Italian retailer Maiora, also known as DESPAR Centro Sud, has achieved record results during 2020, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SPAR concessionaire for Central and Southern Italy reported a turnover of over €880 million, a 14% increase on 2019. EBITDA increased 21%, while net profit grew by 28%.
Key highlights during the period included the opening of seven new directly-managed stores, including former Auchan Retail Italia points of sale acquired from Margherita Distribuzione following Conad’s takeover of the French retailer’s Italian assets.
The new stores were transformed into INTERSPAR outlets in Pescara (airport area), Villanova di Cepagatti, Silvi Marina and Modugno, EUROSPAR supermarkets in Pescara Viale Pindaro and Altasfera Cash and Carry outlets in Monopoli and San Cesario di Lecce.
The INTERSPAR stores are modelled on the group's new superstore format, designed in collaboration with the University of Parma and SPAR International.
The opening of the two new Altasfera shops brings the total number of wholesale outlets to seven in the Puglia and Calabria regions.
Store Network
The group's sales network now includes some 511 directly owned and affiliated outlets, located in Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Abruzzo and Molise.
Maiora's current €70 million investment programme will see the opening of 16 new outlets and the restructuring and modernisation of the existing network.
For 2021, Maiora is focusing on network restructuring, involving 18 stores, with a focus on Calabria.
In May, the company reopened a DESPAR outlet in the province of Cosenza (Cetraro) and INTERSPAR stores in Belvedere Marittimo and San Marco Argentano.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine
