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Spar supermarket brand has opened its first Rwandan store in Kigali

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025

Local retail brand Sawa Citi has converted an existing outlet into a Spar store. More are expected to follow.

Spar, the international supermarket group based in the Netherlands, has opened its first outlet in Rwanda via a partnership with a local Rwandan supermarket chain.

Sawa Citi has converted an existing store from its Sawa Citi brand into a Spar store. It is in Nyarutarama, an upmarket suburb of the capital, Kigali.

The new Spar store in Kigali. Photo: Sawa Citi

Spar has a brand presence in 49 countries and operates a franchise model where local partners run stores independently but follow Spar’s guidelines and brand strategy. It has a presence in multiple African countries – mostly through Spar South Africa, which has stores in Namibia, Zambia and Botswana, among others.

According to a report published in Food Business Africa, Sawa Citi plans to roll out more Spar outlets in the coming months using both full-sized supermarkets and smaller shops at fuel stations. Online ordering and home delivery services are also in the pipeline.

Other local chains could be pushed to improve

“The entry of Spar is likely to change how supermarkets operate in Rwanda. The company’s pricing strategy and customer service standards could push local chains to improve,” Food Business Africa comments.

“Spar’s presence is also expected to help local producers. Digital shopping is another area set to improve. Once Spar’s delivery and e-commerce services go live, Rwandan consumers will enjoy new levels of convenience.

“Spar’s entry into Rwanda comes as the country sees rising urban populations and a growing middle class. The company’s focus on ease of access and strong local ties fits well with this trend.”

Trendtype, the emerging markets consultancy, says Sawa Citi is the second largest supermarket operator in Rwanda with nine stores. Trendtype expects that Sawa Citi will continue to rebrand existing Sawa Citi stores to Spar and smaller Spar Express outlets.

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