Spar International

ADCOOPS intend to develop the SPAR multi format retail strategy throughout the MENA region. Together, SPAR International and ADCOOPS have identified an opportunity for SPAR to take a leading role in the food retail market in the Middle East. In the initial development phase, ADCOOPS are opening in the Abu Dhabi region a flagship for each SPAR format: SPAR Hypermarket, SPAR supermarket, and the SPAR Express convenience store, each of which has their own distinct customer offer.

The first SPAR supermarket, which meets the daily shopping needs in the Khalidiya region of Abu Dhabi opened late in 2011. This store focuses on fresh departments and offers its customers a wide range of good value food and non-food products in a modern quality shopping environment. Unique to Abu Dhabi, it also features a wide range and selection of Food to Go in the KITSU area including a noodle bar, pasta station, roasted chicken, juice & smoothie bar. This has been warmly welcomed by local residents and office workers providing them with interesting lunch and dinner options.

The first SPAR hypermarket in the Khalifa 'A' region of Abu Dhabi also focuses on being best in fresh. Its 3,500m² sales area features comprehensive produce, meat, fish, deli and bakery departments. It also has an extensive offer of Food to Go featuring Arabian, Asian and European dishes and an in-store seating area. It has a very wide range and depth of food, non-food products including electronics and a laundry service. In accordance with the SPAR values, this hypermarket not only offers great value, freshness and quality but also excellent friendly personal service. The third SPAR store format, the SPAR Express convenience store for people on the move, will open in Abu Dhabi Tourist Club Area in early February. The store features extensive fruit & vegetables, a serve-over butchery counter, plus a strong range of grocery and dairy products to service the everyday needs of local customers.

Speaking at the opening of the SPAR Hypermarket, Dr. Gordon Campbell, Managing Director, SPAR International, said "we are very excited at the development of SPAR in the UAE and delighted to have an excellent partner in ADCOOPS. They have spared no effort in finding excellent locations and have opened quality stores providing customers with an exciting customer experience. The strong position of ADCOOPS in the UAE market enables SPAR to provide great prices and an extensive range of products to meet all shopping needs. The response of the customers has been tremendous and we are already exceeding sales targets."

Also speaking at the opening Mr Ahmed Ali Al Romaithi, Managing Director ADCOOPS said "with the global best practices and the strong positioning of the SPAR brand, ADCOOPS is now well staged as a strong contender in the regional retail landscape. ADCOOPS is a very successful retailer with over three decades of retailing experience and strong market position in Abu Dhabi and when combined with our regional partners, we are sure that SPAR will be a full and frontal regional brand."

The next stage of development will see the opening of 5 more SPAR supermarkets in the Abu Dhabi region during 2013. The Dubai market is also being targeted and suitable locations are being researched.

A joint venture and sub-licence agreement have been agreed by ADCOOPS with Q.N.I.E in Qatar. The first two SPAR Supermarkets will open in Doha before the end of the year. We are already at an advanced stage in negotiations with potential partners to open SPAR in Lebanon and Oman. We expect to be in a position to make an announcement of the signing of sub-licence agreements for both countries in the coming months.

SPAR supports independently owned regional retailers worldwide in delivering world class retailing standards and high customer service in increasingly competitive trading environments. In China, SPAR unites five regional independent regional retail chains into the SPAR China Group. Together the group harnesses joint economies of scale and shares resources on a local and international basis.

SPAR China supports these locally owned and operated chains to compete and develop in the face of national and international competition. Sichuan Dehui Commercial Co. Ltd, a leading Sichuan based retailer, has joined the SPAR group to reap the advantages of the international SPAR retail brand and benefit from the expertise of an organisation with over 80 years experience and over 12,000 stores in 36 countries worldwide.

Mr Zhang, President of Dehui, said: "Joining SPAR enables us to improve our retail management skills, and the possibility to further grow our business. We benefit from cooperation with the other SPAR partners in China as well as belonging to a strong and established international group.

"For six months we have co-operated closely with SPAR International and SPAR China to develop this new innovative format, a top international standard supermarket to meet the modern Chinese family's needs in the city of Chengdu. This new SPAR store format offers us the opportunity to grow and expand our business in the central districts of Chengdu. In developing the store we sought to merge leading international expertise in store design and category management within SPAR to complement our local knowledge and competence. The result is a great success," he said.

Tobias Wasmuht, Managing Director of SPAR China said: "We are proud to have Dehui as partners of SPAR. Under the leadership of Mr Zhang and his wife, Dehui has shown exceptional growth since its foundation in the year 2000. SPAR will work closely with the entire Dehui team to build on this strong foundation and provide them the resources to grow their business. Our co-operation has begun very well and in addition to the impressive first flagship store in Chengdu, work is underway to introduce further retail format innovation, greater efficiencies in the supply chain, training and management systems to both store and head office teams."

Work has already commenced on the development of a second store, a hypermarket of 8,000 sqm. Furthermore, support through the implementation of leading international SPAR supply chain best practices is also underway and SPAR China, supported by colleagues from SPAR International, provides the management and operational systems to develop and grow the business.

Consistent to the SPAR voluntary chain system and principle, the ownership is 100% locally held by Sichuan Dehui Commercial Co. Ltd, one of the fastest growing retail chains within Sichuan with over 50 stores serviced by both fresh and ambient distribution centres and supported by 32 hectare company owned and operated organic farm. The family-owned business started in 2000 and today employs over 2,300 people

Catering to a middle income group of consumers primarily, this new addition to the network in Russia features an excellent bakery, strong wine section and has already developed a reputation for their ready meals including salads. These ready to serve meals is proving very successful with the local consumers.

The entire store layout, exterior design, interior look and feel was developed in close consultation with SPAR International. Richard Brace and Amar de Winter represented the international office during the soft opening on the afternoon of the 1st. Despite there being no advertising or awareness campaigns in advance, a small crowd gathered early and enjoyed being the first to experience this new supermarket. These first shoppers were very complimentary about their visit to SPAR and eagerly tried out the special service departments, resulting in a full day's turnover being achieved within only a few hours.

The new building is located on the same site as the former shopping centre. The centrepiece is an ultra-modern EUROSPAR store with a sales area of 1,850m² featuring a Bistro . Regional products and specialties from around the world provide pure shopping pleasure. There are more than 18,000 products to choose from.

The EUROSPAR Waidhofen/Ybbs is a true fresh paradise. "We have a wide offer of fresh fruit and vegetables, with many from the region, as well as excellent deli and fresh meat at the service counter", says store manager Harald Hirtenlehner. "We have also taken into account the trend towards Convenience food." 190 free customer parking spaces and four express checkout facilitate modern and quick shopping.

New: Shopping on Sunday - at the Bistro
The EUROSPAR Waidhofen includes the Bistro, a cosy 200m² café with 32 seats and a garden. In this pleasant atmosphere, customers can consume a variety of savoury and sweet snacks, breakfast, hot drinks, cool refreshment, freshly baked bread and pastries and much more at favourable SPAR prices. The Bistro is also open on Sundays from 7.30 to 11.30 a.m..

32 new jobs created
In the new EUROSPAR store, 83 employees were all taken over from the former site, including 15 in the Bistro. In total, 32 additional jobs were created for the region.

SPAR sets signals
During this construction project, SPAR also focused on energy efficiency. The glass roof of the mall allows natural light. Heating is done through the use of heat recovery from the commercial refrigeration system and an air heat pump. In the summer, the entire hot water demand can be processed via a fresh water module. Sustainable building materials, high quality thermal insulation, wood and LED lighting complete the energy saving measures.

The new open shop layout, in combination with an additional range focus, is perfectly adapted to the needs of residents in Linz. Approximately 2,400 regional products from Upper Austria, fresh fruit and vegetables from the region, fresh bread and pastries, fine delicatessen and an extensive range of top quality wines will make the heart of gourmet lovers beat faster. International delicatessen and convenience products which are perfect for 'snacking on the go' round off the extensive range of more than 16,000 products.

The main road in Linz is the busiest shopping street in Austria outside of Vienna and a particularly attractive location for a food store. The redesigned EUROSPAR store in shopping centre Passage, located at the busiest part of the road, enhances the entire complex. "We are pleased to present this supermarket featuring a local supply that will meet even the most demanding needs of inhabitants of Linz. More than 80 highly trained members of staff ensure that customers feel totally at ease by offering excellent advice and service" says Jacob Leitner, Managing Director of the SPAR Central Office Marchtrenk.

Regional consumption is important
Regionality is reinforced in this EUROSPAR store: About 400 local products complement the traditional range comprising 2,000 articles.

Delicatessen highlight of the store
Absolute highlight is the delicatessen department with more than 350 Austrian and international ham, sausage and cheese specialties. Ranging from Italian Mortadella and hand cut Gissing ham to pork fillet matured in black truffle and Pecorinos from Italy to English Stilton blue cheese; everything is available for gourmet lovers. More than 750 fine wines are offered in the wine department. A certified sommelier supports customers in making the right choice of wine.

Trend: Convenience food
Food to go is a major trend especially in city centre locations. With drinks and snacks to enjoy instore or to take away, the new EUROSPAR store in the Passage in Linz meets the Convenience trend. The selection ranges from "coffee to go" to Paninis, Tramezzini and salads for in between meals. In addition freshly prepared meals are offered daily in the dining areas.

Home delivery in the city centre
Service is a top priority at SPAR: this new EUROSPAR supermarket offers optional convenient home delivery in the city centre. For any orders of €50 or more, customers can have their shopping delivered to their homes. For consumers wishing to make a quick purchase, there are four express cash tills all of which are self-service. Parking is available in two public car parks located close to the shopping centre.

Fifteen new jobs
Store Manager Werner Öller manages a team of more than 80 friendly and well trained staff members. Fifteen new jobs were created by the opening of this supermarket.

The family run operation, based on Dudley Port, has been trading for 17 years, but this is the first time it will operate under a symbol group fascia.

The store has been extended into a first-class 2,700sq ft convenience store stocking a wide range of everyday essentials. It already employs five staff and the extension has created a further two jobs for local people.

The site was closed for three weeks during the refurbishment period, but re-opened on 22 August.

To celebrate the revamp, an official launch day is due to be held on Saturday 1^st September. Starting at 11am, there will be treats for customers including Asian food tasting, ale and wine samples for the adults and soft drink tastings for children.

Manny Dhariwal, store manager, said: "We're really excited about moving our business into a new era. Value for money is what customers want in economic climates such as these and that is what we are going to give them."

