Musgrave Group is Ireland's largest grocery distributor. The company operates an islandwide distribution and support network for independent supermarket owners and franchises the stores which hold 24 per cent of the grocery market in the Republic and 10 per cent of the market in Northern Ireland; a 20 per cent market share of the island overall. Musgrave Group was founded in 1876 and is one of the two largest private companies in Ireland. The company operates a retail franchise division through the SuperValu and Centra outlets, and also has a cash and carry division, Musgrave Wholesale Services, and a retail and wholesale business in Spain. In 2002, the company acquired UK supermarket group Budgens and more recently in 2004, Londis UK.