Top retailer Conrad Davies opens first Spar Market stores opens in Wales

Welsh retailer Conrad Davies has opened the first Spar Market store in Gwynedd, increasing his sales by nearly 10% and margin by 2%.

The store in Y Maes Pwllheli offers freshly-baked bread made from local dough, fresh pizza, a cereal dispenser, lobster tank, orange juice machine, meat-ageing cabinet and self-serve hot and cold food to go.

Premium spirits are promoted by coloured LED shelves and premium wines are stored in lockable cabinet displays.

The retailer has also worked with more than 70 local suppliers to create his own Davies Produce brand.

Spar has developed the new Market format for shops larger than 3,000sq ft to target customers with high basket spends.

John Murray, Blakemore Trade Partners head of formats, said: “Before the refit, the shop already performed like a supermarket and thrived in the face of intense competition, achieving fame for its great fresh food offering and unswerving support for local Welsh food producers.”

The Davies family have been members of Spar for 60 years, operating Eurospars in Dolgellau and Blaenau Ffestiniog, a forecourt in Pwllheli and a Subway sited above the Y Maes store.