The store, which opened in June, has been fitted out to the highest standards with Paul Abbott, a director of Northumbrian Fuel, describing it as "the best in the industry."

The store will provide a comprehensive range of grocery products with a great fresh food offer, snacks and meal solutions and also a wide selection of fresh produce. A huge offering of chilled beers and wine will also be available, as well as newspapers, stationery and car accessories.

A cash machine has been installed on the site and future services such as lottery are planned. When the development is complete there will also be a Wild Bean Café in the store, as well as a hotel and restaurant. The site will also feature a fast food outlet from one of the major chains.

Steve Shepherd, Regional Business Manager for James Hall & Co said: "It is great to have a solid working relationship with Northumbrian Fuel. They are an innovative business, proactive and able to grab the opportunities we are offering them. We are really excited and looking forward to the partnership developing."

Paul Abbot said: "Working with SPAR has been a great success and their people have been brilliant. SPAR's expertise in marketing, training, systems, shop design and the operation of service stations is way ahead of other symbol groups."

Locals were invited to the store to celebrate its opening from 12 noon on Friday and enjoy lots of special opening offers. The first 100 customers through the checkout picked up a free SPAR goody bag, filled with grocery essentials and tasty treats.

The state of the art SPAR store has been designed to ensure that there is something for everyone and for every meal occasion. There are fresh food meal deals in store along with a large selection of fruit and vegetables, chilled and butchery products and award winning wines.

Being at the heart of the community is pivotal to the store, and supporting local producers is just one of the things the store is doing to ensure that the focus stays local. Murdoch Brothers Butchers are selecting the fresh meat range being delivered to the store daily and Ashers Bakers are ensuring there is a daily supply of freshly made cakes and pastries.

Shoppers have lots more reasons to visit the new SPAR. In store there are hundreds of promotions! Customers can join the coffee club loyalty card scheme, pay their bills, top up their phones and play the National Lottery

It doesn't end there! For every 'Like' on SPAR Culloden's facebook at facebook.com/SPAR Culloden facebookers will receive exclusive promotions and community news.

The store, with a sales area of 400m² on two levels, offers an extensive fresh range, delicatessen from Salzburg, homemade "food to go" products as well as souvenirs all under one roof. Through this new elegant supermarket, SPAR has expanded the gourmet offer at the Grünmarkt and created 25 new jobs.

During its 150 years of existence, the Grünmarkt at Universitätsplatz has become a real institution. Local residents and tourists alike are attracted to the weekly market. "After the opening of stores in the Kaigasse, Linzergasse and Getreidegasse, SPAR continues its expansion in the old town of Salzburg. With our new SPAR supermarket we extend the offer of high quality, special food items at the Universitätsplatz", says CEO of SPAR Austria, Dr. Gerhard Drexel.

Delicatessen from Salzburg
The new store is not only a visual eye catcher, leaves no culinary wish unfilled. On the ground floor, the store has a sales area of about 170m² features a wide range of Convenience products. Various warm and cold dishes such as soups, tramezzini, sandwiches or salads are on the menu as well as an extensive choice of desserts and cereals. The food is "to go" or can be consumed in the store at a high table. In addition to delicacies for quick breaks and products for everyday needs, the requirements of customers searching for special food items will also be met. The SPAR offer includes SPAR PREMIUM products from the 'Johanna Maier' series, created by Salzburg's most famous gourmet chef. "Customers can even order sturgeon caviar from Austria's only caviar producer Grüll located in Grödig, who normally does not deliver his delicacy to supermarkets", says Dr Drexel delighted.

Highlight: Ten metres of delicatessen
Via an open staircase or by taking the transparent glass elevator customers can reach the first floor. Here, there is a sales area of about 220m² including a modern, ten metre long delicatessen department which is the heart of the supermarket. In addition to bread and pastries, the store offers a wide range of products from bakeries and specialty pastry shops in Salzburg. "As in the SPAR store in the Mozart house we offer in this store the delicious, homemade bread of the famous monastery bakery St. Peter ", explains Dr Drexel. Fine wines from local wineries as well as wine and spirits from around the world are to be found in the beer and wine world.

"Mozart world" for tourists
Another highlight is the L'epicerie, a specialty world designed in wood with selected candies, such as the Mozart world in a nostalgic aisle overlooking the courtyard. These products are tailored to the needs of tourists. Not only sweet souvenirs are available in the new SPAR store at the Universitätsplatz. Maps and other souvenirs complete the offer.

25 new employees
Store Manager of the new SPAR store is Andrea Emminger. She is supported by a team of 25 employees, who received several training seminars prior to the opening because of the special location."Since the Universitätsplatz is visited daily by many tourists, our employees had in addition to wine seminars, gourmet courses and English courses, also training on how to deal with people from other cultures", explains Dr. Christof Rissbacher, Managing Director SPAR Salzburg and Tyrol.

Jason used to work, on a casual basis to support his studies (a Double Degree in Accounting/Economics and Finance at the University of Western Sydney) in his Grandfather's Rite-way Supermarket located at Terrigal. His Grandfather had been operating the store since 1986 when he purchased it from the Permewans chain, hence it has been in the family for 26 years.

In 2000, the last year of Jason's studies, his Grandfather became ill and asked if he could move to the Central Coast and manage the store as he was unable to do so. Jason and his then girlfriend Kellie (now wife) moved up to the Coast and he began working as a manager in the store. Unfortunately Jason's Grandfather passed away in 2005 and the business was left to Jason and his brother Matthew.

Jason has steadily grown the business over the years. Being the only supermarket in town and one of the more successful businesses in Terrigal given its longevity, Jason felt that it was important to assist his local community. On numerous occasions Jason has been a great supporter of local organisations that have requested his financial assistance. Such organisations include the local Rotary Club, Terrigal Surf Life Saving Club, the Lions Club, Terrigal Primary School, Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, the Ladies Bowling Club and the Terrigal Soccer Club. Jason has also sponsored local individuals in their quest for success and local community events such as the 5 lands walk. It is Jason's mission to continue and to expand this type of assistance to his local community and charitable organisations in the future.

Jason believes that under the SPAR Express banner and with an increase in trade that this will be achievable. Jason has been fortunate enough to be in a position whereby he was able to expand his business into a new premises right next to his former store. The new premises enabled Jason to increase his retail space by 35% and of course enabled him to upgrade some old and ailing capital equipment which was unable to be achieved in the previous building given its age. Now that Jason's supermarket has moved next door and is part of the SPAR group, Jason believes that he will be able to better serve his community by offering a greater range of products at more competitive prices. This means locals will be able to purchase everything they need locally at SPAR Express Terrigal and not need to travel to the majors at Erina Fair.

Located at 72 The Esplanade, Terrigal, SPAR Express Terrigal enjoys extended operating hours from 7am to 9pm, 7 days a week. This is to provide convenience for the store's customer base. SPAR Express Terrigal's extended range now comprises a Gourmet Deli, BBQ Chickens, Fresh Produce and Meat departments as well as a Fresh Food to Go Sandwich Bar that has proven to be quite a hit with the locals. They have also realised the need to provide locals and tourist with certain specialty items that may be required in a beach side suburb. Such items include an extensive bait and tackle section for the avid fisherperson and a range of beachwear and equipment for those visiting the beach for the day such as towels, beach tents, boogie boards, hats and sunglasses as well as souvenir T-shirts.

When asked what Jason believed the move to the SPAR Express banner will enable him to achieve, Jason advised it would "Enable me to better serve my local community. Drawing on the wealth of experience in all aspects of the retail environment that the SPAR group has to offer will no doubt enable me to better run my business and thus improve my levels of service to my customer base. The customer feedback thus far has been more than positive, and all are excited to finally see a top class Supermarket that Terrigal is deserving of".

After two months of trading in the new site (as construction was ongoing in the vicinity) the Grand Opening Event for SPAR Express Terrigal was held on Saturday 2 June. The many locals in attendance were treated to huge specials, gift vouchers, product samples, appearances by the Red M&M, fantastic live local entertainment and a live broadcast by STAR 104.5 including an appearance from the Star 104.5 mascot "Rocky the Rock Star". Product platters and the grand opening cake were shared with the community while children enjoyed entertainment from a clown and face painting.

Whilst SPAR Express Terrigal is the beginning of a new era for Jason & his family, as well as the local community, it is Jason's vision that he will be able to serve the community in this store, under the SPAR banner, for the next 26 years just as his family has done in the past. Hopefully one day Jason can pass the business on to the next generation, and they will continue in the same way that their forefathers have done. SPAR Australia is excited to work with Jason to achieve this dream and partner with such an outstanding family oriented local Retailer through the motto of "family business helping family businesses".

Since becoming Managing Director of SPAR Australia in December 2010, Lou Jardin has vowed to continue to provide competition at the wholesale level, ensuring independent Retailers are able to source deals that allow them to compete in the market and ensure the survival of family businesses in the grocery industry.

Queenborough Service Station, previously operating as a 1,100 sqft forecourt underwent a 16-week knock down and rebuild program which saw the store transform into a 2,600 sqft SPAR complete with a Subway franchise, Costa Coffee Express and a brand new SPAR off licence. The forecourt was also revamped with new pumps, jet wash and vac facilities and cash machine.

The grand opening took place on Saturday 19^th May with a variety of activities promoting the site including local product tastings, S Budget tastings, free SPAR Brand sample packs, a face painter, fire engine, bird of prey exhibition and plenty of one-day special promotions.

First full weeks trading showed extremely positive signs with non-tobacco sales up more than 50% year on year.

A major focus of the Queenborough development has been in the push towards chilled foods and the take home market. No less than 36m of chilled cabinets have been installed on site all with energy efficient doors. The introduction of loose fruit and vegetables along with a substantial meat offer has been key to promoting this tricky yet highly important sector of the convenience operation.

John Ryeland said: "The quality and range from Blakemore Trade Partners has been a real eye opener and we are delighted to be pushing ahead positively in this challenging category."

Queenborough is also supporting local suppliers including ice cream, sausages, cold meats, cheeses, preserves, cider and beer, and among other things authentic curries.

Regarding Costa Express and Subway; from a standing start, both brands have delivered exceptional trading performance and have far outstripped initial expectations.

The BP branded forecourt is VRII compliant and offers all main grades along with LPG. Two fully equipped HGV lanes provide BP diesel, Keyfuels, Red Diesel and bulk Adblue. Substantial parking facilities have been installed but early indications suggest more is needed.

The Aquatec Jetwash Centre is a first in UK with Croatian built Adriateh. This includes a four-bay Jetwash and Vac centre operated by coins or prepaid key fob. This innovative structure and fully integrated plant room is fed by their own 120m deep borehole. Trading performance already exceeds annualised targets.

