RIGA, Aug 11 (LETA) - The first store of voluntary food retail chain SPAR in Latvia opened in the western city of Saldus on Thursday.

SPAR Latvija board chairman Andris Vilcmeiers said at the opening ceremony that SPAR adapts its product range and format to each particular region and that it would be hard to find two identical SPAR stores. 

Vilcmeiers said that the store in Saldus has its own unique range of products but that SPAR stores in Latgale or Vidzeme would offer different products by involving local producers. SPAR adapts to the neighborhood, and one of the retailer's principles is being in touch with the local neighborhood and getting involved in the particular region's social activities. 

The SPAR store in Saldus is 720 square meters large and has a bakery area. The SPAR in Saldus is a medium-sized store, which is the most popular format of the SPAR chain, with SPAR products making up around 20 percent of the range. 

In time, the range of products at the SPAR store can change as it is adapted to clients' wishes, said Vilcmeiers. 

He indicated that SPAR also plans to open a store in Liepaja in late August, while more SPAR stores are scheduled to open in various regions of Latvia later in the fall.  

Earlier, the company said that SPAR will cooperate with local retailers and by the end of the year will open at least three stores, including in Riga.

SPAR Latvija was registered on July 7, 2021, and has a share capital of EUR 250,000.

The company belongs to Aleksandrs Svarevskis (50 percent), GECO (27 percent), Prodimpekss Logistikas Grupa (10 percent), Valerijs Ivasenki (8 percent) and Vilcmeiers (5 percent).

SPAR launched operations in 1932 in the Netherlands, and now has more than 13,500 stores in 48 countries of the world. In 2020, 181 new stores were opened, and the aggregate turnover reached EUR 39.8 billion.