SPAR Spain wholesaler, Grupo Upper, has inaugurated a new logistics centre at the Los Camachos Industrial Estate in Cartagena, marking a major step in modernising its distribution network.

Modernising operations

The new facility, which launched following the first phase of development, represents a total investment of €28 million and is scheduled to be fully operational in February 2027. This 25,000m2 warehouse will bring together warehouse storage, order preparation, and distribution under one roof, as well as housing Grupo Upper’s cooperative’s central offices, bringing management and logistics teams together to improve coordination, simplify processes, and support future growth. 

The development builds upon the current 5,000m2 refrigeration facility which was built on the site in 2023. The warehouse capacity will increase from 81,000 to 215,000 cubic metres and is designed to handle up to 28,000 daily departure lines through 30 loading docks. This provides greater capacity and allows the company to be more agile and efficient and to offer higher quality service to the Grupo Upper store network across Southeastern Spain.  

Today, the wholesaler supplies more than 240 SPAR-branded supermarkets across Murcia, Granada, Almería and parts of Alicante and Málaga. Through this investment, retailers can expect a direct improvement in product supply to their stores. Greater storage capacity and optimised logistics flows will reduce delivery times and ensure greater product availability on the shelves. 

A key milestone in Grupo Upper’s journey

This development is a significant step forward for Grupo Upper, which was founded in Cartagena in 1982 when a group of independent shopkeepers joined forces to compete with expanding supermarket chains while retaining their independence. By concentrating Grupo Upper’s activities and operations in a single location, the company aims to better organise its resources, simplify processes, and build a structure better prepared to respond to current needs and future growth as its store portfolio continues to expand across the region. Grupo Upper estimates that the project will create 1,000 direct and indirect jobs in Cartagena.

Source: Grupo Upper

Read more about SPAR in Spain

About SPAR Spain

SPAR Spain was founded in 1959 when a group of wholesalers who wished to join an international organisation came together and sought a suitable solution. The brand became the first voluntary trading chain to be established in Spain when SPAR Spain was granted a licence to trade under the brand by SPAR International. Together, 13 regional SPAR wholesalers actively continue to build the brand’s presence across the mainland and the islands.