SPAR Natural Named International Convenience Retailer of the Year

LONDON — SPAR Natural has been named the NACS Insight 2017 International Convenience Retailer of the Year for its convenience store in Gran Canaria, Spain.

The award, sponsored by Accenture, was presented during the NACS Insight Convenience Summit –Europe in London on June 14 at this year’s International Convenience Retailer Awards gala.

SPAR Natural launched in Gran Canaria in January. Judges agreed that SPAR Natural breaks new ground in health and wellness by providing a holistic approach to local customers seeking better health care, a healthier lifestyle and greater access to natural products and solutions for food intolerances, according to NACS, the Association for Convenience & Fuel Retailing. The c-store communicates its healthy options with icons representing eight categories: vegan (V+), vegetarian (V), organic (O), gluten free (GF), wheat free (WF), dairy free (DF), lactose free (LF) and sugar free (SF).

Recognizing the role that c-stores play in meeting consumers’ demand for healthy, SPAR Natural’s design utilizes natural materials and colors, and in-store signage sets a relaxed tone that compliments its brand position, “Life is better with a smile,” and its slogan, “Eat healthy, live green, be free.”

Companies from Norway, South Africa, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands also competed for this year’s Convenience Retailer of the Year Award. Honorable mentions for the accolade were Maxol’s M3 Mulhuddart for large format and Lekkerland Frischwerk for small format.

The NACS Insight Grand Jury consisted of: Frank Gleeson, Aramark Ireland; Dan Munford, Insight Research; Michael Davis, NACS; Mark Wohltmann, NACS Europe; Joe Bona, MoseleyBona Retail; David Martin, M Worldwide; James Hallam, Accenture; Joe Barrett, Applegreen (2016 award winner); Santiago Ferreccio, YPF; and Markus Laenzlinger, Migrolino.

Since 2009, the NACS Insight International Convenience Retailer of the Year Award recognizes excellence in convenience and forecourt retailing on an international stage, and celebrates the best convenience retail formats from around the world. Retailers are judged across key criteria including format innovation, range, people development, customer service initiatives, corporate social responsibility, technology and results.   

 The NACS Insight Convenience Summit – Europe — now in its fourth year — brings together convenience and fuel retailing industry professionals from around the world to discuss new ideas and gain new commercial connections. This year’s event kicked off in Zurich, Switzerland, on June 10 with education and store tours and ends on June 15 in London.