Conservation was key in the design of Queenbrough Services. Refrigeration is all fitted with doors and the Daikin Convenipak will reclaim 29 KW of free heat from these units in winter to warm the shop. All back of house and external lighting uses LED technology with photocell switching. The 120m deep borehole will in the uncertain drought conditions not only protect valuable drinking water reserves but will also ensure we maintain washing facilities.

John Ryeland took advantage of the Blakemore Retail Partners program and completely planogramed the site, majoring on promotions with no less than 10 promotion bays throughout the store including two chilled, four off licence and a dedicated S Budget bay.

He also used the Guild Academy to completely train all the existing and new staff including licencing, health and safety and Sparkling Service.

"The new SPAR supermarket with bistro is not only an upgrade for the new, beautiful central station but also for the station quarter and the entire city of Salzburg", said Dr. Gerhard Drexel, CEO of SPAR Austria. "Residents, commuters and tourists have the opportunity to stock up on food and everyday goods", continues Dr Drexel. With an extensive Convenience range, SPAR simplifies everyday life of travellers as well as Salzburg residents and fulfils a contemporary and modern service function.

Excellent store design integrated into station architecture
The SPAR store is an eye catcher in Salzburg's main station: The glass facade and the low shelves provide a glimpse into the interior of the store from the station hall. "Through the transparent glass facade as well as the colours used of white, gray, marble and black, which are the same colours as in the station architecture, the store fits perfectly into the station hall", explains Hans K. Reisch, Chairman of the SPAR Austria Board. "As in all of our new SPAR stores, very energy efficient LED lighting was integrated into this site", continues Mr Reisch.

Food to go as travel provision and a quick stop
In addition to its look, the range of the new SPAR store is another important feature as retailing and catering are united under one roof: "The centerpiece is the bistro and Convenience area that fulfils all culinary wishes and is perfectly tailored to the needs of travellers", explains Dr. Christof Rissbacher, Managing Director SPAR Salzburg and Tyrol.

Additional local store for Salzburg
In addition to certain delicacies, the range comprises all everyday products. As in all SPAR stores in Austria, the focus is on regional products. "The new SPAR store with bistro is an ideal local retail destination for all residents of Salzburg, living close to central station", explains Mr Rissbacher.

Open seven days a week
Due to the special location, the SPAR store in the main station of Salzburg has extended opening times, and is open seven days a week. The special regulation of the Federal Province of Salzburg facilitates this.

During the official opening, Mayor Naterop congratulated the owner Peter Roza and underlined the importance of a neighbourhood supermarket for the quality of life in a village and the social function that it holds. The Mayor said that the locals are proud of their neighbourhood supermarket and wished Roza all success for the future.

The 25-year-old Roza thanked everyone for all the help he received during the renovation prior to opening. Not only his own employees and those of SPAR Holding, but also his customers offered to help to get everything ready in time. A team of volunteers from the village ensured that the shop was filled with stock in time for reopening - clear evidence of local involvement in the SPAR convenience store.

The heart of the store is the enlarged fruit & vegetable department. The meat and charcuterie department were upgraded and the range enlarged. At the same time, more space was created through realignment of shelves and a clearly arranged store design. The attractive wine department offers over 300 wines from around the world in all price categories.

The new store manager Markus Egli, together with the experienced sales team, will continue to run the store with great energy and innovative spirit. "New to this area is an extended take away offer with fresh sandwiches and a small self service café, enabling customers to start their shopping with a cup of coffee or finish their shopping with a snack", says Markus Egli.

Important to Markus Egli is the personal contact with customers and offering a range which is adapted to customer needs. He attaches importance to regional, fresh and natural products, continuing the expansion of the local range; bread, cheese, milk, yoghurt, honey, eggs, pasta, cold cuts, beer, fruit and many more products are sourced at local producers in St. Gallen or Appenzell.

The new openings are:

28th January - Kamionka
11th February - Zbydniow
16th February - Luboskia
18th February - Limanowa Krakowska
25th February - Limonowa Zwirky
29th February - Sienieawa
3rd March - Limanowa
8th March - Lobzenica
17th March - Ladna

These new stores have added a total retail sales area of 4,497 m² and have an average size of 499 m² per store.

Poland became a member of SPAR in 1995 and the first SPAR store opened in 1997. SPAR Poland stores consist of both independent retailers and corporate stores.

The new store is on the busy Rosliston Road in the suburb of Stapenhill; an area with a large housing density - more than 20,000 houses within a two-mile radius. The store offers food to go, fresh coffee, fresh meat /poultry, fresh fruit and vegetables, a free to use ATM and is also licensed.

"Blakemore has been a fantastic trade partner from the very beginning. They have assisted me in gaining my alcohol license and provided training for me and my staff; the advice they have provided has been excellent and this will be ongoing," says Mr Douce.

"We have only just started on what will be a very successful venture and I know Blakemore will support me every step of the way, the enthusiasm they have shown is both refreshing and a credit to the business."

The modernised SPAR meets the needs of the community not only by offering a complete range of daily fresh groceries close to home, but also by its community involvement. Every Tuesday, 7 people with disabilities from the WIO (Work in Development) take part in work experience at the SPAR store. With the support of a client supervisor and a SPAR employee, they carry out a wide variety of tasks such as stocking shelves, product display and cleaning. In addition, they learn to deal with customers and gain experience that will hopefully make moving into paid employment possible.

SPAR aims to help improve the liveability of a neighbourhood and this branch in Opperdoes is a typical example.

Consumers appreciate being able to do their grocery shopping near to home and with this new SPAR supermarket available, the residents of Dussen don't have to go far. There are a number of competitor outlets in the villages of Sleeuwijk, Nieuwendijk, Hank en Werkendam but within Dussen, consumers have become loyal to SPAR.

Being able to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, a variety of meat and delicatessen products, dairy and a good selection of bread in addition to a broad range of dry groceries near to home is important to the village.

Airspace is the brand new leisure facility at Craig Tara featuring multipurpose sports arena, three-way climbing wall, interactive sports wall, total experience golf simulator, gigantic jungle themed soft play area. Not to mention the non-stop programme of exciting action sports and activities.

With the brand new flagship SPAR Store leading into Airspace, that features an in-store bakery and café, parents can relax but still keep an eye on the kids! The new SPAR store has been designed with holidaymakers in mind. There's a huge choice for breakfast, lunch and the evening meal, with plenty of snack, fresh food and fruit and vegetable options, ensuring that even the most discerning of holiday needs are sorted!

As a purpose built store, the 5 year old site is located within the Torhead estate on the south side of the town. The 2000 sq.ft. store comes complete with a 10 space car park and dedicated loading bay. Services already provided include Lottery, off licence, news and bill payment.

To the further benefit the local community, four additional staff have been recruited to support the current workforce who will transfer across to the new business, which will provide a welcome boost to the local job market.

Customers old and new enjoyed a taste of SPAR for free on the first Saturday of opening when there were SPAR goodie bags on offer to the first 100 customers through the checkout.

The new SPAR store at the Könizstrasse 155 has been designed according to the modern sales concept of SPAR Switzerland. The bright sales room meets the needs of today's customers and offers a relaxed shopping experience.

An important innovation is the energy saving equipment. "For the first time in Switzerland and as one of the first in Europe we implemented an integral cooling system, securing the total cooling and heating capacity for cooling cabinets, cold-storage rooms, air conditioning and heating", says Alain Franz, member of SPAR management. The cooling system is operated with a commercial refrigeration plant with environmentally friendly CO₂ refrigerant in combination with an intelligently controlled, compact cold water production and integrated heat pump. The waste heat is used for 100% meaning that heating with fossil fuels is unnecessary. This reduces CO₂ emissions substantially and saves about 21,000 kWh per year. Furthermore the latest LED technology has been implemented. Since 2010, integral LED lighting has successfully been tested in several stores and SPAR will be the first retailer in Switzerland to implement LED lighting in all new projects. "With LED lighting we save about 10,000 kWh per year compared to traditional lighting. This corresponds to the average annual energy consumption of two households", explains Alain Franz.

The new SPAR store in Liebefeld is strongly associated with the region. As a sign of their community spirit, SPAR donated 1,000 Swiss Francs to the Children's home Weissenbühl. This support for community is echoed in the food range where SPAR puts the focus on regional, natural and fresh products. Many local products such as bread, cheese, milk, yoghurt, honey, eggs, pasta, flour, oil and vinegar, beer or vegetables are available in the store.

The opening was celebrated from 1^st to 3^rd March with various activities for SPAR customers.

Store owner Jag Purewal said: "This really is a state of the art village store. We've given it a very rural feel to make sure it fits in with its surrounding area, but have used a variety of modern equipment.

"We've also kept the store as eco-friendly and energy efficient as possible with doors on all of our chillers. The store will be selling many chilled and fresh products sourced from local suppliers.

"The project has taken five months to complete and it has been a lot of hard work, but the end result is worth it. The way the store has turned out is great.

"We look forward to becoming a massive part of the local community and will be happy to support many local schools, clubs and projects."

Among other services the store provides a Post Office, free ATM and Lottery.

23.02.12 - A new SPAR store in Brixen im Thale

Bakery Hirzinger at the village square in Brixen im Thale is a popular spot for locals. People come here for a coffee or a snack and now also for shopping. Master Baker Christian Hirzinger became an independent SPAR retailer at the end of January 2012 and opened his SPAR store on January 26th.

A SPAR store in the centre of Brixen was a great desire for many locals. Christian Hirzinger took the opportunity and rented the shop next to his bakery. "We now have a SPAR store in the centre of the village ensuring that we can supply a wider variety of products to the community", says a delighted Christian Hirzinger. "All of our customers from the area as well as the mayor were enthusiastic about the idea. We have a full range on a small scale. Our priority is to provide products which are fresh, locally or regionally sourced and above all of a good quality and with the SPAR range we can meet these principles very well."

The SPAR store with a sales area of 90 m² is an ideal addition to the bakery. Two jobs were created with one position being that of SPAR store manager Manuela Bachler who has many years of experience in food retailing. She knows what matters: individual customer needs are very important. "We offer everything in the area of fruit and vegetables, dairy and frozen products as well as cold cuts and meat at self service counters and we are not more expensive than larger supermarkets", says Christian Hirzinger. "

27.02.12 - New SPAR store in Brückl

On February 29th the new SPAR store in Brückl opened its doors. The store meets all customer requirements in the area of freshness, quality and variety.

