Despar Italia, the consortium company that brings together six food distribution companies and affiliated retailers under the Despar brand, consolidates its growth path, closing 2024 with a turnover to the public of 4.5 billion euros, up 2.6% compared to 2023. A result that was contributed to by the development and modernization of the sales network with 110 new openings (75) and restylings (35) of stores and the contribution of the Despar brand product which, in 2024, exceeded one billion euros in turnover and reached a market share in value equal to 23.9%, recording a growth higher than that of the Mdd market in Italy.

“2024 was a year of consolidation for Despar that leveraged the development of the network and the results recorded by our Mdd which positioned itself among the best performers in Italian large-scale distribution", commented Filippo Fabbri, general manager of Despar Italia. "Two pillars that will guide our growth also in 2025: on the expansion and modernization of our sales network we foresee over 66 million euros of investments that will allow us to increasingly root the Brand in the territories. We will then continue to work on the implementation of the branded product: the results already achieved are taking us great strides towards reaching the goal of 25% of market share for our Mdd which increasingly represents a competitive and loyalty element of the Brand, also thanks to new projects that we are already implementing to make our proposal more complete and integrated every day. Ambitious goals that have always been a stimulus to fuel the ability to evolve of Despar which in 2025 celebrates 65 years of presence in Italy. An anniversary that makes us proud of the results we have already achieved and gives us the right push to look to the future with the strength of belonging to an international group and values that guide the work of all our members, making our reality an engine of development. for the economy of the territories".

Despar Italia closed 2024 with a turnover to the public of 4.5 billion euros, up 2.6% compared to 2023 (4,374,426,761 euros in 2023 compared to 4,489,324,408 euros in 2024). The revenues achieved in 2024 were generated for 64% by direct points of sale and for 36% by affiliated stores.

Looking at the distribution of turnover by brand, 34% was generated by Despar stores (the brand that identifies the neighborhood supermarket, up to 800 m2), 39% by Eurospar stores (the medium-sized supermarket brand, between 800 and 2,000 m2) and 27% by Interspar stores (the large-sized supermarket, over 2,000 m2). The best performances were recorded by the store formats with medium sizes, the Eurospars, which recorded growth trends of 4.4% compared to 2024.

Also in 2024, the Insegna dell'Abete consolidated its roots and presence in the territories from the north to the south of Italy with 110 new openings and restyling of the sales points: in particular, there were 75 new openings and 35 renovations. The Despar Italia network today has 1,323 sales points (411 direct and 912 affiliated) for a total sales area that reaches 797,631 square meters.

The new openings involved all the brands with which the company is present in the territory: in detail, 58 Despar, 4 Despar Express, 11 Eurospar and 2 Interspar were inaugurated. In terms of geographical areas, the development involved all the regions in which the Brand is present with a significant acceleration in the Southern regions (Puglia, Calabria and Basilicata), as well as in Emilia-Romagna, Lazio and Piedmont.

Affiliation has continued to represent a fundamental pillar for the growth and success of the Brand: today there are over 700 entrepreneurs affiliated with the Abete brand and their stores that in 2024 recorded a turnover to the public of 1.6 billion euros, representing 35.6% of the total turnover to the public of the Brand. Also in 2024 the affiliated network continued its growth, seeing the opening of 62 stores and the renovation of 16, thanks to the consolidation of historical ties and 37 new entrepreneurs who, during the year, chose to become part of the Despar world. A positive trend that has remained constant over time: in the last ten years (2015-2024), the turnover of affiliated stores has grown by 88%, going from less than 1 billion to 1.6 billion euros, confirming how the widespread presence in the territories guarantees a local service and a rapid and personalized response to the different needs of the market.

Attached to this EFA News is the full text of the 2024 annual report of Despar Italia.