How Spar is using localised marketing to redefine the urban retail experience

This Kwik Spar in Kloof Street, Cape Town has become a hub for young people in the city.

For Spar South Africa, that means a shift toward hyper-local, experience-led marketing, where each store becomes a reflection of its neighbourhood’s lifestyle and values.

“We’re balancing national visibility with local credibility,” says Ed von Gericke, Spar South Africa’s national retail operations executive. “Our marketing is evolving from transactional messaging to storytelling—using the personality of each store to build deeper customer relationships.”

Kloof Street Spar: Retail theatre meets community engagement

A standout example of this approach is the Kloof Street Kwik Spar in Cape Town, where live DJs and curated in-store experiences are turning everyday grocery shopping into a lifestyle event. Store owner Carmen Egling saw the potential for music to foster connection and bring unexpected joy to a routine errand.

“Music has energy that brings people together,” she explains. “Adding a live DJ just made sense.”

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This initiative is part of a broader strategy to appeal to younger, urban shoppers who expect more than just convenience because they want experiences that align with their identity and values. Through activations like these, Spar is positioning itself as a lifestyle brand, not just a grocery chain.

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Gourmet strategy: Premium spaces with a local soul

This marketing evolution extends into Spar’s upcoming Spar Gourmet concept. Launching its first location in Q4 this year, the Gourmet stores are targeted at higher-income markets, combining curated design with premium offerings such as the Signature Selection range and exclusive supplier partnerships.

But despite their upscale appeal, these stores will not lose sight of Spar’s community-driven ethos. “They’re not designed to be mass-market,” von Gericke notes. “Each space is a unique reflection of its neighbourhood—a premium offering with a local soul.”

Independent retailers, personalised marketing

Central to this transformation is Spar’s independent retailer model, which empowers store owners to localise both experience and messaging. From TikTok campaigns at Outeniqua Super Spar to bespoke events in Cape Town, store-level creativity is key to reaching today’s highly segmented markets.

Spar’s national platforms maintain brand consistency, but its local stores are encouraged to develop their own voice by telling authentic stories, championing local suppliers, and creating moments of genuine surprise and delight.

Retail that feels personal

As consumer expectations rise, Spar’s marketing is becoming more human, more place-based, and more emotionally intelligent. Whether through music, community storytelling, or tailored product selections, the aim is to make every shopper feel like they belong."

Younger shoppers want authenticity, quality and a reason to engage. It is not just about what is on the shelves but rather how a space makes them feel. We are aware that a brand with a great personality earns loyalty among our younger market," says von Gericke.

"This is greatly influencing our approach to our product mix and store design - favouring spaces that are warm, locally inspired, and interactive. Our goal is to create an enjoyable shopping experience, that is community orientated where customers don’t feel like they are just completing a transaction."