The post SPAR Oman taps into coffee culture, introducing CENSA appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>Statista values the coffee market in Oman at US$114.5m reflecting local consumers’ desire for a variety of bean cup coffee solutions. SPAR Oman is reaping the benefits of having access to international best practice in food service to support them develop a range of specialty coffees for their entrance into this segment. The projection is to increase the volume of coffee consumed in volume growth of 2.9%, leading to the average volume per person to be 1.20kg during 2024.
The company provides employment opportunities through this investment, for example as a barista or a chef for the instore Café. Additionally, SPAR Oman support small-scale Oman producers by sourcing all disposable materials for the Café and CENSA© Coffee solution locally. A modern, attractive, and welcoming atmosphere has been created for the CENSA Coffee and SPAR Café instore areas. Training is included for the team operating the SPAR Café, including as barista, food service operator, and in product knowledge.
Utilising only the best quality, locally-roasted coffee beans, SPAR Oman’s new CENSA© coffee solution is proving popular with customers. Variants such as café latte, cappuccino, and iced latte are as popular as the double espresso or americano coffee options. Whilst enjoying their coffee, customers can also consume fruit salads, smoothies, sandwiches or fresh salads in the cozy dining area. The marketing campaign behind the new CENSA© coffee offer highlights how a great coffee can ‘make your day’ whilst a loyalty card whereby frequent customers earn rewards.
The second CENSA© coffee offer introduction was timed with the opening of a new store in Al Muna. The newest SPAR Supermarket to open in Oman has a strong offer of fresh foods, wide aisles in the grocery section, a bold colour palette and a focus on great customer service. The store team celebrated the opening, welcoming shoppers with great special offers and well-stocked shelving throughout the store.
Source: SPAR Oman
Read more about SPAR Oman
SPAR International granted the licence for SPAR in Oman in 2014 to Khimji Ramdas, a leading business conglomerate in Oman. The group has interests in trading, distribution, retailing, training, restaurants, and manufacturing. SPAR Oman has developed a successful business that offers a world-class shopping experience to consumers.
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]]>The post SPAR China partners invest in retail expansion and modernisation appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>At the end of January 2024, SPAR Shandong opened the doors of a new store in Galaxy COcO City. This is an important commercial landmark in Dongsheng District, Ordos City.
The new 6,000m² SPAR Hypermarket offers a diverse assortment, including fresh food, snacks, wine, beverages, and home goods, all tailored to meet local preferences. Customers can explore the wide variety of fruits, seafood, and local delicacies which are on offer.
At the opening, SPAR Shandong introduced promotions including a 5.9% discount on all products, reduced prices on popular gift boxes, and discounts on renowned wines. These offers generated considerable interest, offering a delightful shopping experience and highlighting the retailer’s customer focus.
The store opening is a strategic move for the retailer and demonstrates its commitment to expansion. SPAR Shandong parent company Jiajiayue prioritises customers and strives to offer an even higher-quality and convenient shopping experience in future.
On 13 January 2024, the SPAR Supermarket Ka Wing Machong in Dongguan City unveiled its renovated look. The store boasts an improved layout and upgraded facilities. The reopened supermarket aims to enhance the SPAR brand image, improve market competitiveness, and provide high-quality service and affordable prices.
Upon entering the upgraded supermarket, the attention-grabbing baking area features the popular Walnut Mario bread. Convenience is emphasised with onsite services including food preparation possibilities. The fruit section offers discounted prices on local favourites while inviting shelf displays present a diverse range of products with information and seasoning pairings. A food street showcases local specialties like mung bean cakes, fried chestnuts, fresh meat cakes, and various snacks.
The spacious dining area, equipped with amenities like mobile phone holders and charging sockets, enhances the overall customer experience. For the 2024 Spring Festival, this SPAR Supermarket organised a New Year’s goods street, offering bulk items, gift bags, and Chinese New Year specialities that added value to the one stop shopping convenience.
Source: SPAR China
Read more about SPAR China
SPAR was introduced to China in 2004 with the signing of the license agreement for Shandong province, followed by the addition of more partners. The privately-owned retail chains licensed to operate SPAR have a cooperative relationship. As a result, this partnership aligns with the original SPAR mission of working together to reduce costs, maximise sales, and increase profits.
