SPAR Austria believes in supporting local producers when it comes to sourcing food products and is one of the major partners in agriculture. SPAR Austria applies high quality standards and advises local and regional producers – for example by organising a Suppliers’ Day for regional and local fruit and vegetable farmers.

Bernhard Gogg is one of 245 Styrian producers supplying more than 5,300 regional products to SPAR in Styria. Gogg has been a supplier to SPAR Styria for more than seven years growing salads, organic pumpkins and fennel. Gogg is pleased about the partnership: “SPAR has a very close partnership with its suppliers, supports local products and focuses on domestic producers. I am very delighted about this”.

Many SPAR suppliers start small

Many of the farmers producing Austrian fruit and vegetables cannot produce sufficient volume to meet the entire country’s requirements. Therefore many suppliers start small by selling locally to SPAR. This ensures guaranteed offtake and growth possibilities as well as the incentive to expand the supply area at a later time, if possible and realistic. Currently, SPAR sources 38,900 regional specialties and seasonal products from 2,500 regional and local producers throughout Austria.

Success Story of Erich Stekovics

An example of a small farmer who grew to an Austria wide supplier is farmer Erich Stekovics. A real success story: a few years ago garlic from Austria was almost extinct; the garlic bulb was a classic import product. In cooperation with Erich Stekovics, SPAR Austria has been able to sell organic garlic from Burgenland throughout Austria under the brand “SPAR as before” Edition Stekovics.