SPAR International enters Belarus
Food retailer SPAR has launched in Belarus as part of plans to open 60 shops in the country by 2020.
The launch has been completed in partnership with Almi Group whose subsidiary Unifood CJSC will operate the SPAR brand in the market.
Currently the second largest retailer in Belarus, Almi Group operates 43 stores in four formats under the brand names Almi and Zakrama. Established in 1932, SPAR has over 12,500 stores in 46 countries and reported sales of €33.1 billion for 2016.
The partnership was launched at an official opening of the first SPAR supermarket in the capital city of Minsk. The 370-square metre shop offers customers a range of fruit and vegetables, fresh meat, dry goods and an in-store bakery.
SPAR International is providing expertise through retail design, staff training, supply chain review, retail location assessment, project management and brand building marketing campaigns.
In addition, it will be supporting Almi’s range of own brands with own brand products from the SPAR range. It will also be working with Almi to introduce a new range of food-to-go products and ready-to-eat products in the supermarkets.
Tobias Wasmuht, managing director of SPAR International, said “Our teams have worked closely together to ensure the transfer of our tried and tested SPAR retail formats and international best practice. We are confident that the Almi Group share SPAR’s commitment to freshness, quality, choice and excellence in customer service which is also shared by our partners in 46 countries around the world. We are confident this partnership will deliver value for our customers, our partners, the Almi Group, and SPAR International.”
SPAR said Almi Group has aggressive expansion plans which include store openings in the cities of Minsk, Grodno, Gomel, Brest and their respective regions.
