Support for the Multiple Sclerosis Association
Aspiag Service is donating the proceeds of sales of traditional baskets filled with Christmas delicacies to the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association, AISM. The SPAR Partner supports a different organisation each year in a fundraising campaign called “Support Research, Give Hope”.
The festive Christmas baskets contain 10 popular seasonal products and have been on sale for €19,90 at DESPAR, EUROSPAR and INTERSPAR stores in Northeast Italy and the Emilia-Romagna region since mid-November.
AISM supports Multiple Sclerosis patients and healthcare professionals from a nationwide network that includes 98 local centres, a coordination point in each region, more than 60 operating groups and 13,000 volunteers. Besides supporting the rights, welfare and health of patients, AISM steers research on the disease, working closely with FISM, the Italian Multiple Sclerosis Foundation.
Christmas cake sales help four regional charities
In a similar initiative, Aspiag Service is supporting four local charities with the sale of traditional Christmas cakes. The Panettone and Pandoro cakes are being sold in colourful, beautifully designed tins that can be kept and used for storing cakes and other baked goods.
The cake tins have been on sale since mid-November at EUROSPAR and INTERSPAR stores at a price of €10, the full amount of which is being donated to four carefully selected charities. The chosen charities, one for each region in which the SPAR Partner operates, are all active either in medical research or in supporting patients or disabled people.
Seasonal photo contest
SPAR Italy Partner, Maiora, is lighting up the Christmas trees of its customers and inviting them to participate in a seasonal photo competition. Winners of the contest will be rewarded with free shopping vouchers for a special Christmas shopping experience.
The SPAR Partner has offered local communities in the city centres of Trani, Cosenza and Lamezia Terme, beautifully lit Christmas installations that carry the DESPAR Brand. These can be used as backdrops for their pictures, which will be posted to Maiora’s “Mydespar” Facebook page in the lead up to Christmas.
DESPAR Christmas recipe book
On 15 and 16 December, SPAR customers received a copy of a special DESPAR Christmas recipe book, after spending at least €20 at a number of participating stores operated by Maiora.
The new DESPAR recipe book, Christmas Serenity, is the fourth in a series and is made up of a selection of unique Christmas dishes, including recipes from the Italian Michelin-starred chef, Alberto Annarumma. The eye-catching images were taken by the most acclaimed food photographer in Italy, Roberto Sammartini.
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About SPAR Italy
SPAR International first granted a licence for the operation of the SPAR Brand to SPAR Italy in 1959. The first store opened in the latter part of 1960 and with it, SPAR became the first partnership of retailers and wholesalers to operate in Italy. SPAR Italy, known locally as DESPAR Italia, licenses regional partners, all of whom work together to grow the brand across the country.
The DESPAR Partners operate stores under three formats: DESPAR Neighbourhood Supermarkets, EUROSPAR Supermarkets and INTERSPAR Hypermarkets. Many of the larger format stores are company-owned, reflecting the scale of investment required. While the majority of the company’s turnover is acquired through these larger format stores, the independently owned neighbourhood supermarkets remain a key part of the business.