Latest news with #Murphy's
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Cork stout Murphys continues to surge in UK market with double digit growth
Sales of Murphy's Stout have continued to surge in the UK, with the brand experiencing double digit growth there in 2025. Brewing giant Heineken released its 2025 first half results on Monday, with revenues down 5% to €16.9bn for the year after reporting a 0.4% fall in volumes globally during the second quarter. But Cork stout brand Murphy's continues to shine for Heineken. "Distribution gains and new draught placement in the on-trade supported the strong growth of Murphy's Stout," the company said. The UK is the world's largest market for stout, worth more than €1bn. Murphys has enjoyed massive growth in the past 18 months, buoyed further by the international success of rival Guinness pushing increased stout sales. Sales of Murphy's rose by 176% overall in the UK's on-licence trade in 2024. Heineken even launched a new 'Map O'Murphy's' last year, outlining all the places in the UK selling the Cork beverage. Overall, Heineken saw a decline in beer volumes. A dispute with retailers in key European markets like France, Spain, and the Netherlands affected sales despite a summer heatwave and the brewer reported a 0.4% fall in volumes during the second quarter. The disputes are now resolved. Chief executive Dolf van den Brink also welcomed the trade deal agreed between the US and the EU, though Heineken's European produce will still face a 15% tariff entering the US market. Mr van den Brink also said the company is looking to increase cost savings to €500m. "In the first half of 2025, we are ahead of our target by delivering more than €300m of gross savings across variable and fixed expenses. We therefore are increasing our ambition for 2025 to €500 million of gross savings. All regions thus far have contributed in a significant way," he said.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- General
- Irish Examiner
Top 8: Get the scoop on the best of shop-bought ice-creams this summer
In Iceland, where my son and his family live, ice cream shops often have long queues in winter, when the days are short and cold. Why should we confine ourselves to hot days? They are adventurous there with flavours such as liquorice, and Bragarefur, where your three choices of sweets and fruits (berries are popular) will be blended to order with vanilla soft serve. For this week's Top 8 supermarket shopping expedition, I enlisted the help of the seven- and 12-year-olds to choose from the shelves. They and their three-year-old brother, along with an eight-year-old cousin, were happy to taste them all. We often make our own ice cream at home, typically using a custard base, adding seasonal fruits — blackcurrants, sieved raspberries, roasted rhubarb — or by blending cream and sugar with fresh strawberries or gooseberries. Use within 24 hours, as the ice cream can harden so much that it separates when defrosting. Manufacturers solve this problem by adding skimmed milk powder, which adds shelf life and stability, while maintaining a consistent texture. When buying tubs of ice cream, it is important to buy them last in the supermarket, use a chill bag, and get them home before they start to thaw. Scúp roasted banana gelato 476ml €6.95 Scúp roasted banana gelato 476ml. €6.95 Food pics: Chani Anderson Whole milk, fresh cream, and sugar make a very good, creamy ice cream with a roasted banana (a decent 8.7% which shows in the naturally fruity flavour), with extra natural banana flavouring. It also contains skimmed milk powder. Made in Wexford. Score: 9.75 Murphy's 500ml €10 (€20/litre) Murphy's 500ml €10 (€20/litre) Fresh milk and cream, organic sugar, free range eggs blend with a decent portion of 100% Valrhona cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, natural locust bean and carrageenan to stabilise. It's unusual not to find skimmed milk powder and other stabilisers, and it shows in the natural taste and texture. One described (and all agreed) it was like eating a deliciously rich, frozen hot chocolate. See for outlets. Score: 10 M&S Collection Colombian coffee ice cream 500ml €6.50 (€13/litre) M&S Collection Colombian coffee ice cream 500ml €6.50 (€13/litre) From the West Country in England, fresh milk, cream, sugar, and dried skimmed milk deliver a sophisticated flavour of freshly made, lively coffee to make an ideal finish to a meal when you fancy coffee, but it's too late to drink a cup. Nicely creamy too. One of the adults' favourites. Score: 9 Moo'd mint choc chip gelato 460ml €5 (€10.86/litre) Moo'd mint choc chip gelato 460ml €5 (€10.86/litre) This was chosen as a favourite by the seven-year-old. We were surprised she liked the fresh flavour of mint