At the 21st edition of the annual SPAR International Partnership Forum, held towards the end of last year, SPAR Partners and Preferred Suppliers once again gathered to explore ways of collaborating better together. The event has grown significantly in scale and importance and at the 2018 Forum, delegates had the opportunity to experience the largest Expo to date.

The event kicked off with a large Expo, showcasing the latest products, innovations and services of 67 carefully selected suppliers. The products were displayed and presented by the suppliers themselves, providing the opportunity for interaction and networking. A comprehensive range of SPAR Own Brand products were also on display, including items from the new SPAR Natural range, which attendees were invited to sample.

An important part of this annual event is the Supplier of the Year Awards, which sees two of SPAR International’s Preferred Suppliers being acknowledged for their outstanding service over the last year.

In the non-resalable category, the 2018 Supplier of the Year was awarded to Kärcher, a longstanding partner with a dedicated and comprehensive approach to working with our partners worldwide.

In the own brand product category, this year’s award went to Koopman International, a Preferred Supplier since 2014 that works closely with 16 SPAR Partners to grow the global SPAR business.

The Forum allows suppliers to expand their cooperation with SPAR – helping them gauge which direction to take in their product development. For SPAR Partners, who strive to provide shoppers with choice and a global assortment, the annual day-long event is of equally great value.