Buyer wanted: a Spar logo in Switzerland
Keystone-SDA
The South African Spar Group wants to divest its Swiss subsidiary, which comes to over 360 shops, it said on Thursday. Talks with potential buyers are underway.
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The Swiss subsidiary, Schweizer Spar Handels AG, has confirmed the sale plans. The company is looking for a new owner who will back the management’s growth strategy, it said in a press release. Continuity for employees, suppliers and customers is to be guaranteed.
Spar Switzerland operates over 360 locations under the Spar, Eurospar, Spar Express, Maxi and Top CC brands. In April, Spar took over 14 shops from the Schnellmann Group. At the end of September 2024, Spar Switzerland employed some 1,600 people.
“We don’t have a deal yet, but the best solution would be a Swiss owner with local business interests. This is also the focus of our negotiations,” Gary Alberts, CEO of Spar Switzerland since the beginning of the year, told the news agency AWP.
Talks with interested parties are underway. Alberts did not comment on the timeline.
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A person familiar with the matter told AWP that the talks are at an advanced stage, but could yet take weeks. The Spar brand is to remain in Switzerland. Retail groups Migros and Coop are not among the interested parties.
The South African Spar Group took over Spar Switzerland in 2016. Last year, it announced a review of the business which concluded that it is not performing satisfactorily. Sales and profits have been declining, and according to analysts, growth was only recorded during the coronavirus pandemic.
Translated from German by DeepL/dos
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