SPAR is well known in Brückl as a supermarket has successfully operated in this town for more than 20 years. "It was important to us to build a modern and appealing SPAR store in Brückl," explains Managing Director of SPAR Carinthia and Eastern Tyrol, Manfred Schweighofer, "which is why we decided to give up our former site and look for a new one." The former Contra market in the centre of the town was exactly what SPAR was looking for. In just four months the store was converted to a state-of-the-art SPAR store, securing the continuation of the supermarket in Brückl for many years.

In addition to modern architecture, the newly built store is easy to access, offers free parking for 44 cars and a variety of national and regional products. The 500m² sales area features amongst others, a spacious fruit and vegetable department and an excellent delicatessen promising the greatest enjoyment: from freshly baked bread and pastries to an extensive choice of domestic and international cheeses to sausages and fresh meat of Austrian origin.

The customers are welcomed by store manager Melanie Drage and her competent team. SPAR has provided 21 jobs in total, including two for trainees. As an organisation operating all over Austria, SPAR contributes in many different ways to the strengthening of the regions.

There are now new stores in Sardina del Sur at Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Vegueta and Tafira Baja in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Tejeda, all joining the 150 existing stores on the island - meaning there are SPAR stores in 20 of Gran Canaria's 21 towns.

Looking ahead, five new stores are set to open in 2012. Already this year, SPAR Tejeda opened its doors on 20 January, to an audience of many guests including Francisco Perera, the mayor of Tejeda, and Dámaso Arencibia, mayor of Valleseco.

The new SPAR store meets a much needed requirement in a town on the highest hill of the island, being the only supermarket where local residents can do their shopping. This is the second store for owners Josefa Viera and Manuel García & Sons, who are committed to employing local people. SPAR Tejeda covers 130 m2 in the centre of town, offering a wide range of brands and food products.

The store offers a huge range of services including Lottery, PayPoint, a free cashpoint and a coffee machine.

"We put a huge focus on the fresh foods we stock with a wide range of fresh meat and produce as well as an in-store bakery and hot food to take away," said Nigel. "Everyone has been really positive about the store so far. I put a questionnaire out for people to fill in if they wanted and we've had great feedback from that.

"People say the staff are friendly and helpful and others say they are pleasantly surprised by the range of products available in store, especially the more unusual items."

The store is also keen to play a part in the local community and runs regular charity collections. It raised £97 for the Poppy Appeal last November and has a running total of £77 ready to donate to the Air Ambulance.

"We've raised all of that just from people putting their loose change in collection tins on our counter," said Nigel. "I hope this continues as things are looking really positive at the moment."

This store was converted to the SPAR format in 2007. Although at the time a number of improvements were made, consumer demands and retail trends had changed in the meantime. There was a need to emphasise the fresh, open layout with the wide variety of products instore. This has been achieved by removing all stickers from the store exterior and improving the visibility into the supermarket from the outside. The supermarket now looks spacious and well cared for.

The consumer base includes many residents of the neighbourhood who originate from other countries, therefore the foreign assortment of goods supplied by Four Food was added to the product offer.

The neighbourhood truly appreciate the refreshed SPAR supermarket, where they can go to for their daily fresh produce and a variety of services. Henk Steur knows his consumers very well. Prior to taking over the supermarket as an independent retailer, he worked in the street as a manager. Together with his wife Chantal and the team of employees, as of today's date they are looking forward to once again meeting their consumers in their new-look store.

"We obtained the contract for the most popular locations in train stations in Austria which supports our objective of excellent choice of store locations," says Dr. Gerhard Drexel, CEO of SPAR Austria.

Central Station Salzburg: Opening in May 2012
In May 2012, SPAR will open a modern supermarket in the new train station in Salzburg. Customers will find everything they need for a quick purchase and travelling in this 800 m² store. SPAR will take into account the 'Food to go' and Convenience trend. Interior design is the responsibility of the company Schweitzer, which developed the SPAR store in Mozart's birthplace in the Getreidegasse also in Salzburg. The train station location continues the development of city centre stores in Salzburg. After the stores Kaigasse, Linzergasse, Getreidegasse and Universitätsplatz - a new two level SPAR Convenience store which will open there before the Easter festival in 2012 - the new SPAR store in the Central Station will strengthen the role of SPAR as Salzburg's key retailer.

Vienna: two new, modern INTERSPAR hypermarkets in train stations
In train station Wien-Mitte, where the entire building complex is currently being rebuilt, a brand new INTERSPAR hypermarket will open its doors in autumn 2012. The new hypermarket with a sales area of 2,900m² is an important retailer for Vienna. SPAR is also very proud of the contract for an INTERSPAR store in the new Vienna Central Station which will be opened in 2014. "As Austria's leading operator of hypermarkets, we are very pleased to open stores in two attractive locations in Vienna in the medium term", said INTERSPAR Managing Director Markus Kaser.

SPAR International Managing Director Dr Gordon Campbell said: "We are delighted to see this new, excellent, hypermarket in Chelyabinsk open its doors, showing how our partner in Russia has fully understood the SPAR strategy.

"SPAR shares information, best practice and expertise worldwide and within individual countries so that all of our retail outlets can learn from each other - something SPAR Chelyabinsk has clearly shown. The superb new hypermarket clearly shows our partner's ability to thoroughly understand and adapt to the core values of the SPAR brand," he said.

Since joining SPAR Russia, the Chelyabinsk partner has used SPAR's expertise in retail and private label development and retail design to deliver the best possible shopping experience for consumers.
Realising that consumers are attracted by the presence of a very strong fruit and vegetable department, this area has been given a lot of attention, with the stocking of a broad range of items, all attractively presented and with a focus on good lighting. The hypermarket also incorporates a very extensive food-to-go offer with an incredible 185 Hot 'Food to go' lines cooked on premises, some of which was trialled by the media present at the opening. The range includes local specialities as well as regional dishes, reflecting the emphasis on local expertise within SPAR.

In addition to food, SPAR Chelyabinsk offers a comprehensive range of 820 non-food products including children's clothing, with a total of 23,000 SKU's instore.

SPAR Chelyabinsk also has their own distribution centre which enables them to purchase in bulk and deliver to their retail outlets.

SPAR International was able to assist with the preparation for the hypermarket with advice on the construction, design, communication, layout, merchandising and service. Staff training was carried out in the areas of merchandising and instore communication, as well as on customer service.

Since becoming Managing Director of SPAR Australia in December 2010, Lou Jardin has vowed to continue to provide competition at the wholesale level, ensuring independent Retailers are able to source deals that allow them to compete in the market and ensure the survival of family businesses in the grocery industry.

Locally owned and operated, the stores are part of the worldwide SPAR family. Over 12,139 SPAR stores across 35 countries meet the needs of over 11 million customers daily. At SPAR you can be assured of great service, a great range, low prices every day and specials that will SAVE you money!

5 December 2011 - SPAR Launches New Store at Bermagui
SPAR Australia is proud to announce the launch of SPAR Bermagui on the South Coast of NSW. Owned by Wayne Harrison, SPAR Bermagui is a local community store who converted from IGA to SPAR to better benefit the local community and take advantage of the internationally renowned SPAR brand. SPAR provides greater assistance in working together with Wayne to ensure the success of his family business.

Born and bred in Moruya, Wayne has a strong background in independent supermarkets. His vast experience sees him being a respected Retailer in the industry. Wayne left school when he was just 14 years of age to commence his career working in an independent supermarket in Moruya. From this early start in retailing, Wayne progressed on to managing the liquor department when he was 18 and becoming Assistant Manager at 20. At 23 years of age Wayne's future in independent retailing was solidified when he moved to Tumut to become a Store Manager.

From these solid foundations, Wayne started his own business in Bermagui in 1999 and moved to Canberra to open another store in 2003 in partnership with another family. Since then Wayne has owned two other IGA stores in Waterloo and Rozelle in Sydney before exiting these stores to join SPAR. Even though Wayne now resides in Sydney, the success of his Bermagui store is paramount to Wayne due to his local upbringing and still having family in the area. Wayne's understanding of the needs of the local community is momentous, hence his desire for the freedom to cater to these requirements.

When asked why he converted to SPAR, Wayne advised it was "to be an Independent Grocer again as I have not felt like one for a long time under the previous supplier and banner. Also joining a truly independent warehouse that is family owned and run with a wealth of experience and understanding is what being independent really means".

Changing brands and suppliers is not all that Wayne has planned to continue to evolve to better serve his local community. In 2012, he will be extending the store to meet the needs of his customers and to grow the range. Wayne says "We will continue in the way that we have done for the past 12 years, but will be better placed to offer a better range and better promotions under the SPAR brand and this will only improve again following the extensions. We have supported the community since we opened and will be strengthened to do more by working with SPAR Australia".

Given Wayne's strong background in independent FMGC retailing, and his position as a respected Retailer, SPAR Australia is excited that Wayne has joined the SPAR brand.

With a focus on providing exceptional customer service, SPAR Bermagui provides a comprehensive offer with an extensive range of groceries, fresh produce and fresh meat. It also boasts a great range of local products such as South Coast Cheeses.

SPAR Bermagui is located at 26 Lamont Street, Bermagui. This location provides a convenient shopping solution for customers, particularly with ample parking right at the front door. SPAR Bermagui is open from 8am - 6pm, 7 days.

1 December 2011 - SPAR Launches New Store at Hillcrest

SPAR Australia is proud to announce the launch of SPAR Hillcrest. Owned by Parvendra Maharaj, SPAR Hillcrest is a local community store who swapped to SPAR from another supermarket brand to gain greater assistance in developing the store and tailoring the offer to better meet the supermarket needs of their local community.

Parvendra has been operating supermarkets for the past 15 years with Cut Price, AUR and Foodworks. Given this strong background in independent FMGC retailing, the decision was made to change over to SPAR due to SPAR Australia being a family business that understands the needs of family businesses.

The current store has been operated for the past 8 years. With a focus on providing exceptional customer service, SPAR Hillcrest will provide the Hillcrest community with an extensive range of groceries that is competitively priced with the major chains. The offer includes Fresh Produce, Fresh Meat, a Serviced Deli, Food to Go, BBQ Chickens and a large grocery range. In addition to these departments, SPAR Hillcrest is also a sub-newsagency and sells Scratch-its - which will hopefully see some winning tickets sold!

SPAR Hillcrest have worked hard to improve their fresh produce and deli ranges. They have broadened their grocery range and greatly increased their number of specials. These factors combined with improved lighting, a significant internal and external freshen up, including works in the car park which now has identified car spaces, have all contributed to the appeal of the store.

