A new EUROSPAR store was recently officially opened in Bologna. The ribbon cutting ceremony was officiated by the Mayor of Bologna, Virginio Merola, together with the Senior Management of Aspiag, the SPAR licence holder for the North-East and Emilia Romagna regions.

The store, with a sales area of 1,417 m2, has created 53 new jobs. “Our company is growing and keeps creating employment,” declared DeSPAR North-East Retail Manager, Francesco Montalvo.

Expanding the presence of the SPAR Brand in Bologna, where DeSPAR now operates three stores, is an important step which DeSPAR is not shy to take. “We are confident that we can offer the residents of this area, and beyond, a very valuable alternative in terms of product range, prices and service quality,” said Montalvo.

The new supermarket differentiates itself from competitors at first sight. Its open views into the store through the large glass walls creates a visual communication between the inside and the outside and allows for both artificial and natural light, which is key to energy savings.

In designing the EUROSPAR store, solutions were chosen that ensure energy savings and a lower environmental footprint. The building is A-class certified in terms of energy consumption. There are solar panels on the roof of the building, which are painted with a green layer in order to prevent excessive heat accumulation. Heat generated by refrigeration units is re-used for generating warm water for hygiene purposes. Lighting throughout the store is based on LED technologies and doors on chilled cabinets provide additional energy savings.

The product assortment instore is comprised mostly of food items, with a special focus on fresh and locally sourced products. In total, the store stocks 20,000 SKUs.

“SPAR aims to be a quality presence in Bologna,” said Montalvo. “We want to give something valuable back to the communities where we operate.”

As an example of giving back, DeSPAR North-East has been working together with Last Minute Market and the Food Bank that redistribute unsold goods to numerous charities and associations in its regions.In this way, the company recovered 2.4 million euros worth of food in 2015.The newly opened EUROSPAR in Bologna will be added to this network of charities to prevent food wastage.