Italian cash & carry operator Altasfera has achieved a major milestone, exceeding €100 million in turnover for the first time.
Operated by SPAR's Italian retail partner Maiora, Altasfera caters to HoReCa businesses in central and southern Italy.
Maiora attributes the growth in the cash & carry sector to three key factors – network investment, a strong focus on employee development, and prioritising professional customers, particularly HoReCa specialists.
Since its inception in 1991 with the first cash & carry in Corato (Bari), Altasfera has expanded to eight locations across southern Italy, located at Molfetta (2007), Laterza (2014), Manfredonia (2016), Crotone (2017), Monopoli and Lecce (2020), and most recently, Reggio Calabria (June 2023).
New Partnerships Strengthen Network
Building on a long-standing partnership between Ergon and Maiora, Altasfera boasts a strong regional presence.
Market Ingross covers the Emilian provinces of Modena and Ferrara, while Ergon serves Sicily and Maiora handles the mainland areas. In January 2024, Centro Cash (part of Gruppo Abbi) joined the network, giving Altasfera Italia its first foothold in Sardinia.
Expansion Plans
The combined network comprises 21 Altasfera outlets, with plans for further expansion. The existing partners have said that they will continue to grow the network through new openings in their respective regions.
The group is are also actively seeking new members who align with the model to fill uncovered territories.
Commenting on the business' planned expansion, Francesco Di Nardo, director of wholesale and franchising sales, said, “Maiora will continue investing in the market, striving for even more ambitious goals. We aim to continuously improve the Altasfera model to make it the Italian reference for HoReCa specialists."