so much. A generous amount of good-quality dark chocolate chips, skimmed milk (not dried) and a decent 24% cream, stabilised by guar gum, xanthan gum and carrageenan for a smooth texture. A lovely finish to a meal, like After 8 chocolates with ice cream. Made in Cavan. Score: 8.75 Dunnes Simply Better butterscotch ice cream 550ml €5.99 (€10.89/litre) Dunnes Simply Better butterscotch ice cream 550ml €5.99 (€10.89/litre) Tasters immediately liked the slightly burned toffee style of this ice cream. Older tasters remember it as a taste of the butterscotch bars they enjoyed on the way home from school. The smooth, creamy texture and taste result from milk, cream and sugar with a hint of saltiness. Produced in Northern Ireland. Score: 8.5 The Good Dairy Company Kinder Moo ice cream 650ml €8 (€12.30/litre) The Good Dairy Company Kinder Moo ice cream 650ml €8 (€12.30/litre) A strong Kinder Bueno flavour was loved by children familiar with the bars. A lovely creamy texture from fresh milk and cream comes from the Good family farm in Nohoval, Kinsale, as well as skimmed milk powder in its base. Different packaging is due soon, when it will be stocked in SuperValu, alongside its current range. We bought in Bradleys, Cork, also available now in the Good Dairy Kinsale shop. Score: 8 Lidl Gelatelli peanut butter crunch 500ml €3.25 (€6.50/litre) Lidl Gelatelli peanut butter crunch 500ml €3.25 (€6.50/litre) A flavour new to us, 5% whole peanuts are caramelised for a good crunchy contrast to the creamy texture made from cream, skimmed milk and traditional egg yolk. The sweetness of the ice cream, which has a hint of salt, contrasts interestingly with the addition of more peanut butter throughout. Tasters loved it. Score: 8 Mullin's Belgian Chocolate Chip ice cream 900ml €5.95 (€6.61/litre) Mullin's Belgian Chocolate Chip ice cream 900ml €5.95 (€6.61/litre) A chocolate sauce ripples through a creamy chocolate ice cream. While the chocolate is not as pure or intense as our top marker, it still made for a delicious mouthful for the kids. Skimmed milk, cream, and egg are used, and a hint of vanilla is added to enhance the richness. Score: 7.75
Scottish Sun
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Ridiculous price of hotel and Airbnb accommodation near Oasis gigs revealed
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FANS heading to Oasis gigs this summer might need deep pockets - not just for tickets, but for somewhere to stay. Airbnb costs near the band's tour stops have soared, with Manchester and Edinburgh seeing the worst price hikes, according to ticket comparison site SeatPick. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 It's not just Airbnb prices soaring - The Sun can reveal that hotels are ramping up their rates during the tour as well For the Manchester shows on July 19 and 20, Airbnb rates are an eye-watering 370.7% higher than normal. A one-night stay during the gigs averages £467.28, compared to just £99.28 the following week. On July 19, the cost jumps even further to £558.52 - a staggering 401.7% increase. Edinburgh isn't far behind. Fans attending gigs on August 8, 9 and 12 will pay an average of £685.77 for a night, up 29.7% from the usual £528.67. The priciest date overall is August 8, with rates hitting £724.92 for a single night. SeatPick analysed Airbnb listings for two guests looking for an 'entire home' in the city centre, comparing prices on the tour date to those from the week before and after. London fares much better, with minimal price hikes. For shows on July 25, 26 and 30, and August 2 and 3, Airbnb rates rise just 2.8% on average. In fact, there's even a slight drop in costs for the July 30 gig, with stays averaging £159.57 compared to £163.72 the week before. Oasis launch shock football club partnership despite Liam and Noel Gallagher's dying love for Man City It's not just Airbnb prices soaring - The Sun can reveal that hotels are ramping up their rates during the tour as well. Manchester's Prestwich Premier Inn near Heaton Park is charging £349 for a night during the July 19 show but drops to £154 the following week. In Edinburgh, a night at the City Centre Premier Inn costs £349 for the August 8 gig, compared to £309 the week after. Meanwhile, London's Wembley Premier Inn charges £381 for the night of the July 25 show but plummets to just £78 the following week. The Gallagher brothers made a triumphant return at the Principality stadium in Cardiff on July 4 after 15 years of feuding. Fans were delighted by the comeback - but not so much by how much they had to pay for a drink. Shocking pictures from inside the Cardiff stadium earlier this month revealed pint prices had climbed to a huge £8.20. Pints of Heineken, Strongbow, Dark Fruits and Murphy's were all