History

SPAR was born from an idea by Adriaan van Well, that independent wholesalers and retailers could work and prosper together through a voluntary trading model. The first SPAR store opened in the Netherlands in 1932 and was initially called DE SPAR, an acronym used to describe the organisation: Door Eendrachtig Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regelmatig, which translates into English as all benefit from joint co-operation.

Our logo designs may have evolved over the years, but our values of entrepreneurship, living family values, and passion have remained consistent. These values help drive the group forward and align with our purpose – to inspire people to do and be more.

1932

1940

1950

1960

1968

1930

First SPAR store opened in the Netherlands

1940

In the late 1940s, the decision was made to abbreviate DE SPAR to SPAR

1947

SPAR was established in Belgium, marking the start of the internationalisation of the brand

1953

SPAR International was established in Amsterdam to support and develop the SPAR concept internationally

1957

First International SPAR Congress held, signalling SPAR’s ambition to move beyond Europe and become a worldwide organisation

1959

SPAR family had extended to include wholesalers and retailers in nine countries

1963

SPAR South Africa was established by a group of eight wholesalers to service 500 small retailers (the first country outside of Europe to join the SPAR organisation)

2003

SPAR South Africa had grown through a series of mergers and takeovers to become one consolidated wholesaler controlling the rights to the SPAR brand as well the following brands: SAVEMOR (launched 1975), KWIKSPAR (launched 1990), SUPERSPAR (launched 1998), Build it (Building materials brand, launched 1985), TOPS at SPAR (liquor brand, launched 2000)

2004

The SPAR Group Ltd listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and to this day remains the only listed SPAR entity globally

2011

Pharmacy at SPAR and SPAR Express (petro-convenience) brands launched in South Africa

2014

The group acquired an 80% stake in the BWG Group in Ireland, including SPAR Ireland (SPAR member since 1963)

2015

The group acquired a 60% stake in SPAR Switzerland (member since 1989)

2017

SPAR brand launched in Sri Lanka through a joint venture between The SPAR Group Ltd and Ceylon Biscuits Limited, a Sri Lankan food manufacturing conglomerate

2020

SPAR Poland acquired (member since 1995)

Purchased a controlling stake in Monteagle Africa, strategic supplier of private label products in South Africa, renamed SPAR Encore

2021

Minority interests in both BWG Foods (incl. SPAR Ireland) and SPAR Switzerland fully settled