About us
SPAR is a wholesale, warehousing and distribution business serving independently owned retailers under the SPAR brand. We hold the licence for SPAR across Southern Africa, including South Africa, and in Ireland, with a joint venture in Sri Lanka.
Our voluntary trading model allows retailers to remain independent while benefiting from the Group’s scale, expertise and brand strength. By sourcing locally and growing together, we help build stronger regional economies and lasting community relationships.
Our purpose is to unleash the power of independent retail.
Our vision is to be the first-choice brand in the communities we serve.
Our value chain
SPAR uses a voluntary trading model based on mutually beneficial co-operation between us, the wholesaler, and independent retailers. We supply retailers with fresh produce and support services through our world-class wholesaling and distribution capabilities. See our full value chain here.
Our diverse geographic footprint
We operate across Southern Africa, Ireland and South West England, Switzerland, Poland* and Sri Lanka. Our warehousing and distribution systems supply more than 4 500 stores across these regions. These stores are predominantly independently owned and trade under our brand.
* We made a strategic decision to sell our Polish business in 2023.
Our brands and offering
In each of our geographies, we are the local custodian of the SPAR brand. We promote our brand through different store formats, house brands and national marketing campaigns. Our offering is broad, ranging from fresh food and groceries to liquor and building materials.
HISTORY OF THE SPAR GROUP
The first SPAR store opened in the Netherlands in 1932. It was initially called DE SPAR, a word that describes the benefits of joint co-operation, which rings equally true today. Learn more about the Group’s origins here.
BUSINESS MODEL
Our business model integrates six capitals to deliver on SPAR’s purpose of unleashing the power of independent retail. It explains how we deploy our resources, capabilities and relationships to support independent retailers, deliver competitively priced products to consumers and create sustainable value for shareholders and communities.
See our value business model here
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Our Board is the custodian of corporate governance and group strategy. It focuses on agility and integrated thinking to ensure SPAR mitigates risks, seizes opportunities, and achieves satisfactory performance outcomes in line with best corporate governance practices.
Meet our Board members
QUICK LINKS
