SPAR Gran Canaria

What SPAR Gran Canaria does

SPAR Gran Canaria (legal entity: Grupo Cencosu) is a privately-held supermarket operator founded in October 1986 by independent Canarian retailers and affiliated with SPAR International. The company runs 203 stores across all 21 municipalities of Gran Canaria under multiple banners — SPAR (proximity), EuroSPAR (large supermarket), SPAR Express (convenience), SPAR Natural (organic/sustainable), Vivó, and SPAR City (urban) — and employs over 3,300 professionals. It operates a horizontal model combining 19 partner-owners and 19 franchisees under centralized purchasing, marketing, and logistics provided through Grupo Cencosu.

The company operates three logistics divisions from a total of 29,600 m² of storage: a central warehouse in Telde (El Goro), a fruit and vegetable center at Mercalaspalmas (3,641 m², operational since September 2019, capacity for 630,000+ kg daily), and a refrigerated and frozen center (3,600 m², inaugurated February 2025). Warehousing is supported by voice-picking systems and GPS-tracked isothermal containers. The company is the leader in fresh produce on the island with over 26% market share in fruit and vegetables and receives more than 140,000 kg of fresh produce daily, 55% sourced directly from local Canarian farmers under the "La Cosecha Canaria" private label and Km.0 initiative.

Revenue is generated primarily through direct retail sales (exceeding €350 million annually) across physical stores, the owned e-commerce platform spargrancanariaonline.es, and third-party delivery aggregators (Glovo, Uber Eats). Franchise and partner fees provide recurring administrative and logistics revenue. Customer engagement is supported through the Mi SPAR Club loyalty program, the SPAR Vida lifestyle content platform, and a multi-channel marketing mix (website, social media, email, printed flyers, mobile app). The company is GDPR-compliant, holds no disclosed patents, and is governed by Chairman Ángel Medina with CEO Dunia Pérez leading the executive team.

Name

SPAR Gran Canaria

Legal name

Grupo Cencosu

Website

https://spargrancanaria.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

SPAR Gran Canaria (Grupo Cencosu) operates an island-wide network of 203 supermarkets across Gran Canaria under SPAR, EuroSPAR, SPAR Express, SPAR Natural, Vivó, and SPAR City banners, serving local consumers with centrally managed logistics, a private-label local-sourcing program, and omnichannel retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grocery Retail

NAICS

General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (424410)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141)

akta.pro primary industry

Broadline Foodservice Distribution (CRAOABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Broadline Foodservice (Multi-Category) Wholesale Distribution (CRAOAAAA)

Keywords

• Food retail
• Supermarket chain
• Grocery distribution
• Fresh produce sourcing
• Private label brands

Headquarters

HQ city

Telde

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales: Primary revenue from selling food and grocery products through 203 physical stores across Gran Canaria, including SPAR, EuroSPAR, SPAR Express, SPAR Natural, and Vivó formats, as well as online sales through the company's e-commerce platform.
2. Franchise and Partner Fees: Revenue generated from franchise relationships with 19 partners and 19 franchisees operating under the SPAR and Vivó brands, providing administrative support, logistics, and centralized services.
3. Online and Delivery Services: Revenue from online orders placed through the company's website and third-party delivery platforms (Uber Eats, Glovo).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SPAR Gran Canaria operates a network of 203 supermarkets across all 21 municipalities of Gran Canaria under multiple store formats (SPAR, EuroSPAR, SPAR Express, SPAR Natural, Vivó, and SPAR City). The company sells fresh produce, groceries, and household items, supported by three specialized logistics divisions and complemented by e-commerce ordering through its own platform and third-party delivery via Uber Eats and Glovo.

Product overview

SPAR Gran Canaria operates a network of 203 supermarkets across Gran Canaria's 21 municipalities under multiple store formats: SPAR (neighborhood proximity), SPAR Express (convenience), EuroSPAR (large supermarket), SPAR Natural (organic/sustainable), and Vivó. The company generates revenue exceeding 350 million euros and employs over 3,300 professionals. Its product portfolio includes private label brands like La Cosecha Canaria for local products, supported by three logistics divisions (Central, Fruits & Vegetables, Refrigerated & Frozen). The company offers e-commerce through its online store and integrates with third-party delivery platforms Glovo and Uber Eats. Customer engagement is supported through Mi SPAR Club loyalty program and SPAR Vida lifestyle content platform featuring recipes and nutrition advice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EuroSPAR: Large supermarket format with a wide and varied product assortment for family shopping.
• SPAR Express
• SPAR Natural
• Vivó
• SPAR City

Products and services

• SPAR (Proximity Store Format)
• EuroSPAR (Large Supermarket Format)
• SPAR Express (Convenience Format)
• SPAR Natural (Organic/Sustainable Format)
• Vivó (Neighborhood Store Brand)
• SPAR City (Innovative City Center Format)
• SPAR Gran Canaria Online Store
• La Cosecha Canaria (Private Label Brand)