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]]>The post DESPAR Italia saw great store growth in 2023 appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>It was a year of extensive expansion for DESPAR Italia nationwide, with a total of 90 new or refurbished stores opening to customers. This is a 38% increase compared to 2022, when 65 stores opening or refurbished. This growth highlights that the DESPAR brand continues to get stronger each year.
Of the 56 new store openings, 37 were DESPAR neighbourhood stores, designed to meet customers needs for daily shopping. There were 12 EUROSPAR Supermarkets and 3 INTERSPAR Hypermarkets opened, which offer an extensive assortment and meet the weekly shopping needs of customers. Additionally, 4 compact DESPAR Express stores also opened their doors for the first time in 2023.
DESPAR Italia and the regional consortium members implemented certain elements in all stores. Every store offers a complete assortment targeted at local customer needs, including the extensive DESPAR Italia own brand range. Fresh is a focus in every store, with fruit and vegetable and delicatessen counters offering quality fresh products.
Each store is closely tied into its local community and region. Local products and specialties sourced from local producers are on the shelves of DESPAR stores. Another important element is the attention which is given to incorporating sustainability throughout the store. LED lighting and closed refrigerated cabinets, which limit CO2 emissions through the use of sustainable and cutting-edge refrigeration technologies, have been installed in both new and revamped stores.
Source: DESPAR Italia
Read more news about SPAR Italy
SPAR Italy, known locally as DESPAR Italia, was first granted the SPAR Brand’s license in 1959. The first store opened in 1960. With it, SPAR became the first partnership of retailers and wholesalers to operate in the country. In addition, SPAR Italy licenses regional partners as members of a consortium, all of whom work together to grow the brand across the country.
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]]>The post SPAR Switzerland convenience retail network grows appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>In Zurich, on the Mythenquai, the SPAR Express offers neighbourhood residents and visitors a great assortment which meets daily shopping needs. The refurbishment of the store which opened twelve years ago has seen an Avia gas station opening alongside the store. The ready-to-eat options include sandwiches, salads, hamburgers, and hotdogs in addition to other hot and cold snacks. There is a bakery selection, fresh flowers, fruit and vegetables in addition to grocery items.
Residents of the village Siblingen can now access a takeaway offer of hot and cold snacks and salads at the local SPAR store, or benefit from the catering offer available. A coffee corner brings delicious Italian coffee to shoppers who can enjoy their beverage at a covered seating area in front of the store. Convenience in services has seen both a postal and a dry cleaning service become available. Local specialities are on offer in the bakery, dairy, delicatessen, fruit and vegetable counters as well as in the grocery aisles.
In Langenthal-Nord a new SPAR Express was opened, supplementing the convenience retail solutions for shoppers. Located in the city centre, the store has charging stations for e-bikes and e-cards. E-bikers also have access to a bicycle repair station for free use. Thanks to free parking spaces and generously placed bike racks, longer breaks are also catered for. Shoppers can enjoy a coffee from the self-service coffee corner whilst waiting for their transport to recharge. There is a fresh-to-go range of options including cold and warm snacks, sandwiches, salads, juices and more.
Source: SPAR Switzerland
Read more news from SPAR Switzerland.
SPAR Switzerland was founded in 1989. The business grew, combining corporate and independently owned stores, spanning forecourt retailing to large supermarkets. Since 2016, SPAR Switzerland has been a subsidiary of SPAR Group Ltd Southern Africa.
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]]>The post Innovative Store Openings: Contact International appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>In this issue of Contact International, we take a look at these innovative stores in more detail; whether it is refining the product assortment, providing more on-the-go offerings, or digitising the full store experience. To read this feature article, and more in Contact International, click here.
SPAR International’s Contact International magazine is available in five languages (English, German, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese). The online quarterly publication covers a wide range of retail industry subjects, reflecting our diverse and global business.
If you would like to subscribe to the online version, please send us an email.
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]]>The post SPAR Austria opens a climate-friendly store appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>The SPAR Supermarket has a combined refrigeration system, which is used for the deep-freeze and refrigerated cabinets. In the past, the unused waste heat from the combined refrigeration system in the supermarket was released into the environment through a re-cooling system on the roof, rather than being reused.