priced at this level, while half-pints were £4.10. Even the no-alcohol Heineken 0.0 was £5.20 for a pint. Merchandise prices for Oasis at Manchester's Heaton Park Adidas track jacket - £90 Adidas football shirt - £85 What's the Story blue tone hoodie - £70 Spray Live '25 hoodie - £70 Adidas Live '25 t-shirt - £55 Decca navy gold logo long sleeve - £50 Oasis sweatshirt - £50 Adidas 3 stripes t-shirt scarlet royal - £45 Collage photo Live '25 world tour T-shirt - £40 Oasis Live '25 world tour T-shirt - £40 Wonderwall Live '25 world tour T-shirt - £40 Detroit bus photo T-shirt - £40 Live '25 world tour T-shirt - £40 Live '25 gold T-shirt - £40 Elliptical tour t-shirt - 40 Manchester event T-shirt - £40 Paper cut out photo T-shirt - £40 Manchester poster print - £40 Decca logo reversible bucket hat - £35 Live '25 logo reversible bucket hat - £35 Live '25 football scarf - £25 Half Faces Live '25 world tour poster - £20 Wonderwall Live '25 world tour poster - £20 Live '25 four pin badges set - £15 Live '25 tour lanyard - £15 Live '25 mac ball - £10 Live '25 tour programme - £20 Logo Live '25 tote bag - £20 Live '25 repeat fabric green keyring - £10 Oasis fans are expected to spend over £1billion across the 17-date UK tour. The average fan is expected to spend £766 on tickets, travel, accommodation, and merchandise, according to Barclays. The tour, tipped to be the most profitable in UK history, will see 1.4million gig-goers attend shows nationwide, boosting local business sales. Fans have embraced 90s nostalgia, turning up in bucket hats, parkas, and Oasis-themed outfits. But merchandise prices have sparked anger online, with fans calling them a "cash cow". Items like a £10 keyring, £85 Adidas football shirt, and £70 hoodie were among the priciest at the Cardiff venue. When tickets went on sale last summer, fans queued on Ticketmaster for up to 12 hours. Ticketmaster is now facing legal action for charging £350 for seats worth £150, misleading fans during the sale. Twickets and Ticketmaster's resale site are still selling a limited number of tickets at their original price, plus fees. Last month, the Home Office warned gig-goers that £1.6million was lost to ticket fraud in 2024.
Scottish Sun
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Oasis fans say drinks are ‘theft' OUTSIDE the venue as even Wetherspoons prices jump by up to almost £2 per pint
Find out how much the prices of different drinks climbed on the night BEER BLOW Oasis fans say drinks are 'theft' OUTSIDE the venue as even Wetherspoons prices jump by up to almost £2 per pint OASIS fans have been left shocked by the price of pints on the first night of the band's reunion tour. This includes at Spoons pubs outside the stadium. Advertisement 3 Oasis made their return after 15 years last night to a huge crowd in Cardiff Credit: AP 3 Oasis fans clearly enjoyed the gig last night - but the beer prices not so much Credit: Reuters 3 Prices increased last night at three Wetherspoon pubs near the Cardiff stadium Credit: Emily Mee The Gallagher brothers made a triumphant return at the Principality stadium in Cardiff last night after 15 years of feuding. Fans were delighted by the comeback - but not so much by how much they had to pay for a drink. Shocking pictures from inside the stadium revealed pint prices had climbed to a huge £8.20. Pints of Heineken, Strongbow, Dark Fruits and Murphy's were all priced at this level, while half-pints were £4.10. Advertisement Even the no-alcohol Heineken 0.0 was £5.20 for a pint. By comparison the average cost of a pint in London is £6.10. Ahead of the Oasis tour, The Mirror had reported the average price of a pint at recent gigs and rugby matches at the Principality was £7.80. It appears prices have been hiked by 40p for the Oasis gigs. Advertisement Social media users described the prices as "theft" and accused the stadium of "robbing" concertgoers. One person said they had seen Oasis in 1996 for the same price as "two and a half pints of dark fruit". First look at Oasis stage as thrilled fans get party started early before eagerly awaited reunion gig Another added: "I'm looking forward to the Wembley prices!" Oasis fans also complained of price hikes at nearby Wetherspoons pubs - where some drinks were almost £2 more expensive. Advertisement Wetherspoon confirmed to The Sun that it had raised prices at three of its Cardiff city centre pubs during the concert. The three closest Spoons pubs to the stadium are The Gatekeeper, The Prince of Wales and The Great Western. One social media user shared a screenshot of the drinks menu and wrote: "Prices at Cardiff City Centre Wetherspoons today for Oasis opening night - horrific, shocking, butters." Spoons prices during Oasis gig The Sun has looked at how much popular