Quantifiable outcome

• Leader in Gran Canaria with over 26% market share in fruits and vegetables
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Barrios OrquestadoscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 202610-year partnership supporting music education programs for children in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Uses music as a vehicle for motivation, engagement, and promoting equal opportunities across the archipelago.
• Club Interisleta Gran CanariaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Fourth consecutive year of collaboration supporting inclusive sports. Partnership promotes disability inclusion through sporting activities.
• Feria Gran Canaria Me GustaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Main sponsor of the annual food and gastronomy fair, present for 10 consecutive years, showcasing commitment to local products and gastronomy.
• CDF SPAR Gran Canaria (Club Deportivo Femarguín)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Main sponsor since 2019, supporting young football talents from Gran Canaria as part of SPAR's commitment to youth sports development in the island.
• Club de baloncesto femenino Islas Canarias SPAR Gran CanariacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Main sponsor of the women's basketball club since the 2014-2015 season. The club provides social support for young players with over 300 youth from the island, promoting sport as a healthy lifestyle. SPAR's support extends beyond financial sponsorship to genuine community involvement.
• Los Gofiones (Folklore Group)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2004Sponsor of the traditional Canarian folk music group since 2004, supporting the preservation and dissemination of traditional Canarian music both locally and internationally.
• SPAR Guerra del Río (Traditional Sailboat)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2001Sponsor of the historic Vela Latina racing boat since 2001, contributing to the preservation of this unique nautical tradition declared a Cultural Heritage asset by the Canary Islands Government.
• Banco de Alimentos Las PalmascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonthly food donations and participation in two major food collection campaigns in June and December. Donated over 21.9 tonnes of products in 2026, exceeding 2025 figures.
• Cruz RojaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on labor insertion projects for groups with greater difficulty (women, immigrants, over 45s) and annual gold raffle support.
• Fundación FORESTAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatron since 2010 of the private non-profit foundation dedicated to forest recovery, maintenance, and conservation in the Canary Islands. Annual reforestation volunteer days organized.
• Hospitales San RoqueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth tips and nutrition advice content provided by hospital nutritionists (Cristina Luján, Aída Saavedra, Tania Vera) for the SPAR Vida section of the website, promoting healthy eating habits.
• 5 al día (Foundation)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the foundation promoting fruit, vegetable, and horticultural consumption, disseminating messages about healthy eating in campaigns.
• Unión Deportiva Las PalmascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOver 20 years of sponsorship supporting the island's main football team. Unconditional support through good and bad times, representing the sentiment of the entire island.
• SPAR InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with the world's largest independent retail chain, present in 48 countries across four continents with over 13,300 establishments serving more than 14 million people daily.
• Cáritas CanariasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport for charitable social programs helping families in need.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SPAR International: World's largest voluntary retail chain licensing the SPAR brand to independent operators in 48 countries. Comparable as the parent brand and affiliation partner governing SPAR Gran Canaria's trademark and global sourcing access.

Direct peers

• SPAR España: Spanish SPAR master franchise grouping regional SPAR operators on the Iberian Peninsula. Directly comparable as a sister SPAR licensee sharing brand, sourcing, and operating model under the SPAR International umbrella.
• HiperDino: Largest supermarket chain in the Canary Islands operating multiple formats across the archipelago. Directly comparable as the principal grocery incumbent competing head-to-head with SPAR Gran Canaria on the same island.

Broad incumbents

• DIA España: National proximity and supermarket chain in Spain. Comparable as a multi-format grocery operator emphasizing convenience stores that overlaps with SPAR Express and SPAR proximity formats.
• Eroski: Spanish cooperative retailer operating supermarkets and hypermarkets. Comparable as a multi-format national grocery competitor with footprint and assortment overlap with SPAR formats.
• Lidl: German discount grocer operating across Spain and the Canary Islands. Comparable as a hard-discount competitor that compresses SPAR's value proposition in price-sensitive categories.
• Carrefour España: Hypermarket and supermarket operator with presence across Spain. Comparable as a multi-format national grocery incumbent competing on assortment and promotional intensity in the Canary Islands.
• Mercadona: Spain's leading grocery chain with nationwide presence including the Canary Islands. Comparable as a large-format supermarket competitor that pressures SPAR on price-quality positioning and store expansion on the island.
• Alcampo (Auchan Retail España): Hypermarket operator under the Auchan group with stores across Spain. Comparable as a large-format grocery incumbent that competes on fresh assortment and promotional pricing.

Regional players

• Consum: Spanish cooperative supermarket chain primarily in eastern Spain. Comparable as a regional multi-format grocery operator with private label and fresh category focus, similar business model mechanics to SPAR.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SPARGranCanaria
• Facebookfacebook.com/SPARGranCanaria
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spargrancanaria

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SPAR Gran Canaria