Alasia Moumtzis’ and her family celebrated a fruitful 35-year journey with SPAR South Africa. The family has overcome hurdles to expand their retail footprint, and Alasia has significantly contributed to the SPAR brand.

In the unpredictable world of retail, the Moumtzis family faced an extraordinary challenge just eight days into their entrepreneurial journey. The roof of their newly opened SPAR store in Lorraine, Port Elizabeth, collapsed, only prevented from hitting the floor by the store’s shelving. The Moumtzis family, with support from SPAR South Africa, re-opened the store six months later. This second chance was the cornerstone of a fruitful 35-year journey with the SPAR brand.

A family legacy of growth and innovation

After overcoming these initial challenges, the Moumtzis family expanded their retail footprint in Port Elizabeth. This included the opening of a KWIKSPAR store in the city centre and a SPAR supermarket in Lorraine. The family consolidated their efforts into the Newton Park SUPERSPAR supermarket, which opened in 1999. This supermarket became a pioneer, transforming grocery shopping into a destination experience, a vision overseen by Alasia and her family.

Following Stratos’ passing in 2017, Alasia’s daughter, Narissa, has stepped up to work alongside her mother. She utilised training from the SPAR Academy of Learning and, coupled with her mother’s guidance, Narissa took over day-to-day operations, ensuring the store’s continued success. In 2021, Alasia’s dedication was recognised with the prestigious National SPAR Retail Award, acknowledging her commitment to SPAR South Africa’s focus on customer service, community engagement, and store performance.

Empowering women in retail

Alasia has made significant contributions to the SPAR brand, serving on the marketing board for SPAR Eastern Cape as well as the regional and national SPAR Guilds. Notably, she was the first woman to serve on the national SPAR Guild, advocating for the unique strengths women bring to retail, such as customer connection and attention to detail. Her impact is evident in her community involvement, supporting non-profits, animal welfare, and monthly events for senior customers.

SPAR South Africa’s commitment to entrepreneurial growth

The SPAR South Africa Academy of Learning plays a key role in developing future female leaders and store managers, aiming to bridge the gender gap in retail. The SPAR Academy training encourages retailers to embrace challenges, see unexpected events as opportunities for growth, build strong relationships with local organisations as well as their customers, all while building their management skills.

Unforeseen changes and new opportunities have shaped Alasia Moumtzis’ rewarding career with SPAR South Africa. Her journey is a testament to the power of resilience and seizing unexpected opportunities.

Source: Cape Business News

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About SPAR South Africa

SPAR South Africa was established in 1963 when a license was granted by SPAR International to a local business. Today, the license holder is listed on the Johannesburg stock exchange and operates different retail organisations as well as a robust distribution network. SPAR South Africa grants sub-licences to independent retailers to operate SPAR branded stores across the country.