CJ Lang & Son, the wholesaler and retailer for SPAR in Scotland, has opened their first new company store since 2017.
After acquiring the family-run Nisa Local in Dalbeattie, Dumfriesshire, it was converted to the SPAR Market format, which is the first of its kind in Scotland since its launch in 2017. The format is designed for larger convenience stores with a focus on fresh food and produce, which CJ Lang said marked a “step change” in its offering to shoppers. It aims to cater for key missions including ‘making a meal’ and ‘grab and eat’.
As well as a range of products available from a large deli counter, the store features a range of fresh produce and food from many other local suppliers. These include Irving’s Bakery, Mitchells of Castle Douglas, Irthingvale Wholesale, Lockerbie Cheddars, and Galloway Preserves.
Meanwhile, SPAR Scotland’s ‘CJ’s’ food-to-go counter offers ready-to-eat hot breakfast rolls throughout the morning and extends into the evening with a selection of hot food. A self-serve Costa Express coffee machine, Tango Ice Blast and frozen Calippo slush machine are also being installed.
CJ Lang’s operations director Brian Straiton commented: “We are very excited to be back in the property market to acquire new convenience stores as part of our business strategy of adding an additional 3 to 4 stores per year to our company-owned estate.
“SPAR Market is an exciting new fresh, chilled and produce store format for CJ Lang and SPAR Scotland that will really help to differentiate and grow from our traditional SPAR customer offer.”