However, a new solution has been created and implemented. The unused waste heat generated from the SPAR Supermarket is now regenerated to heat the supermarket itself and also provide energy for the neighbouring businesses and apartments in the building complex.
Additionally, the store is illuminated exclusively with LED light strips, LED spotlights and LED advertising lighting. This saves approximately 60% of electricity compared to commercially available light sources. Environmentally friendly technologies were used for the refrigeration system and only environmentally friendly refrigerants or CO² are used.
The 600m² supermarket offers a varied assortment of approximately 10,000 products to cover the daily needs of customers. Fresh is a focus with the store featuring an extensive delicatessen, a bakery offering fresh bread and pastries, coffee-to-go option, a butchery stocked with fresh meat, a cheese counter, and fresh sushi. Customers have access to a large selection of fruit and vegetables. Customers on the move can purchase hot food-to-go products, as well as fresh sandwiches, wraps and salads.
Store Manager Goran Petrovic is supported by a team of 16 colleagues to ensure customers a great experience.
Source: SPAR Austria
Read more about SPAR Austria
The origins of SPAR in Austria date back to 1954, but the current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company. With licences granted by SPAR International, ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) has developed the brand in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Northern Italy.
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]]>The post SPAR Gran Canaria reflects on 2023 retail network investment appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>A further eight stores were modernised – SPAR Pi y Margall, SPAR Anfi, SPAR San Juan de Guía, SPAR La Garita, SPAR Siete Palmas, SPAR Pintor Felo Monzón, SPAR Castillo del Romeral, and SPAR Tejeda.
All stores highlight the group’s commitment to quality, service, and proximity. Each store now offers shoppers an expanded assortment, new services, and extended opening hours. SPAR Siete Palmas has a new prepared food area while SPAR Pintor Felo Monzón has undergone a complete overhaul including creating a more spacious checkout area. SPAR Tejeda, now on Avenida de los Almendreros, has a new layout and an expanded bakery section.
This investment created 103 jobs and increased SPAR’s overall retail sales area on the island by 1,907m².
Across the 11 stores, special attention has been paid to making stores more sustainable and energy-efficient. This includes the installation of new LED lighting, the latest generation of closed vertical refrigerators and freezers, renovations to central cooling systems to optimise energy consumption, and introducing electronic shelf-edge labels. These changes reflect SPAR Gran Canaria’s commitment to sustainability and the reduction of its carbon footprint.
Source: SPAR Gran Canaria
Read more about SPAR Spain.
SPAR Spain was founded in 1959 when a group of wholesalers who wished to join an international organisation came together. As a result, the brand became the first voluntary trading chain to be established in Spain, having been granted a license by SPAR International. Together, 13 regional SPAR wholesalers actively continue the expansion of the brand across the country.
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]]>The post SPAR Kyrgyzstan opened three SPAR Supermarkets in 2023 appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>On the shore of Issyk-Kul Lake in Balykchy, the second store which opened in August was welcomed by residents and also tourists. As was done in the capital city, customers were welcomed with a festive programme, gifts and discounts. The SPAR Supermarket rapidly became known for the exclusive SPAR Own Brand range of products, the special bakery treats, locally procured products and fresh offers.
In December, the third SPAR Supermarket opened, also located in the capital city Bishkek, in time for the holiday season. This store also offers the SPAR Own Brand ranges and products sourced from domestic producers and small-scale farmers and suppliers.
The SPAR club loyalty programme was introduced from the first store opening. The card offers discounts, loyalty bonuses and gifts, as well as personalised offers, enabling savings and encouraging repeat visits. SPAR Kyrgyzstan welcomes 5,000 shoppers to its stores each day and 25,000 people already joined the loyalty programme – SPAR Club.
The licensed operator in the country for SPAR, Umai Group, has plans in place to continue growing the SPAR brand through corporate store openings while exploring sub-licensing of independent retailers. Kyrgyz people already know for sure that with SPAR – together is better!
Source: SPAR Kyrgyzstan
SPAR International granted a licence to a local company to operate the SPAR Brand in Kyrgyzstan in 2023. The group has an existing retail and distribution network in the country. Stores began to open under the SPAR brand in this market mid-2023 and the retailer has plans in place to grow the brand further.
