To truly understand Spar, you have to understand the story behind the name. Originally called De Spar, the business was founded in 1932 by Dutch wholesaler Adriaan van Well. The name was an acronym for Door Eendrachtig Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regelmatig – which translates as “everyone benefits from joint collaboration”.

It captured a simple principle: independent wholesalers and retailers could achieve far more by working together than by going it alone.

Today, the philosophy still resonates with Michael Fletcher, who joined Spar UK as managing director in November 2024. “It’s been a fascinating year,” he says. “I did a lot of due diligence before I joined, but it’s only when you get into a business that you really understand what makes it tick.”