Supermarket chain SPAR has entered North Macedonia through a licensing deal with Viva Fresh Group, which has launched two stores in the capital city of Skopje, under the SPAR and INTERSPAR brands.
Spar International granted the licence to Kosovo-based Viva Fresh Group earlier this year.
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Viva Fresh Group said it plans to bring 65 stores under the Spar brand within twelve months, supported by a €43m ($50m) investment.
The launch of the network includes an Interspar hypermarket and a Spar supermarket, both in Skopje.
The hypermarket’s retail floor space totals 4,677m², with more than 16,000 product lines across grocery and non-grocery categories, including around 400 own-brand items.
Viva Fresh Group acquired the former Kit Go retail chain in 2022 and is using that estate as the foundation for a phased SPAR conversion programme.
According to the company, rollout of the stores is structured to support supply chain development and broader retail infrastructure in the market.
Viva Fresh Group has also indicated it will source from local producers and suppliers and will operate training and workforce development initiatives in the sector.
In its statement, the company said: “The launch of the internationally renowned Spar brand in North Macedonia marks a milestone in the development of the retail industry in this market.
“Spar in North Macedonia will offer a modern, customer-centric, and value-driven retail offering through internationally recognised retail standards and local market adaptation, delivering exceptional quality, freshness, and service, while maintaining competitive pricing accessible to all customer segments.”
In a separate development, Spar Austria and petrol station operator JET are due to open five Spar Express shops at forecourt sites in Austria by the end of this month.
That pilot will test whether a convenience retail model combining fuel station locations with a supermarket-style product range and pricing is viable, before any decision is made on wider expansion.
Five sites will serve as the basis for trying a new collaborative approach to forecourt retailing between the two companies.
