In its third full year of trading, SPAR Georgia enjoyed much success in 2017, penetrating three new local markets and opening a number of new stores to end the year with a total of 42 SPAR Supermarkets.

Latest store opening

The new year got off to an equally good start and the SPAR Partner recently opened its 44th store in the centre of Tbilisi following a new design concept that places a greater emphasis on SPAR Own Brand products and locally sourced produce.

The bakery section is a highlight of the new SPAR Supermarket with traditional Georgian baked products on offer such as Khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread, and Lobiani, a bean-filled bread. The instore bakery is open allowing customers to look in and watch the breads, pizzas and other foods being made. The focus on locally produced traditional products is having a positive effect, drawing in traffic and increasing sales.

An instore SPAR Café is another draw card, offering free wifi and phone charging stations. As with other stores located in central districts, the new SPAR in Tbilisi has a self-service coffee and tea machine and a Grab-and Go sandwich counter – serving customers in a rush who don’t have time to wait in line at cashier check-outs.

CSR activities

Towards the end of last year, SPAR Georgia ran a sticker campaign in support of autistic children. Proceeds of the campaign went towards supporting the refurbishment of an Autism Centre. The campaign was advertised on Facebook and SPAR Georgia fans were invited to spread the word and ask their friends to follow and contribute.

About SPAR Georgia

The SPAR Partner in Georgia is Foodmart, an existing food retailer with a strong and successful business. The licence to operate the brand was granted to SPAR Georgia by SPAR International in early 2014. SPAR was launched in Georgia later that year, with the opening of three supermarkets in one day in the capital city, Tbilisi.

SPAR Georgia has focused on offering a good selection of fresh produce and traditional Georgian bakery products, complemented by a localised Food-to-Go proposal. The stores also include SPAR Own Brand ranges, baby food ranges, increased grocery lines and non-food departments.