Advisory SPAR regarding SPAR University

Yuno Advisors advised SPAR Holding – one of the leading Dutch food retailers – in the realization of a financial-strategic co-operation regarding the takeover of SPAR University by SPAR City entrepreneurs.

SPAR University is the leading Grab & Go concept for university and college sites. SPAR University has 10 venues in key student cities such as Amsterdam, Utrecht, Delft, Eindhoven, Nijmegen and Rotterdam. The founders of SPAR University, Erwin Binneveld and Mirjam Bestebreurtje, have decided to transfer the company to SPAR City entrepreneurs Martijn ten Berghe and Ilona Bloch, who already own and operate SPAR City stores in Deventer, Zutphen and Zwolle. With the (re)opening of universities and colleges in the new school year 2021-2022, the combined company will fully focus on further growth and development of its concept. Both the selling shareholders and SPAR Holding will support the new entrepreneurs in the next stage of the company.

SPAR Holding has over 450 franchise locations and approximately 360 own employees in The Netherlands, generating consumer revenue of €829 million in 2020, the second 23% year-on-year growth in a row. Internationally, SPAR Group has a worldwide store base of over 13,500 venues, and revenues of almost €40 billion in 48 countries. Within The Netherlands SPAR employs a multi-format strategy with five separate store concepts: SPAR Neighborhood, SPAR City, SPAR Enjoy (stores on Landal GreenParks), SPAR Express (stores in Texaco and Esso petrol stations) and SPAR University. The different store types allow SPAR to operate a local market approach with consumer experience and convenience as focal points.

Yuno Advisors advised SPAR as exclusive advisor in the entire process regarding the transition of the ownership of SPAR University to the new entrepreneurs.

Click here to view the original (Dutch) press release by SPAR.