SPAR International, a Dutch supermarket brand, will open its first local branch in November, said Sara Jaber, Marketing Manager at Business Management Integrated Holding (BMI), the company that will run the chain in Lebanon.

SPAR’s main partner for the Middle East, the Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society (ADCOOPS), has signed a license agreement with BMI granting it a license to operate the chain locally. BMI is a Beirut-based holding company chaired by Habib Wehbi. It has interests in several firms in sectors including retail, media, advertising, and manufacturing. The holding has operations in MENA countries and Turkey.

Nabil Fahed, Chairman of the Syndicate of Supermarket Owners said that the country has around 50 companies that own 120 supermarkets, some with stores larger than 1,000 square meters.

According to Jaber, the first outlets will be a 300 m2 store in Sodeco and a 3,000 m2 one in Nabatiyeh that be located in The Spot Nabatiyeh mall. A third tore is being planned in Ain El Tineh.

BMI is planning to open 16 SPAR stores locally in the coming five years. The stores will include SPAR Hypermarkets, SPAR supermarkets, and SPAR Express convenience stores.

 “We are planning to cover the entire country, but we are choosing our locations carefully.” They will be both standalones and inside malls.

SPAR was founded in the Netherlands in 1932 and has 12,200 stores in 36 countries.