LONDON, Country, 2017-Jun-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — SPAR Natural has won the NACS Insight 2017 International Convenience Retailer of the Year Award for its SPAR Natural 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.
Launched in Gran Canaria, Spain, in January 2017, the retailer’s SPAR Natural format recognizes that trends in health and wellness are driving growth within the retail food industry, and is poised to grow significantly over the next five years. SPAR also recognizes the role that convenience stores can play in meeting the demands of today’s health-conscious consumers.
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 intolerance. The convenience 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). In addition, store employees are able to share their expertise and answer customer questions about the products.
The store’s design utilizes natural materials and colors, and in-store signage throughout sets a relaxed tone that compliments SPAR’s brand proposition, “Life is better with a smile,” and the SPAR Natural slogan, “Eat healthy, live green, be free.”
Competition for this year’s Convenience Retailer of the Year Award was strong, with companies from Norway, South Africa, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands selected by convenience and fuel retailing industry peers as finalists.
Also garnering Honorable Mentions from the Grand Jury were Maxol’s M3 Mulhuddart for large format location and Lekkerland Frischwerk for small format location.
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 has recognized 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.
Now in its fourth year, the NACS Insight Convenience Summit–Europe (conveniencesummit.com) 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 on June 10 with education and store tours and ends on June 15 in London.
Note to editors: Images available upon request.
NACS advances the role of convenience stores as positive economic, social and philanthropic contributors to the communities they serve. The U.S. convenience store industry, with more than 154,000 stores nationwide selling fuel, food and merchandise, serves 160 million customers daily—half of the U.S. population—and has sales that are 10.8% of total U.S. retail and foodservice sales. NACS has 2,100 retailer and 1,750 supplier members from more than 50 countries.
SOURCE: NACS