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]]>The post SPAR Latvia open stores in three different cities appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>A SPAR store opened on Riga’s Meža prospect which was developed using an innovative concept. This new style is set to be implemented for future store openings. SPAR Latvia is actively working on augmenting its private label range, incorporating products sourced through the international retail network.
In the town of Ropaži, another SPAR store with a sales area of 200m² opened. This store is staffed by eight employees who are all dedicated to providing excellent service to customers.
As part of its growth strategy, SPAR Latvia places a special emphasis on the development of SPAR own brand selections and the broadening of its product range. There is a focus on increasing the selection of fresh fruits and vegetables available and all stores aiming to cater to diverse consumer preferences. Furthermore, the retailer actively supports local producers, procuring a growing range of goods.
Source: SPAR Latvia
Read more about SPAR in Latvia
SPAR International in 2021 also granted a licence to operate the brand in Latvia to S&P Logistics, which founded SPAR Latvia with the vision of uniting independent retail groups to collaborate in the face of growing international discount competition. SPAR in Latvia will offer consumers a high-quality, modern, and relevant food shopping experience.
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]]>The post SPAR Hungary invest in new stores and trial Gen Z pop-up store appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>SPAR Hungary has converted a former car dealership into a 700m² modern SPAR Supermarket in District XV of Budapest. The almost HUF 1.5 billion investment aims to offer a new shopping experience to the district while revitalising an abandoned building. The store has eco-friendly systems including LED lighting and carbon-dioxide cooling technology. Customers enter into the fruit and vegetable section, which is opposite the bakery before accessing the ready-made meal section. The grocery aisles also offer a range of convenience products. The store employs 24 staff and caters to local residents of the Rákospalota, Pestújhely, Újpalota areas and visitors from the north of the capital.
SPAR Hungary revitalized a former commercial facility, investing 120 million HUF to open a SPAR Supermarket in Békéscsaba. The renovated space, employing 16 staff, has a focus on environmental sustainability with repurposed materials and equipment. Featuring a modernised façade, practical layout, and contemporary fittings, the 600m² store offers a range of organic, ‘free from,’ local, and private label products. New refrigeration equipment and bakery store fittings were installed during the renovation.
A new 2,600m2 INTERSPAR Hypermarket was opened in a modern, family-friendly area. This store is located within arm’s reach of Debrecen’s dynamically developing southern business zone. It is the second INTERSPAR Hypermarket to open in the town.
“It was not by chance that we chose this area of the city of Cívis as the location of our newest INTERSPAR Hypermarket. Several companies employing a significant number of employees have settled here recently. The number of young families with several children moving to the local area has also increased. Our new store was completed at an investment of HUF 3 billion. It will satisfy the needs of both those who regularly go to work here and those who live here. Customers can find not only a wide selection of food, but also electronic goods, clothing, gardening tools and toys,” said Márk Maczelka, SPAR Hungary’s communications manager.
For two days, SPAR Hungary ran an AI-powered, cashierless store at the Sneakerness festival in Budapest, targeted at Generation Z. The trial, incorporating a tailored product range, used AI technology, cameras, and weight sensors to create a seamless shopping experience.
“SPAR Hungary constantly strives to be able to address all of its customer groups: in the case of Generation Z, digital technology, contactless payment, and the creation of easy and comfortable navigation in the virtual space make this possible. In order to develop the innovation required for the new product, and then to put it into practice and apply it, we created our own project team, the members of which were selected from the Generation Z colleagues of our store chain, from the purchasing, sales and marketing department. Their primary mission was to develop a strategy, thanks to which we address the members of the young age group, who are at home in the digital space and the world of artificial intelligence, and bring SPAR closer to them as a brand and as a shopping place,” said Márk Maczelka, SPAR Hungary’s communications manager.
The 12-square-meter automated retail unit housed nearly 160 items, several of which were limited-edition, special-edition products. Customers could generate a QR code at the entrance using an application to gain entry to the store.
The positive shopper response as evidenced by around 400 transactions, will see the retailer assess the potential future of the mobile ‘Satellite Store S’ concept at special events and festivals across the country.
Source: SPAR Hungary
Read more about SPAR Hungary
The first SPAR Supermarket opened in Hungary in 1992, following the acquisition by ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) of a majority stake in General Kereskedelmi Rt. SPAR Hungary is one of the country’s largest employers, with a network of company-owned and independently run stores operating nationwide.
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