SPAR Hillcrest is located at 71-83 Coronation Road, Hillcrest. This location provides a convenient shopping solution for customers, particularly with ample parking right at the front door. SPAR Hillcrest is open from 6:30am - 8:30pm, weekdays and 7:00am to 8:30pm on weekends.

Active in their local community, SPAR Hillcrest sponsors a number of local sporting groups and schools. Parvendra believes this local support is vital in promoting healthy lifestyles and activities in the local community. To bring even more added value, SPAR Hillcrest will run over 1,500 weekly specials each week!

Customers have been excited by the changes made to the store and the store changing over to SPAR. Parvendra is "thankful for the ongoing support he has received from the local community as he and his family have taken on the supermarket and converted it to SPAR. We look forward to continuing to return that support to our local community".

The celebrations to launch this new SPAR store at Hillcrest were held at the store on Saturday 19th November with a sausage sizzle, sample bags, balloons for the kids and red hot specials for all customers. The launch day was a great event, with Councillor Lynne Clarke commencing the formalities.

Since December 2010 SPAR Australia has converted 18 Metcash supplied stores to the group and has welcomed another 12 independent retailers to the group. SPAR's business principal of supporting independent retailers through the motto of "family business helping family businesses" is one of the key reasons why Parvendra joined the SPAR brand.

Since becoming Managing Director of SPAR Australia in December 2010, Lou Jardin has vowed to continue to provide competition at the wholesale level, ensuring independent Retailers are able to source deals that allow them to compete in the market and ensure the survival of family businesses in the grocery industry.

Locally owned and operated, SPAR Hillcrest is part of the worldwide SPAR family. Over 12,138 SPAR stores across 35 countries meet the needs of over 11 million customers daily. At SPAR you can be assured of great service, a great range, low prices every day and specials that will SAVE you money!

23 November 2011 - SPAR Launches New Store at Texas

SPAR Australia is proud to announce the launch of SPAR Texas. Owned by Josh and Michelle Schwenke with parents Margret and Peter Conn, SPAR Texas is a local community store who has recently swapped to SPAR from the Friendly Grocer brand after the family purchasing the store one year ago. The family believes SPAR can provide the support, service and expertise they need to grow their business and establish their future in the Texas community.

SPAR Texas is located at 2 High Street, Texas and is open from 8:30am - 5:30pm, weekdays, 8:30am - 12:00pm Saturdays and 9:00am - 12:00pm Sundays.

With backgrounds that lend themselves to community support and involvement, Josh being a local milk contractor and parents in law Margaret and Peter being farmers from Coonamble in regional NSW, the importance placed on providing an offer that suits the local community is second to none. Hence, the response from the SPAR Texas' customers has been one of excitement with the changes in the store and joining the SPAR family.

SPAR Texas has already entrenched themselves in local sponsorships, being the major sponsor of both the Texas Show and the Texas Football Club. In addition to this support, SPAR Texas have commenced work on implementing a Customer Loyalty Club to further reward their loyal customers.

There is plenty of work still being undertaken at the store as they continue to improve to better serve their local community. The range of groceries on offer is set to increase greatly, a Deli is being installed and BBQ Chickens are sure to be a strong seller. SPAR Texas has made a large financial commitment to improve their offer thus far and plan to continue to upgrade in the new year. Featuring a tailored grocery range and quality fresh products SPAR Texas has a trading area of 300m2.

To date, over 3,000 products have reduced in price and over 600 products are on special each week. Providing value to their customers is important to Josh, Michelle, Margret and Peter. The family is very excited about joining SPAR saying the reason they joined was that "SPAR have a plan that can take our store to the next level". With competition in town, SPAR Texas are committed to ensuring they have the best offer to meet the needs of their local community.

The celebrations to launch this new SPAR store at Texas will be held at the store on Saturday 26th November with the BBQ firing up at 9:30am and a Market Day running to provide customers with unbelievable specials! All members of the community are invited to attend this exciting launch event to celebrate the arrival of SPAR to Texas!

Speaking of the launch, SPAR Australia Managing Director Mr Lou Jardin advised "We are pleased to work with Josh, Michelle, Margret and Peter to revitalise their supermarket and launch this great community store in Texas. They are a welcome addition to the SPAR family."

18 November 2011 - SPAR converts another 5 Star store to SPAR in Coraki

SPAR Australia is proud to announce the conversion of 5 Star Coraki to SPAR. Owned by Rodney and Marion Darke, SPAR Coraki is excited to have made the transition to SPAR and have worked tirelessly over recent weeks to improve the offer to better serve their local community.

Rodney and Marion's experience in small business, customer service and the local community provide a strong basis for their move into the supermarket business. Committed to making SPAR Coraki a success, the Darke family has now made Coraki home, moving to live at the rear of the store.

SPAR Coraki features a strong grocery range featuring a number of local products and BBQ Chickens which are popular with the locals. Rodney and Marion have already extended the Grocery range by approximately 500 lines and are currently extending the range of both their Fresh Produce and Service Delicatessen.

Located at 75 Richmond Terrace, Coraki, the store is well situated within the community. SPAR Coraki is currently open from 7am to 6pm weekdays, 8am to 2pm Saturdays and 8am to 12pm Sundays, but is reviewing the needs and desires of the local community in view of extending these hours.

SPAR Coraki now offers hundreds of extra specials per week and are considerably reducing all the prices throughout the store. To communicate these specials and savings, a weekly catalogue is being distributed to provide added convenience for customers. To date, the community response has been very positive with a large number of locals shopping in the store. Feedback regarding the huge number and value of extra specials, the cheaper prices and the extra products now being carried by the store has been overwhelming.

The focus of Rodney and Marion on exceeding the needs of their customers and the community as a whole is evident in the work they have put into improving their new store and their focus on customer service. Local sponsorships have already been established and include the local touch team, hockey club and the local Race Day.

The Grand Opening Celebrations of SPAR Coraki will be held at the store on Saturday 26th November. There will be an outdoor Market Day, face painting, a clown, giveaways, a sausage sizzle and a fantastic competition to win a 42 inch LCD television! To enter the draw to win the TV, customers just need to spend over $10 in a single transaction (excluding tobacco). The draw will take place at the Grand Opening Celebrations at 11am and the winner will be invited to claim their exciting prize!

Since converting to a SPAR Express, sales have already increased by 35%. John Costanzo, SPAR General Manager for Queensland said he "Would like to congratulate Rodney and Marion for the efforts they have put into their new business to tailor their store to meet the needs of their local community. A great improvement is already obvious and we look forward to working with Rodney and Marion to continue their store's development".

Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, is the main RAF Air Terminal where servicemen and women from the armed forces arrive and depart the UK. The first of the SPAR sites on the base to be reopened was the Air Terminal closely followed by a standalone convenience store both of which have been redesigned as SPAR Stores of the Future.

Inside the Airport Terminal Building, RAF employees and their families can find a SPAR store, offering a wide range of products including chilled foods, fresh coffee, pastries and cakes as well as the more traditional airport impulse ranges of confectionery, crisps, drinks, snacks, books, magazines and newspapers. Also, in an unusual and highly innovative move, a new ISS concept development carrying "Real Bean" branding has also been opened in the Departure Lounge. This standalone shop is a fully served outlet for personnel waiting to depart the UK.

Debbie Robinson, Managing Director of SPAR UK Ltd, said the opening of the innovative stores was excellent news for SPAR's business development. "The store redevelopments mark the success of two great brands, SPAR and ISS, working together to provide a convenience format to RAF sites." "We are very much looking forward to continuing to bring all the benefits and the success of the SPAR brand to these stores at Brize Norton and other ISS outlets," Robinson concluded.

Aidan Murphy, ISS Director of the RAF CRL said: "The newly developed stores not only at Brize Norton but at 13 other RAF locations around the UK tie in perfectly with our 'Convenience and Community' theme, by serving RAF personnel as well as serving their families and in many instances the general public as well," said Murphy. "ISS has invested £2.1 million in SPAR Stores of the Future Shop Developments, which has resulted in every one of 17 sites tendered for by ISS having or about to have a brand new shop development."

In March, it was announced that SPAR had expanded its contract with ISS Facility Services to supply a further 17 stores at 14 RAF bases across the UK. The deal, in conjunction with ISS' Defence division, is expected to create an estimated turnover in excess of £10 million per year.

The opening of the first SPAR supermarket in the Middle East is part of the global expansion strategy of SPAR International. By 2015 we plan for SPAR to have significant presence not only in the UAE but also across a number of other GCE countries. This exciting opening in Abu Dhabi increases the global footprint of SPAR with the UAE becoming the 35th country in which SPAR operates." Dr. Gordon Campbell, Managing Director, SPAR International BV., announced in Amsterdam.

This first SPAR supermarket in Abu Dhabi has a sales area of 2,200m² and operates on one floor. It is located in the important Khalidiya business district behind the Prestige building. The SPAR supermarket offers a range of over 20,000 products to meet the needs of quality conscious customers and families. The key focus of the store is on freshness, quality, value and service.

The fresh food departments are exceptional with a wide choice of fruit, vegetables, delicatessen, meat and fish products. A special feature of the store is a comprehensive range of food to go including European, Arabic and Indian cuisine. Value is derived to the customers not only through outstanding everyday low prices and special promotions but also through a comprehensive range of private label products. The store offers more than 500 private label products, combining locally and regionally sourced SPAR products, and international SPAR brands imported from Europe. The intention is to grow this range over time, supporting it with even more local and regionally sourced items.

The opening of this supermarket provided employment to 120 people who will all benefit from the skills in retail development training which SPAR International is able to provide through our local partner. SPAR promises truly international shopping standards at local prices; an unparalleled experience, with international food ranges, imports and ingredients for richly diverse regional cuisines. The store is also supported by an optician, a banking services centre, a Pizzeria and Café.

The second SPAR store in the UAE, a compact hypermarket of 3,700m² sales area, will open in the Khalifa district of Abu Dhabi before the end of the year. Plans are advance to open further stores in 2012 and the target is to have 9 stores, hypermarkets and supermarkets, operational by the end of 2013. All the stores will deliver an international shopping experience, reflecting the SPAR brand retail values. SPAR provides unmatched expertise in the field of food retailing, combined with best practice in design and merchandising.

SPAR International has been able to work with our local partner, SPAR UAE, to bring expertise from around the world to Abu Dhabi. The SPAR supermarket brings best practice in international food retailing to our customers. SPAR will provide a unique shopping experience based on the SPAR brand values of Freshness, Quality, Value and Service. Our partner in Abu Dhabi has local knowledge of the market and trends, understands consumer demands and expectations, and together we will bring international world class retailing experience to all of our locations in the UAE.

