Community involvement is a key aspect of SPAR’s vision and in India, SPAR has been taking steps to positively impact the lives of employees, customers and other members of the communities it serves. Recently, this led to an opportunity to support a local farming community school in Soppahalli village, near Bangalore. 

SPAR India sources most of its fresh fruits & vegetables from the farmers of Soppahalli village, so when the team learnt that the village’s only school was in need of support, they decided to step in.

The school was closed for about six years and was reopened in 2017. At present, there are 16 students and only one teacher and like many schools in rural India, it lacks basic infrastructure.

A team of 20 SPAR India colleagues visited Soppahalli in October – interacting with the villagers and spending time with the school children. The team distributed notebooks and stationery among the students and also donated desks and benches to promote a better educational environment.

During the visit, the mood in the village was upbeat and the students were excited with the new additions to their school: “I like my new notebook and pencils,” said one student, while another added that not having to sit on the ground was a relief.

This was the first of many activities that SPAR India has planned for Soppahalli’s primary school and the village as a whole. The response has been overwhelming and has encouraged SPAR India to carry on adding value to the communities in which it operates with greater enthusiasm.

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SPAR India

In August 2014, SPAR International and Max Hypermarkets entered into a partnership agreement to develop the brand across the country. Max Hypermarkets is operated by the Landmark Group, a retail group headquartered in Dubai. SPAR India has focused development on the SPAR Hypermarket format, rolling out into new cities and with tailored solutions to meet shopper needs.