Finland: 17 Spar stores transferred into K-Group

Kesko Food and Suomen Spar have agreed on the transfer of four more Spar stores into the K-Group in addition to the 13 stores transferred earlier this year. The most recent four stores are located in Kuusankoski, Naantali, Pello and Siilinjärvi. The transfers of the Pello and Siilinjärvi stores were subject to the approval of the Finnish Competition Authority.

The stores will be refurbished to comply with the K-food store formats and their product range will be complemented with Pirkka and Euro Shopper products. The stores will also introduce the K-Plussa customer loyalty system. All new K-food stores will be run by retailer entrepreneurs. Information about the timetable of the changes will be given as soon as the plans have been completed.

Earlier, Spar stores in Tornio, Sodankylä, Oulu, Lapinlahti, Sauvo, Anjalankoski, Tampere, Nurmijärvi, Vieremä, Nurmes, Levi in Kittilä, Kuhmo and Klaukkala in Nurmijärvi have transferred into the K-food store chains. The decisions concerning these stores have primarily been made by independent retailers. The main reason for the transfer into the K-Group has been better opportunities to improve customer service and succeed as an entrepreneur.

One of the newcomers in the K-Group is Spar Lapinlahti, which opened under the name of K-market Ruokamestari at the beginning of July. "A K-food store was welcome to Lapinlahti. Our customers have been pleased with the K-Plussa customer loyalty system; in the week following the opening we even ran out of card application forms! Nor could we guess at first how popular Pirkka products are and we had to keep placing new orders more of them," says K-retailer Taisto Lappalainen.

Ari Penttinen has been running the K-market in Sodankylä since the beginning of May. ”On the basis of my experience of a good half a year, I'm pleased with the solution made. Business has developed very positively. I believe that the K-store's good image, the K-Plussa customer loyalty system, Pirkka and Euro Shopper products, and efficient marketing have helped us to achieve good results,” sums up K-retailer Ari Penttinen.

The stores transferred into the K-Group operate in the K-supermarket, K-market and K-extra chains. Kesko Food is still interested in starting discussions and negotiations with such stores that want to join the K-Group. Not a single K-food retailer has transferred into a competing trading group this year.

Source: kauppalehti.fi