SPAR Italy partner, DESPAR Northeast, recently opened two new EUROSPAR Supermarkets in the space of just one week. The first was opened on 6 September in the city of Modena and the second on 13 September in Caerano di San Marco in the province of Treviso. These latest additions to DESPAR Northeast’s store portfolio share some key features.

Low environmental footprint

The new EUROSPAR Supermarkets are designed in an environmentally friendly way, using sustainable technologies that ensure a low environmental impact. They are both classified as energy class A3, have solar panels on their roofs and use only certified ‘green’ energy. Reversible (cold/hot) heat pumps use the heat produced by the refrigerated cabinets to produce hot tap water and power the air-conditioning systems resulting in no gas being needed in the stores. Furthermore, the food cooling systems, based on CO₂ technology, are highly efficient, while the lighting systems use 100% LED technology, both inside and out.

The back-end technical systems are remotely monitored in real time, so that energy usage and any disruptions can be immediately addressed, avoiding any interruptions in the cold chain.

Food waste reduction

In an effort to counter food waste, the new supermarkets are partnering with a local charity that will receive any unsold food still suitable for consumption. In doing so, the stores join the SPAR Partner’s waste prevention scheme, which saw almost €6 million worth of unsold food being donated to about 200 charities in 2017. These donations allowed more than 2 million meals to be prepared for people in need.

Boosting local employment

By creating jobs, SPAR actively contributes to sustaining the economies of the communities in which it operates. For the supermarket in Modena, 33 of the 45 staff members are new hires, while at the EUROSPAR in Caerano, 35 new hires are included in the ful staff complement of 47.

Among its 232 company-owned stores, three head offices and distribution centres, DESPAR Northeast employs a total of almost 8,000 people.

Source: DESPAR Northeast

Read more about SPAR Italy

About DESPAR 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.