SPAR International has rallied support for its Ukrainian SPAR colleagues and the people of Ukraine by maintaining a supply of essential produce and establishing a support fund.
SPAR Ukraine has been a licenced member of SPAR International since 2001. It is wholly Ukrainian-owned and operated, and strongly embedded in the communities it serves. It operates 65 SPAR supermarkets across the country from Kharkiv in the east to Lviv in the west, most of which remain operational despite aggression by Russian forces.
SPAR International has been intensively engaging with SPAR Ukraine following the outbreak of war and the direct impact on Ukrainian cities and towns where SPAR operates. Its primary objective is to support SPAR Ukraine with the procurement and delivery of essential supplies, as it continues to open and operate stores in the most challenging of circumstances.
Presently, 95 per cent of the SPAR stores in Ukraine remain open, with many operating significantly reduced opening hours.
To enable SPAR Ukraine to maintain supply, a unique SPAR Ukraine support fund has been established by SPAR International, strongly supported by SPAR country organisations. This support fund will assist SPAR Ukraine financially to procure products locally from existing sources of supply.
A statement from SPAR International said: “As a global organisation, we stand in full solidarity with our Ukrainian friends and colleagues in their defence against the unprovoked aggression by Russian forces. All our efforts are focused solely on the provision of essential support and aid to the innocent citizens of Ukraine in the face of this worsening humanitarian crisis, and the devastation and displacement caused by the ongoing war.”
With a strong SPAR presence in central and eastern Europe, SPAR International is working with colleagues in neighbouring countries to establish supply of essential goods for distribution to SPAR Ukraine’s distribution centre located 100km inland from the Polish border.
SPAR International said: “With the ongoing escalation of the war, and the prospect of the local supply chains being further impacted, it is essential to ready the ability to maintain supply from our operations in neighbouring countries. We are very grateful to our SPAR colleagues in those markets for their readiness to support.”
In addition, and in order to get much needed support directly to those most impacted by the war, SPAR International has established a partnership with Malteser International.
Malteser International is delivering vital support and aid on the ground in Ukraine, and, along with financial support from across the SPAR network, SPAR International is committed to combining its supply chain resources on the ground in the region to effectively support with the transportation of humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people.
“We are truly inspired by the courage, determination, and commitment of our colleagues in Ukraine to continue to care for their communities. We will continue to do what we can to support them,” said SPAR International.
Donations to the Malteser International Ukrainian Support fund can be made here.