Following the success of the first three seasons, SPAR Slovenia has launched the 4th edition of its Start it up, Slovenia! campaign, which gives local entrepreneurs the chance of winning an exclusive long-term contract with SPAR to sell their products instore.

Eight young entrepreneurs are participating in this year’s competition and their products are now available in all INTERSPAR Hypermarkets nationwide. Customers can support their favourite start-up by purchasing their products. At the end of the campaign, the entry with the most sales will be crowned this year’s winner.

Since the launch of Start it up, Slovenia! in 2016, more than 80 new products have been developed. Run in partnership with a renowned advertising agency and POPTV broadcasting company, the 4^th season of the campaign officially kicked off in September with the unveiling of the product displays at INTERSPAR Citypark in Ljubljana.

The launch event brought together all of this year’s entrepreneurs, project partners, online influencers and supporters, as well as start-ups from the previous three seasons. The 2019 participants were delighted to see their products displayed on digitally equipped shelves, which are being used to interactively present the stories behind the products.

This year’s product range is diverse and innovative, varying from Vermipur organic fertilizer for the cultivation of plants at home, to Altburger – a 100% vegetable burger. The other six products are: Zivabowl – a mix of different seeds and nuts, BeLife – a 100% natural carbonated beverage made of fermented tea, My Sufle – a pre-made and frozen 72% dark chocolate dessert, GOGIX – an educational jigsaw puzzle, Alla Luigi – meat and vegetable sauces, and Magea – a magnesium cream with essential oils.

As part of the partnership with POP TV – Slovenia’s most popular TV channel, the products will be aired on a special programme every Sunday evening until December, with the touching stories of the entrepreneurs themselves being revealed.

In addition to national exposure, the campaign also creates opportunities for international uptake of the products. For example, the winners of last year’s campaign, the creators of La Popsi frozen dessert popsicle, have signed a three-year contract with SPAR Austria. From January 2020, their well-liked popsicles will be available in more than 1,000 SPAR stores across Austria, making them the first Slovenians to join the Young & Urban programme, which, like Start it up Slovenia!, supports young entrepreneurs and the creation of innovative products.

Source: SPAR Slovenia

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About SPAR Slovenia

SPAR Slovenia, operated by ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG), was founded in 1991. ASPIAG is a subsidiary of SPAR Austria AG and was granted the licence to operate the brand in Slovenia by SPAR International. SPAR has become a key employer in the country, with a Distribution Centre, bakery and corporate-owned stores providing employment opportunities.

Three store formats are operated in Slovenia: SPAR, SPAR Supermarkets and INTERSPAR Hypermarkets. The brand is one of the most trusted companies in the country with Nielsen research placing SPAR first in terms of freshness, quality and range. The SPAR Bakery, which has been continually developed, has played a key role in the overall fresh offer and has received great customer feedback.