Around 93 per cent of all items in the European stores will be sold for 1.49 euros, with the rest retailing at prices from two to five euros apiece.
Mr McCarthy said researchers were now working to establish the popular brands in the target countries – which are still being kept under wraps – so they can match the success of Poundland in the UK, where it serves 4.5 million customers a week selling top brands such as Kellogg's Cornflakes, Cadbury chocolate, Fairy washing up liquid and Johnson's baby powder, among many others.
Mr McCarthy was speaking as Poundland revealed a 15 per cent rise in sales to £880 million in the year to the end of March, while pre-tax profits were up 29 per cent to £23.1 million.
Over the last year the company opened 69 stores and created 1,700 new jobs, giving it 458 branches in the UK and Ireland.
Mr McCarthy said: "I'm confident that over time Poundland will have More than 1,000 stores across the UK."
Mr McCarthy added that he 'wanted to thank' former Wolverhampton market traders Steve Smith and his father Keith, who founded the Poundland business with a single store in Burton back in 1990.