drinks increased in price at Spoons pubs near the Principality last night. We compared prices at the three nearest bars to the stadium with prices at the nearby Central Bar in Cardiff, which is a 15-minute walk away from the venue. Poretti usual price - £4.49 Last night - £5.99 (£1.50 increase) Corona Extra usual price - £4.49 Last night - £6.15 (£1.66 increase) Budweiser usual price - £4.19 Last night - £5.89 (£1.70) Bud Light usual price - £2.49 Last night - £4.35 (£1.86 increase) Guinness usual price - £4.18 Last night - £5.89 (£1.71 increase) BrewDog Punk IPA usual price - £4.50 Last night - £6.15 (£1.65 increase) Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "We can confirm that prices were increased in three of our Cardiff city centre pubs during the Oasis concert. Advertisement "The police categorised it as an event day, which meant the pubs were required to have additional door supervisors. "In addition the pubs employed more staff than usual for the concert. "Wetherspoon continues to offer value for money prices." Meanwhile one concertgoer also complained of increased prices at the nearby Cardiff Marriott hotel. Advertisement They wrote: "Nice of @CardiffMarriott to introduce dynamic pint pricing for the gig today 😂 18% increase on a pint of beer 🍺 #Oasis #Cardiff." The Sun has contacted Marriott Hotels for comment. Glasto price shocker Music lovers also recently accused Glastonbury of fleecing them with its food and drink prices. An image of the Glastonbury bar menu was shared on social media, leaving fans outraged. Advertisement At the festival a pint was costing punters a whopping £7.20 while a double shot of spirit and mixer was a staggering £13.
Irish Independent
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Five great events to enjoy in Cork this weekend as temperatures expected to soar
Here are five events that you can enjoy in the warm, sunny weather: Stand-Up Comedy Club: Cork's Main Show at 8pm on Saturday, June 21 If you are in the mood to belly laugh uncontrollably while sipping on a Beamish or Murphy's, the Roundy is the place to be on Saturday. Coco Club's primetime comedy show takes place every Saturday night in the pub located on Castle Street in Cork city. Hosted by the dynamic duo of Cornelius Patrick O'Sullivan and Daniel Lukas, this show promises an engaging and entertaining evening that transcends all boundaries. Cork comedian Darragh Murphy will close the show on Saturday with a performance that will delve into his personal experiences, delivered in a self-deprecating style. Tickets for the show cost €22 each plus fees. Carrigaline Summer Festival Concert featuring The Frank & Walters at 8pm on Saturday, June 21 The summer festival in Carrigaline promises to be a night of music and fun. The Carrigaline Court Hotel will welcome the legendary Frank and Walters for a special performance while Danny & the Aos Dána and Crosshaven Community Choir will also play on the night. ADVERTISEMENT Tickets cost €35 each and can be purchased at the reception of the Carrigaline Court Hotel or Eventbrite. Les Girafes: An Animal Operetta, at 2pm and 9pm on Sunday, June 22 The Cork Midsummer Festival ends this weekend after 10 days of cracking events. The closing event will see seven towering red giraffes eloquently walk down St Patrick's Street, led by a captivating operatic Diva. The event, titled 'Les Girafes: An Animal Operetta', will be free to attend. Created by French street theatre company Compagnie, Les Girafes has delighted cities across Europe, and the people of Cork are urged to attend. Macroom Family Fun Day at 2pm-6pm on Sunday June 22 This family fun day will take place at the GAA grounds in Macroom. The third annual fun day is organised by the Macroom and District Lions Club, and funds raised from the event will go towards modernising the defibrillators in the town. The day will feature entertaining activities for every age group, from the under sixes to adults. Some of the attractions at the event will include bouncy castles, fairground rides, food stalls, face painting, hook-a-duck and hang tough competitions. A teddy bear picnic will also be held. Tickets for the family fun day cost €15 per person. Cork Speed Dating at 3pm-5pm on Sunday June 22 Are you a man aged between 45-55 and looking for love? The Old Town Whiskey Bar at Bodega on Cornmarket Street will host a speed dating event for like-minded singletons on Sunday evening. Organised by Speed Dating Events, the event promises to be the perfect way to meet up to eight dates in one night. Participants are encouraged to come with a smile and an open mind. Very few male tickets are available, so those interested should secure their entry as soon as possible. Tickets cost €21.60 each plus fees on Eventbrite.