The heart of the city of Viseu, near the main public and private institutions, now has a new location where consumers can find the perfect solution for any type of meal, to consume at the moment, to take away or to cook at home.

The restaurant has several offers ranging from freshly made pizzas, fresh pastas and grills as well as traditional fare with the best meats, and menus with an excellent quality/price ratio.

This is the third SPAR store open in Viseu, with the first two opened in 2008, all from the same independent SPAR retailer, Rui Duarte, a pharmacist by training, who has found his true passion in the area of the retail from the dynamics of the business.

This new store represents an investment of 500 thousand euros and has motivated Rui Duarte so much that he is now committed to renovating his two other supermarkets into world class stores, tailored to meet the needs of modern consumers.

"The opening of this flagship store is a breakthrough for SPAR Portugal. This is a new store concept, totally innovative and differentiating, positioning SPAR as a badge at the forefront of independent retail", said Luis da Bernarda, manager of SPAR Portugal.

A wide range of environmental features have been introduced to the store including LED lighting and energy-saving doors fitted to all chillers and hot food cabinets. Electronic timers have also been introduced to refrigerated units to minimise unnecessary energy usage.

The energy saving message will be reinforced across the store via a range of promotional material that will explain the initiatives and the environmental impact that they are having.

It is estimated that the new store will use at least 30 per cent less energy than a standard convenience outlet and will provide a benchmark for all SPAR stores in the future.

SPAR Marlpool Lane opened on October 7 on the site of a former public house. The store employs 15 people and is managed by Neil Norton, who has previously managed the company's Wordsley store.

The store represents a great example of the collaborative approach undertaken by the Tates and Waynes retail groups following their merger earlier this year.

Group Energy Manager Ben Rouncefield-Swales said: "A number of the environmental initiatives witnessed at SPAR Marlpool Lane have already been piloted across the Waynes estate.

"However, this is the first time that all these have been brought together in one store, as part of a comprehensive energy saving strategy.

"While this is our first eco-store, we also regard it as a learning store and will hope to roll out a number of these environmental initiatives to other stores over the coming months."

The EUROSPAR was launched on October 7^th following a major refit of the Ward's existing SPAR store, on Charles Street.

Chris and Nicola have been involved with SPAR since 1990, when they began working with Nicola's parents, who owned three stores at the time.

The couple took over their own SPAR in 2006 and also opened a Post Office before moving to their existing site, which had previously housed a Somerfield and Kwik Save, in 2009.

The conversion into a EUROSPAR has totally transformed the site and changed what was once a large convenience store into a shop with the look, feel, range and prices of a supermarket.

The new EUROSPAR, the sixth one to open on the UK mainland, is the first in West Wales, and is served by regional wholesaler Capper & Co who recently merged with Wolverhampton-based distributor A F Blakemore.

EUROSPAR is a modern supermarket concept with an extensive range, additional services and strong promotions.

As a result of the refit, the Milford Haven store will see an increase of 2,500 lines, with the emphasis on fresh and locally sourced products. The new format also means lower prices and more promotions.

Chris Ward said: "We have had 20 happy years working with Capper & Co and we are confident that this relationship will now continue following the merger with A.F. Blakemore.

"We are already seeing the advantages of the merger, as a result of the support that we have received in developing our EUROSPAR.

"We have now achieved the dream that we had for this store when we first moved in two-years ago - a world class store at the heart of our community.

"We have hundreds of price reductions instore and increased the number of promotions we will be running, helping our customers keep down the cost of their shopping," he said.

Local promotion for the new store will include in-store sampling and leafleting to ensure the community is kept up to date with developments.

Richard Harman, Marketing Director for AF Blakemore commented: "The EUROSPAR format has been hugely successful in North Wales and Chris and Nicola are looking to mirror this success in Pembrokeshire, using their extensive experience.

"The couple are third generation retailers and prior to buying their own store, worked for Nicola's parents at SPAR in Neyland, where Nicola also ran the Post Office.

"Since starting their own business five years ago, they have kept at the forefront of store innovation with features such as no-barrier post office counters and walk-in chilled alcohol cave," he said.

Chris and Nicola were also the first retailers to get behind SPAR's "weekly specials" and they were quick to respond to the recession by expanding their Every Day Value range and promoting the SPAR own brand products.

Harman concluded: "We are delighted to be able to extend this successful store format into West Wales and look forward to Chris and Nicola developing their business to offer a complete one stop shop solution in Milford Haven."

In 1994, the Glindermanns took over the Alpha Trading Post and in 1997 they became one of the founding Members of the 5 STAR Group. With mutual support so important to local businesses in Alpha, the range in the store features a substantial grocery offer and fresh produce. With the range tailored to meet the needs of the Alpha community, SPAR Express Alpha focuses on the main product needs of bread, milk, smallgoods, fresh eggs, frozen foods and award winning fresh fruit and vegetables.

Russ and Margaret enjoy being in the store daily to provide excellent personal service and have made extensive price reductions throughout the store as part of their conversion to SPAR Express.

After being affected in the January Floods, significant work has been undertaken in the store to bring it back to life. After 60cm of water flooded the store, new flooring, a new paint job, new counters, and new internal signage were called for. These significant works combined with a relay of the store have resulted in the new and improved offer visible in SPAR Express Alpha.

Located at 37 Shakesspeare St, SPAR Express Alpha is well situated in the heart of town to ensure convenience for locals. Open from 8am to 6pm, 6 days, the store is known for their outstanding customer service. The Glindermanns take the time to know their customers by name and ensure their needs are met.

The Grand Opening Celebrations of SPAR Express Alpha were held at the store on Saturday 3rd September. The community response to the opening was a great success and the changes to the store were well received by customers. The day's events included a giving away a fantastic BBQ, a sausage sizzle, giveaways and unbelievable specials.

Since converting to a SPAR Express, sales have already increased by 20%. John Costanzo, SPAR General Manager for Queensland said he "Would like to congratulate Russ and Margaret for reinvesting in their business, particularly after being impacted by the floods in January. We're so pleased the store is back on its feet and has stepped up to join the SPAR Express brand. It just goes to show what can be achieved when owners put time and money into their stores to create a better shopping experience for their local community".

The Glindermanns plan to continue their support of local community groups such as the local Alpha Brumbys Rugby League Football Club, the Alpha Rodeo Association - sponsoring the Annual Rodeo and the Alpha Jelly Beans Kindy, who they have supported for 14 years.

Since December 2010 SPAR Australia has converted 17 Metcash supplied stores to the group, has welcomed another 10 independent retailers and now adds SPAR Express Alpha to the SPAR family. SPAR's business principal of supporting independent retailers through the motto of "family business helping family businesses" is one of the key reasons why Russ and Margaret joined the SPAR Express brand.

Since becoming Managing Director of SPAR Australia in December 2010, Lou Jardin has vowed to continue to provide competition at the wholesale level, ensuring independent Retailers are able to source deals that allow them to compete in the market and ensure the survival of family businesses in the grocery industry.

Locally owned and operated, SPAR Express Alpha is part of the worldwide SPAR family. Over 12,136 SPAR stores across 34 countries meet the needs of over 11 million customers daily. At SPAR you can be assured of great service, a great range, low prices every day and specials that will SAVE you money!

This large-format SPAR store is located on the lower ground floor of the MGF Metropolis Mall, Gurgaon. The city is an enormous business centre and the shopping centre is located on a high street, easily fitting into the other malls, shops, multiplexes, restaurants and office blocks. This is the 10th SPAR store in India, with the other 9 located in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mangalore, Pune, Coimbatore and Delhi.
SPAR delivers international shopping standards at Indian prices. The customer experience is first class. The international store design and layouts at SPAR promise the customer an easy and pleasant shopping experience. For ease of shopping, the categories on offer are merchandised in 'worlds' i.e Children, Living, Kitchen, Apparel, Gifting, Electronics, Fresh produce (including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, delicatessen and an in-store bakery), speciality food concepts, Staples, Health and Beauty, FMCG food, and Wine and Beer. The creation of 'worlds' was carried out in close partnership between SPAR International and SPAR India, based on best retailing practice internationally.
The SPAR hypermarket has a wide range of over 30,000 products on offer, catering to the needs of quality and value-conscious customers. The SPAR 'Every Day Low Price' policy and 'Best Deal' promotions guarantee value which customers will enjoy. Unique to this hypermarket is a newly developed private label apparel section, expanding the focus on private label which SPAR India has achieved in the past five years of the partnership with SPAR International.

Gordon Campbell, Managing Director of SPAR International said, "We are also very proud of this achievement as it confirms that our method of working together in joint Flagship store projects with our SPAR Partners delivers world-class results. The opening of this latest hypermarket, totalling 10 stores spread across several provinces of India, reflects the ongoing developments of the brand in India to the highest possible standards."

The store layout and communication style, which is a replica of the successful existing nine hypermarkets previously opened, were developed by SPAR International, with adaptations to each city being carried out jointly with SPAR India.

Choice - one stop shop for all consumer needs
SPAR has the widest possible range of products to offer to the consumer - be it fruits & vegetables, meat, grocery, dairy, delicatessen products, wines and beer, kitchen requirements, IT accessories, magazines - all available under one roof. The quality of the products and range available in each section are over and above industry standard in India.

This hypermarket has some unique aspects not commonly found. Fresh juices, Indian savouries, fruit salads, Indian sweets and buttermilks that energise customers while shopping will be available to be consumed instore. There are special counters selling pickles, batter and loose teas.
The SPAR Bakery is a delight where shoppers can buy freshly baked breads, savouries, cakes, pastries, gateaux, tarts and much more as well as place orders for desserts and cakes for birthday parties. Customers can place their orders for cakes and pick them up once they finish shopping.

The SPAR Fresh produce section is the largest amongst hypermarket players in India. At SPAR the effort is to maximise procurement of fresh produce directly from the source, i.e. the farmers. The bulk of the fruits and vegetables are directly procured and maintained at the desired temperature to preserve quality, freshness and retain nutritive value. Cold rooms at every store for each category of fresh produce ensure that customers' purchases are indeed 'SPAR Fresh'. SPAR maintains strict international standards in sourcing non-vegetarian products.

Service - an experience that will bring you back to SPAR
SPAR assures its customers world-class service. The store has been designed in collaboration with the design team from SPAR International, keeping the experience and convenience of the customers in mind. Wide aisles for easy trolley movement, 39 cash tills for fast billing (SPAR maintains the highest ratio of cash tills to retail space in India), a token system at the fish counter for streamlined orders as well as separate billing system at the non-vegetarian counters, keeping in mind the religious sensitivities of individuals.

