Since its launch in October 2016, SPAR Albania now operates more than 30 stores in nine cities across the country – a very rapid pace of expansion in the space of just one year.

This rate of growth is set to continue with plans in place to open two more stores, which would bring the total retail sales space in the country to over 13,500m² by the end of 2017.

Originally launched in the city of Tiranë, the expansion has seen the brand become available to shoppers in a number of other cities including: Durrës, Elbasan, Shkodër, Gjirokastër, Pogradec, Sarandë and Vlorë. SPAR Albania now serves an estimated 30,000 customers per day and employs approximately 500 people across its Hypermarkets and SPAR Supermarkets.

The broad range which SPAR Albania has available in its distribution centre of 40,000 items includes 3,000 own brand items trading under the SPAR and DESPAR labels, including a range of Western European products, sourced from partner countries such as Italy as well as from the SPAR International trading division in The Netherlands.

When it launched, SPAR Albania, through the Balfin Group, announced that it was planning to invest over €50 million in expanding its retail network and has the ambition to become the largest grocery retailer in the country.

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About SPAR Albania

The licence for SPAR in Albania was granted in mid-2016 to Almark, a private company owned by the Balfin Group, one of the largest private investment groups in the country. After launching in October 2016, conversions have continued of company-owned stores whilst also sub-licensing independent retailers, expanding the brand’s reach. SPAR Albania operate two formats: INTERSPAR Hypermarkets and SPAR Supermarkets.