This is the second attempt of the Dutch retailer to conquer the Romanian market, after the first one ended in insolvency.
“On March 15 and 29 we will open two new Spar stores in Brasov,” said Adriana Aionesei, acquisitions manager of Spar stores in Romania.
The company’s projects will continue with the rebranding as Spar of the other 11 stores operated by the company, under the Aprozar and Gostat brands in Brasov.
The rebranding of these stores will bring the company to a chain of 21 Spar stores.
Local Spar stores cover between 100 square meters and 1,400 square meters and are named differently depending on the size. Supermarkets are called Spar, while convenience stores are called Spar Express.
“We will soon also bring the Eurospar format to the local market, which will be used for stores of above 1,000 square meters,” Aionesei explains.
The procurement manager says the company’s future plans also include new store openings, apart from those planned for this month.
“We want to continue to expand, not only in the Brasov area, but also at national level. Our company holds the franchise for 80% of Romania.” But Spar’s procurement manager does not say how many or where the new stores will be opened.
The Brasov-based company secured the Spar franchise at the end of last year. This was the second time a Romanian company sought to bring Spar stores to Romania, after Cuc siblings in Arad received the franchise from Spar in 2005.
Spar SRL held by Ioan and Floare Cuc went insolvent in 2009 and the two owners closed down all the stores they owned.
Retail Center Association (R.C.A.), a non-profit association in Brasov, has since October 1, 2011 become the master franchisee of Spar International. It is also then that R.C.A. went on to grant the franchise to Retail D&I 2011 in Brasov, according to previous statements from Oliver Spulber, executive manager of R.C.A. and of Retail D&I 2011.
He added that R.C.A. has the right to open stores and grant franchises all over Romania, except in western counties, such as Arad, Alba Iulia and Hunedoara, where Spar SRL in Arad, held by brothers Ioan and Floare Cuc, used to operate.
Retail D&I 2011 in Brasov operates the Spar stores in Brasov and Sfantu Gheorghe since back in 2009 when it took them over from Spar SRL in Arad, which is no longer involved in retail, but has retained the right to grant franchises.
Retail D&I 2011 is equally shared by Butum Loredana Ionica and Butum Daniel Marius, both from Brasov, according to Trade Registry data.
(English version by Daniela Stoican)