Local product sourcing remains high on SPAR’s agenda. SPAR Austria has now added low-carb pasta “DIE Nudl” to its “Young & Urban by SPAR” umbrella brand, a range that consists of more than 400 cutting-edge products from 35 Austrian start-ups. As SPAR Austria cares about dedicated local producers and animal welfare, over 130 Austrian chicken farms are to be rewarded a total bonus of €117,000 for their ongoing commitment to safety and animal welfare standards.

Promotion of innovative start-ups
The promotion of innovative and unique ideas as part of the “Young & Urban by SPAR” umbrella brand has become an integral part of the SPAR Austria’s corporate philosophy.

A growing number of cutting-edge products from young entrepreneurs in the food, household, and leisure sectors have enriched the range at SPAR since “Young & Urban by SPAR” was launched in April 2018. The ambitious young entrepreneurs benefit from SPAR’s longstanding experience in product and design development, quality management, as well as production and marketing.

The latest addition to the “Young & Urban by SPAR” family is “DIE Nudl”, low-carb pasta with a high protein content from the young entrepreneurs Christian Weber and Mathias Lüftenegger. The pasta contains 45% less carbohydrates than conventional pasta and is available at INTERSPAR Hypermarkets throughout the country as well as in the online shop.

Passionate about food, it was important to the two founders to develop a product that contains fewer carbs and still has a great taste.

“I wanted to lose a few pounds. Despite a low-carbohydrate diet, I did not want to do without pasta dishes. That is why I developed ‘DIE Nudl’ together with my business partner and friend Christian Weber”, said co-founder Mathias Lüftenegger.

“Working with SPAR Austria not only opens up many additional sales opportunities. We can also benefit from the expertise of a successful company”, he added.

Working with Austrian egg farmers
This year, SPAR Austria is rewarding about 130 Austrian egg farmers for their ongoing commitment to animal welfare with a combined €117,000 bonus payment.

With a natural product such as eggs, strict controls are required to maintain the highest quality possible. SPAR Austria relies on their established five-point egg programme. The programme summarises strict guidelines for the entire production chain – from farmer to packing station to store shelves.

On behalf of SPAR Austria, independent supervisory bodies regularly check all farmers and suppliers delivering eggs for SPAR Own Brands. The central criteria are the use of GMO-free feed, the freshness of the eggs, hygiene standards throughout the entire production chain, product quality, and animal welfare standards.

Over 130 Austrian egg farms, cooperating with SPAR, are regularly checked and are rewarded every two years for their strong commitment to quality standards. Based on these reviews, SPAR will pay the laying hen farms about €117,000 for 2018 and 2019. The payment of the bonus can amount to up to €1,600 per producer.

“We are proud to be able to offer exclusively Austrian fresh eggs in our stores. The high standards of the SPAR five-point egg programme guarantee best quality for our customers and high animal welfare standards”, said SPAR Austria’s CEO, Dr Gerhard Drexel.

“With the egg bonus, we want to show farmers our appreciation for their agricultural products, their valuable work, and personal commitment”, he added.

Source: SPAR Austria

Read more news from SPAR Austria.

About SPAR Austria

The origins of SPAR in Austria date back to 1954, but the current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined with other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company.

With licences granted by SPAR International, ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) has also developed SPAR in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Northern Italy.