SPAR Kaliningrad, one of SPAR Russia’s largest partners, has had a busy last few months with the opening of eight new stores – four EUROSPAR Supermarkets and four SPAR Neighbourhood stores.

Kaliningrad is the most European of all Russian regions, situated just 30km from Poland. As a result, shoppers are keen to purchase a variety of western European  cuisines and a diverse product range – something which SPAR Kaliningrad is successfully able to provide – drawing customers and retaining them.

The new SPAR Neighbourhood stores range in size between 646 and 1,469m². Catering to the needs of a broad customer profile, from students to tourists, the stores have been very well received. All four new SPAR stores have a fresh bakery section as well as deli counters and some also serve freshly made pizza and sushi instore. To date, the average daily turnover is between €7,500 and €15,000 Euros.

Our SPAR Partners in Russia currently operate a combination of SPAR Express, SPAR, EUROSPAR and INTERSPAR Supermarkets, with each region opening formats most suited to their markets. In Kaliningrad, SPAR has been investing in the development of the EUROSPAR format, alongside its modern SPAR Neighbourhood stores, offering shoppers a wider range of fresh foods, restaurant quality Food-to-Go items and a host of dry groceries and non-food products.

The new EUROSPAR Supermarkets mostly target locals who come to do bulk shopping. They range in size from 1,400 to 2,300m². The destination departments include a fresh bakery, sushi & pizza counters, a fresh fish section and Food-to-Go items such as breakfast smoothies and sandwiches. The openings were announced through press releases, bill boards, marketing leaflets and advertising in local newspapers & social media platforms. Across the four stores, the average basket size in Euros varies from €6,99 to €8,46 and the average daily turnover is between €13,460 and €21,355.

SPAR Kaliningrad’s focus on modernising and expanding its retail network and broadening the overall instore offer is leading to an increase in customer loyalty and driving continued growth of the business in the region.

About SPAR Russia:

The first SPAR store in Russia was opened in August 2001, following the granting of the licence to operate the brand by SPAR International to a regional partner. A central office is based in Moscow which seeks partners for regional growth and expansion of the brand across the country.

There are now more than 400 SPAR stores across the country. The success enjoyed by SPAR in Russia is driven by the recruitment of new partners, investing in new stores and the continued investment in refurbishing existing stores. Expansion has resulted in greater buying power and improved knowledge sharing as the number of SPAR locations increases.