Food island came to Dublin this week when suppliers from across the country and abroad gathered at the Convention Centre for one of the year’s biggest retail trade shows.

The 150 suppliers were touting for business from more than 1,000 retailers within the BWG foods network who, between them, have annual turnover of more than €1.6 billion.

All the suppliers present – ranging from large multinationals to small start-ups – are listed by BWG to supply some of its 900 or so stores at Spar, Eurospar, Mace and XL across the country.

The show gives them the opportunity to pitch to other retailers within the brands.

Forty-four of those at the event were indigenous businesses that had only secured business from the BWG network since last year.

BWG, which announced at the event that it intends to open a further 80 stores under the various brands this year, said the show was an important part of its relationship with suppliers.

“In the current climate, this engagement is more critical than ever,” said Willie O’Byrne, managing director of BWG Foods.

Group chief executive Leo Crawford said BWG was poised to deliver store growth this year "after a number of challenging years for the wider industry".

“Our stores are a good barometer of the local economy and I am pleased that these communities are showing signs of recovery,” he said.