SPAR Netherlands aims to double retail network in the next three years
The retailer plans to expand its footprint to 1,000 locations of its current 455 by expanding several store formats and new growth opportunities.
John van der Ent, CEO of Spar Netherlands, announced that the company is aiming to double its store network within three years. Coinciding with the 90th anniversary of the company, the retailer's vision is to go from 455 locations to 1,000 and to become the king of convenience in the segment.
Apart from its current blend of retail formats, from petrol forecourt to neighbourhood supermarket and city stores, a number of pilot stores are currently being set-up particularly at high traffic locations to support this growth. Unmanned stores are also being placed in twelve hotels around the country, which will also be available for large office environments.
In addition, Spar has begun a pilot with meal delivery company Deliveroo, which builds upon the retailer’s ambition to position itself between the catering industry and the neighbourhood supermarket. This is a second collaborative delivery programme, following the partnership with Thuisbezorgd (Justeat). The aim is to roll out the collaboration nationally, based on the outcome of the pilot.
SPAR Netherlands has a strong presence in small and large Dutch cities and is increasingly located along national highways and can be found at universities and camping grounds. The multi-format strategy has been key to the rapid advancement in recent years in the Dutch retail landscape.
