SPAR International expanding into Mongolia

Global food and grocery chain SPAR International has announced a new partnership with Mongolian retail conglomerate Max Group LLC to open its first stores in Mongolia, bringing SPAR’s operations to 43 countries globally.

At an official signing ceremony that took place during the visit of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, it was announced that around 60 SPAR-branded multi-format stores will come up in Mongolia by 2020.

Max Group operates the existing chain of Max Food Supermarkets. The new partnership will see these stores transfer to the SPAR brand, and the opening of new SPAR supermarkets from 2017 onwards.

“It is greatly encouraging to see a company like SPAR, which started as a partnership of Dutch retailers and wholesalers more than 80 years ago, helping bring retail best practice to the Mongolian marketplace,” says PM Rutte.

Commenting on the partnership, Tobias Wasmuht, SPAR International’s managing director, adds, “SPAR is delighted to be launching in Mongolia in partnership with the Max Group. We see Mongolia as a dynamic and rapidly developing consumer market with a growing demand for modern world-class food retail. We are highly confident that we can build on our strong presence in the region by leveraging our scale with the SPAR operations in neighbouring Irkutsk, Russia and Inner Mongolia, China.”

“This collaboration combined with our modern retail formats, supply chain and international sourcing as well as investing in the training and development in people locally will act as a significant support structure for the growth and development of SPAR in Mongolia. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands who were instrumental in facilitating the partnership between SPAR and the Max Group,” he states.

“Bringing the word’s leading retail chain, SPAR, to Mongolia is not just beneficial to Max Group, it is a big opportunity for Mongolia as well and I am very excited about this partnership. Max is dedicated to bringing the SPAR’s commitment to excellence in fresh, passion for quality, outstanding service and exceptional value to consumers in Mongolia,” expresses Max Group president Ganbaatar Dagvadorj.