DESPAR Italia has signed a licence agreement with a new partner – retail company, 3A Group. The partnership, which will officially commence on 1 January 2020, will see 3A Group operate the brand in the North-West of Italy.

With the addition of the new SPAR Partner, DESPAR Italia will be better placed to expand the brand’s presence in the country and further grow its annual turnover, which amounted to €3.66 billion in 2018 from a retail portfolio of 1,393 stores.

Founded in 1974, 3A Group, which stands for Independent Food Retailers in Asti, generates an annual turnover of €145 million and employs around 750 people. The Group operates a network of 149 supermarkets, 129 of which are run by independent retailers. 3A Group’s licence to operate the SPAR Brand covers the regions of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta, where until now the brand has not had a presence.

In the first few months of 2020, 3A Group will focus on converting its current store estate to the SPAR Brand, adding approximately 1,600 DESPAR Own Brand products to its assortment, which will help strengthen the retail offering.

“We are honoured that 3A Group has chosen to partner with DESPAR, marking a new chapter in their retail journey,” said Paul Klotz, President of DESPAR Italia.

“We believe that our engagement with local communities and work on environmental issue have been important factors linking 3A Group with our company – illustrating our shared values and vision.”

3A Group’s decision to partner with DESPAR Italia will contribute to the brand’s growth in the market and see 3A Group claim exclusive rights to three regions in North-West Italy. The partnership will allow their independent retailers to expand and grow and will also attract more retailers to join the SPAR network.

Source: DESPAR Italia

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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.