Value - lowest retail prices in Gurgaon
As part of SPAR's Every Day Low Pricing programme more than 700 essential grocery items will be sold at the lowest retail prices in Gurgaon throughout the year.

SPAR also provides the best value for money through its various promotions. The 'Best Deal' offers give customers some of the best bargains going up to almost 75% off. These are the best in class vis-a-vis competition.

Modern, diverse, environmentally friendly are the words which come to mind. The new INTERSPAR shopping centre Leoben features trend-setting architecture which fits perfectly with an unrestricted shopping experience and a broad product offer. A major feature of the shopping centre is the INTERSPAR hypermarket with a sales area of 3,200m2. Under the slogan 'The best from home' numerous local specialties such as bread, organic pasta, honey and sheep cheeses have been added to the extensive range. 22 tonnes less CO2 per year INTERSPAR is setting an example not only for the local economy but also for climate protection. Thanks to modern cooling and ventilation technology, the CO2 emissions have been reduced by 22 tonnes per year. Furthermore, INTERSPAR supports environmentally friendly private transport. On the lowest covered parking deck of the shopping centre, customers can use two electric filling stations with compress air supply for free re-charging of E-bikes.

It's not just the 66^th INTERSPAR store in Austria, but also the leading local retailer in and in the surroundings of Eisenstadt. INTERSPAR is represented in each provincial capital with at least one hypermarket with the opening of this latest store.

Strong emerging economy
"Eisenstadt and its surroundings have one of the strongest purchasing power developments throughout Austria. Burgenland's economy is in the fast lane and therefore we are pleased to contribute with our new hypermarket which offers a modern and convenient shopping experience," said Managing Director Mag. Fritz Seher.

More customer traffic for the shopping city Eisenstadt
"The new Haidäcker Park with INTERSPAR as the anchor is increasing the attractiveness of Eisenstadt as a shopping city and brings more customer traffic into the capital", said Andrea Fraunschiel, mayor of Eisenstadt. "In addition, approximately 210 new jobs will be created - a success for the economy in our city!"

73 new jobs
In the hypermarket 90 staff members are employed, including the 32-member EUROSPAR team, which is nearby in the Bründlfeldweg, which will be simultaneously closed with the INTERSPAR opening. Another 15 persons will be responsible for the operations of the INTERSPAR restaurant. Overall, 73 new jobs have been created on this site. Currently, there is just one apprentice, but future traineeships are planned.

Modern Architecture
The INTERSPAR hypermarket is, with a sales area of 3,000m², the largest among the 15 shops of Haidäcker Park. Modern architecture, designed by Archtiktur Consult ZT, a cosy INTERSPAR restaurant and last but not least 350 free parking lots make the INTERSPAR in Eisenstadt particularly attractive. "Even during the construction phase, many people from Eisenstadt and its surrounding came to have a look at the INTERSPAR and loved it. Now they will be even more enthusiastic about the hypermarket after the opening and foremost of its assortment," said Managing Director INTERSPAR Mag. Markus Kaser.

Environmentally friendly, energy efficient technology
The market is equipped with environmentally friendly, energy efficient technology. Modern cooling systems will minimize the CO2 emissions by three tons, corresponding to the CO2 emissions of seven Austrian households. Consumers are able to recharge the batteries for free, when they cycle with their eBikes to shop at the INTERSPAR.

50,000 products under one roof
The new hypermarket is the largest and most up-to-date local retailer by far in Eisenstadt. INTERSPAR provides all kind of products to meet the daily needs of the average consumer under one roof. Compared to EUROSPAR the number of products has doubled. Not only has the food assortment been extended, but also the range of beauty products (2,000), toys (1,500), kitchen (3,000) and office (800) supply.

Vibrant and fresh market
The INTERSPAR hypermarket has a fresh-food market place, where fresh fruits and vegetables can be bought daily. Meat, fish, bread, Antipasti and cheese are offered with expertise. The TANN quality meat has the AMA seal of approval, which points to quality and the country of origin, Austria. More than 100 kinds of fish and seafood, and more than 150 kinds of fresh bread and pastries are offered.

All is available
Even the beverage department offers 140 regional and international beers and 800 non alcoholic drinks. A unique feature is the elegant INTERSPAR wine world with over 1,000 wines from Austria and around the world. Other highlights are the more than 3,000 cheap SPAR brand products, especially the 300 S-Budget products and the approximately 150 exclusive SPAR premium products. Everything is there for the consumer.

Local suppliers with local products
Local products from the neighbourhood are precious for INTERSPAR. "Especially with fresh food we want to make sure that our consumers rely on local products," said Managing Director Mag. Markus Kaser. Habeler's 'fruit from the sun' from Wiesen delights with fresh strawberries, peaches and grapes, Trummer fruit juices from Stegersbach provides fruit juices and Uhudler (kind of Burgenland Wine); fresh turkey is delivered from Pöttelsdorfer turkey-specialist, fresh Eggs from Schlögl Ei from Stoob Süd and also from Sinabel from Thomasberg, where also fresh pasta is produced for INTERSPAR.

In the bakery, fresh bread and pastries are offered from the Altendorfer Bäckereien from Eisenstadt as well as Bariszlovitz from Mühlendorf. The wine estates Kloster am Spitz from Purbach, Sommer from Donnerskirchen, and Prieler from Schützen im Gebirge are listed in the wine department, beer is provided by the Pannonia Brewery from Gols.

All local products are marked with a characteristic logo 'Von dahoam das Beste', meaning the best from home, to make sure customers see the identification of origin of the neighbourhood first.

INTERSPAR restaurant - where everyday life takes a break
The INTERSPAR restaurant at Haidäcker Park is also new. 140 seats inside, 40 of them in an air-conditioned smoking lounge, and further 40 seats on the sunny terrace invite consumers to take a break while shopping at INTERSPAR. Daily changing menus, a rich breakfast buffet and salad bar, and a delicious coffee bar in the lobby invite consumers to spoil themselves. If in a hurry, consumers can take a coffee to go and a snack at the coffee bar. Children can play at the INGO children's corner.

Extra-long shopping on the opening day
On the opening day, the hypermarket and restaurant had open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm - ideal for consumers to take part and to enjoy the numerous offers presented by INTERSPAR.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Viney Singh, Managing Director, Max Hypermarket India Pvt. Ltd, said "We hope to take the shopping experience in Coimbatore to a new level. At SPAR we get international best practices and adapt them to best suit needs of the local shopper. Also because of our sharp pricing, promotions, loyalty programme, the largest fresh produce section and customer-centric service, our customers look forward to shopping with us every week."

SPAR promises truly international shopping standards at Indian prices. The customer experience is unparalled. The international store design and layouts at SPAR promise the customer an easy and hassle-free shopping experience. For ease of shopping, the categories on offer are merchandised in 'worlds' i.e Children, Living, Kitchen, Apparel, Gifting, Electronics, Fresh produce (including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, delicatessen and an in-store bakery), speciality food concepts, Staples, Health and Beauty and FMCG food.

The SPAR hypermarket has the widest range of over 30,000 products on offer in a single store catering to the needs of quality and value-conscious customers. The SPAR 'Every Day Low Price' policy and 'Best Deal' promotions guarantee value which Coimbatore customers are new to.

SPAR opens its first Tyrolean SPAR Express in Wattens, Tyrol on 12^th August. In cooperation with Shell, SPAR wants to expand this new store concept in the mountainous region and will target the petrol station consumers to achieve this. "There is a normal product range, and consumers can shop at convenient opening times", says SPAR spokeswoman Nicole Berkmann.

Thus food shopping will be possible on Sundays and public holidays, which is an exception for the region Tyrol. The assortment available in the SPAR Express will be more limited than in normal SPAR supermarkets, because the retail selling area is only 80m², however the price level will be the same as in normal SPAR supermarkets. In Salzburg, Upper Austria, Carinthia and Voralrberg the concept has been successfully implemented within the last two years, leading to the ongoing roll out to other areas.

Moreover, in Eberndorf, Carinthia, a new trendy SPAR supermarket opened on 9^th August. On a sales area of 600m² SPAR is able to offer a wide variety of food in a pleasant shopping environment, making grocery shopping enjoyable. The new SPAR supermarket has 18 employees and two apprentices, and offers an attractive and safe workplace experience.

The Jackson Family were one of the original founding members of the 5 Star Group, which has now been in operation for over 14 years.

SPAR Express Big K Toowoomba features a strong grocery, takeaway, BBQ Chicken and confectionary range. Located in Drayton Street, it is well situated within the area and in walking distance of 5 schools. Open from 7am to 8pm, 7 days, the store is known for their outstanding customer service. The Jacksons take the time to know their customers by name and ensure their needs are met.

Barry and Wendy Jackson have refurbished their store by repainting, remodelling the front end, adding extra shelving and working on their floor. By relaying the store they have increased the range which has enabled them to provide a better offer for their local community.

The Grand Opening Celebrations of SPAR Express Big K Toowoomba were held at the store on Saturday 23rd July. The community response to the opening was a great success and the changes to the store were well received by customers. The day's events included a BBQ, food tastings, giveaways and unbelievable specials.

Since converting to a SPAR Express, sales have already increased by 20%. John Costanzo, SPAR General Manager for Queensland said he "Would like to congratulate Barry and Wendy for reinvesting in their business, it just goes to show what can be achieved when owners put time and money into their stores".

Since December 2010 SPAR Australia has converted 16 Metcash supplied stores to the group, has welcomed another 7 independent retailers and now adds SPAR Express Big K Toowoomba to the SPAR family. SPAR's business principal of supporting independent retailers through the motto of "family business helping family businesses" is one of the key reasons why Barry and Wendy joined the SPAR brand.

Since becoming Managing Director of SPAR Australia in December 2010, Lou Jardin has vowed to continue to provide competition at the wholesale level, ensuring independent Retailers are able to source deals that allow them to compete in the market and ensure the survival of family businesses in the grocery industry.

Locally owned and operated, SPAR Express Big K Toowoomba is part of the worldwide SPAR family. Over 15,160 SPAR stores across 34 countries meet the needs of over 8 million customers daily. At SPAR you can be assured of great service, a great range, low prices every day and specials that will SAVE you money!

The new store opened in the city centre of Vienna and will focus on 'food in the city' with a strong offer of delicious food items including soups, lunch menus, cold snacks, fruit salads and fresh vegetables. Food can either be consumed in the store or taken away for later.The fresh food counter is located in the centre of the store which is 250m2 in total and uses low shelving throughout, making orientation easy.

There is a dedicated coffee corner with delicious desserts for those wanting to relax. This new format includes some innovations which reflect the rapid adaptation of SPAR Austria to market trends and consumer demand. This has been combined with high level of architecture and decor, as well as a comfortable, friendly, feeling to enhance the shopping experience. The use of big windows, warm colours and indirect lighting add to the atmosphere. This new format is perfect for the time-pressed consumer looking for a quick solution but seeking to enjoy a healthy meal or snack.

Bert van de Biesbos, SPAR in Hengelo
I have come back to my roots! As a young lad, I used to work at SPAR and now, after gathering the necessary experience, I have my own SPAR supermarket. I am pleased to open this SPAR Champions League supermarket which has been completely renovated since I took it over from the previous owners. My customers are delighted with the change, we have received comments such as 'it is a completely different store, so open, so roomy and so light!' We intend to work with our community closely".

Erik Kalverboer, SPAR in Oudeshild
I have worked at SPAR for 25 year. The supermarket which I now have has been developed from the ground up and we have worked really hard. The result is something of which we are very proud. In the first ten days after opening, I had a smile from ear to ear. The reactions of consumers were so incredibly heart-warming. Similar statements such as 'now I never need to leave the village to buy my groceries' really emphasise the spirit of SPAR!

Bart de Buck, Hulst
I recently took over this SPAR supermarket and am new to the SPAR family but most certainly not unknown in Hulst. The community knows me from being manager of two other formats over the past 12 years. This has given me the time to acquire good knowledge of the supermarket sector. I intend to communicate regularly with my customers via social media channels Hyves and Twitter! I am really looking forward to this new phase in my life!

19 July 2011 SPAR Switzerland opens 2^nd SPAR Express store in Winthertur

On July 15th the second SPAR Express forecourt store opened in Winterthur Grüze at the St. Galler Strasse 106. The opening was a huge success. Particularly the freshly prepared sandwich 'made for you instore' was very well received by consumers visiting this new convenience solution. The opening was accompanied by an extensive flyer with all opening offers. Also in this SPAR Express store, customers can benefit from long opening hours - namely 7 days a week.

This store, like the one in Zurich, is a pilot project, opened to launch the SPAR Express format in Switzerland. If the two pilot stores in Winterthur Grüze and Zurich prove successful, then more Avia shops from A.H. Meyer will be converted to the SPAR Express format. Alternative locations are being sought for the SPAR Express format in Switzerland and not only the petrol forecourt locations of Avia.

7 July 2011 Second SPAR store in Basel

The forecourt business is booming. Longer opening hours and 7 day a week operation are increasingly attractive for Convenience shopping. Now SPAR has entered into cooperation with A.H. Meyer & Cie AG. The SPAR Express format is a young and trendy shop concept. The first SPAR Express store in Switzerland opened on the 6th of July at the AVIA petrol station at Mythenquai in Zurich.

SPAR Express will revive the forecourt business. The new SPAR concept is based on the experiences of other SPAR countries and targeted at modern society. The appearance is young, fresh and trendy and the offer meets the requirements of today's customers. SPAR Express is the place to buy fresh and healthy food quickly, conveniently and at good value every day from morning to night. The adapted range offers everything for daily use. The focus is on fresh. "With SPAR Express we are offering our customers high quality fresh products seven days a week", says Operations Manager of SPAR Switzerland, Alain Franz.

Freshly prepared sandwiches, fresh salads, freshly squeezed juices, freshly baked pizzas and a good quality coffee offer with pastries are available in addition to the extensive SPAR food range including favourable SPAR private label brands. "The modern shop concept from SPAR convinced us and we are proud to open the first SPAR Express store in Switzerland", says Christian Magnani, member of the management board of A.H. Meyer & Cie AG. "In order to establish a strong and sustainable position in the Convenience business, it is essential to cooperate with a major distributor", continues Mr Magnani. The shops are operated by Contashop AG, a subsidiary of the Oettinger Davidoff Group in Basel.

The AVIA shop in Zurich with a sales area of 120m2 was completely rebuilt and redesigned. On July 15th the second AVIA shop converted to SPAR Express was opened in Winterthur Grüze. These two stores are considered to be pilot stores. If the pilot stores prove successful more AVIA shops from A.H. Meyer will be converted to the SPAR Express format.

Additional convenience shop locations featuring SPAR Express are being planned. "We will guarantee quick local supplies to the SPAR Express format not only at forecourts but also in high footfall locations and larger districts where our fresh offer, good value and long opening hours are suited", explains Alain Franz. In many places, SPAR Express stores would be allowed to open until 10 p.m. or even 12 p.m. due to their maximum sales area of 120m2. "These small trendy shops will change the shopping behaviour of Swiss consumers. Particularly among the younger generation we see the trend towards daily shopping in Convenience stores", continues Alain Franz.  

Owned by Frank & Teresa Primerano, SPAR North Parramatta is a purpose built SPAR store who will meet the supermarket needs of the local community.

SPAR North Parramatta features a strong grocery range and quality fresh products. With a trading area of just under 500m2, the store exhibits outstanding Fresh produce which is a key focus for Frank whose background is in quality produce. The produce is sourced fresh from the markets daily, ensuring only the best products are on offer for customers. The superior meat products are sourced from a local continental butcher to ensure exceptional value, range and quality across the offering and the bakery products are baked fresh in store each day.

The extensive range available in the Continental Deli ensures all tastes are catered for and customers can find everything they need in the one store. SPAR North Parramatta specializes in Continental Deli meats such as Burgomaster Ham, European Prosciutto and many more, while they also offer coffee and assorted cakes to take away.

SPAR North Parramatta is located opposite Doyle Ground at 51-53 Albert St, North Parramatta. This location provides a convenient shopping solution for customers in the area while ensuring excellent value.

Frank's experience in fresh produce started at a young age when his parents purchased a fruit shop in Campbelltown. Frank grew up working in the store on weekends before working at Minto Fruit Orchard where he met his now wife, Teresa. Four years later, Frank & Teresa have decided to open their own business, SPAR North Parramatta. With their knowledge in retail, they look forward to running their store and being a part of the local community in Parramatta.

Frank's aim in opening SPAR North Parramatta is to "Provide a one stop shopping solution for local residents, with a great fresh Continental Deli, hot chickens for those easy quick meals, coffee and cakes for the early starters, fresh meats, hot bread baked on premises, fresh produce and milk, all with friendly service and convenient trading hours." SPAR North Parramatta is open from 6:30am - 7:30pm Monday to Saturday and 7:00am to 6:00pm on Sundays. Early risers will love the fresh coffee on their way to work in the mornings!

Frank concluded by advising he and Teresa "are really looking forward to supporting the local community and meeting the local residents".

Max Hypermarkets India Pvt. Ltd. (part of the Dubai based Landmark Group) has a licence agreement with SPAR International to open SPAR stores in India. This large-format SPAR store is located at the Ashoka Metropolitan Mall, No 1, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad. This is the 8th SPAR store in India, with the other 7 located in Bangalore, Hyderabad Mangalore, Pune and Delhi.

SPAR promises truly international shopping standards at Indian prices. The customer experience is unparalled. The international store design and layouts at SPAR promise the customer an easy and hassle-free shopping experience. For ease of shopping, the categories on offer are merchandised in "worlds" i.e Children, Living, Kitchen, Apparel, Gifting, Fresh produce (including fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, delicatessen and an in-store bakery), speciality food concepts, Staples, Health and Beauty and FMCG food.

The SPAR supermarket has the widest range of over 30,000 products on offer in a single store catering to the needs of quality and value-conscious customers. The SPAR "Every Day Low Price" policy and "Best Deal" promotions guarantee value which Pune customers are new to.

Speaking on the occasion, Viney Singh, Managing Director, Max Hypermarket India Pvt. Ltd, said "We are delighted to open the second SPAR supermarket at Banjara Hills Hyderabad after the excellent response received by the first supermarket at Begumpet. We hope to take the shopping experience for customers in Hyderabad to new levels. At SPAR we adapt international best practices to best suit the needs of the local shopper. Also because of our sharp pricing, promotions, loyalty programme, the largest fresh produce section and customer-centric service, our customers look forward to shopping with us every week."

SPAR India has the dual advantage of their affiliations with both SPAR International and the Landmark Group. SPAR International provides unmatched expertise in the field of food retailing combined with best practices in designing and merchandising. The path-breaking Landmark Group, whose stores are category killers in non-food retail, provides for superior sourcing and product assortments.

Freshness, Choice, Value and Service are the Brand Pillars of SPAR and form the core of SPAR's retail philosophy.

SPAR opened its third supermarket in the Province of Tarragona in less than a month. On May 26th, FRAGADIS, holder of the SPAR franchise for the Provinces of Tarragona and Castellón, opened a new supermarket in Miquel Barceló Street in Falset.
This new SPAR supermarket offers a wide range of fresh produce: fruit, vegetables, meat, meat products, fish and fresh bread backed on site. The store also offers a large and comfortable car park to its customers.
The sales area of 800m2 offers a wide range of packed foods, frozen products, drug store and personal care articles, and a wide offer of national brands and an assortment of 1,500 SPAR branded products of high quality at very competitive prices.
With this SPAR supermarket, FRAGADIS starts its expansion in the region of Priorat.
This store is the fourth FRAGADIS opens this year, of the seven it plans to open before the beginning of summer.
In brief the opening of another supermarket in Reus will take place, in Mercado del Carrilet that will surely enjoy the same excellent response of the recently opened Mercado Central de Reus.

FRAGADIS has opened their 6^th supermarket in the town of Camarles on June 23^rd. This store is the 1^st this year in south Tarragona in the Delta of the Ebro river.
Fragadis already has various stores in the region of Baix Ebre i Montsia (lower Ebro), where the SPAR brand is well known, enjoying great acceptance.
Camarles is the first in that region, soon to be followed by the opening of the 2^nd supermarket in l'Ampolla, the tourist resort of the Ebro Delta.
The new supermarket has 550 m2 of sales surface and is equipped and counts with every supermarket department but for fresh fish. It is situated between the municipalities of L'Aldea and L'Ampolla, invigorating SPAR's presence in the Provinces of Tarragona and Castellón. There is an outstanding offer of freshly baked bread all day long and a section of frozen pastries.
With this opening, FRAGADIS now totalizes 65 owned SPAR supermarkets