Concept and Entrepreneur in Transition at SPAR

Turning the Tide

In 1932, Adriaan van Well founded the organization "Door Eendrachtig Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regelmatig" (By Cooperatively Working Together, Everyone Regularly Profits), which led to the creation of the well-known SPAR. This was a coalition of grocers who maintained their independence and gained advantages through joint purchasing and advertising. SPAR grew to become one of the world's largest supermarket chains, with over 13,000 stores in 48 countries.

However, SPAR also had to reinvent itself. Ten years ago, SPAR was on the brink, says Raymond de Koning, recruitment and selection advisor at SPAR. Together with its investors, SPAR changed course and transformed from an old-fashioned, traditional supermarket chain into a diverse range of stores focused on daily convenience.

"We saw the changing consumer needs years ago, shifting from weekly groceries to daily shopping for multiple eating moments. Nowadays, we have more than eight eating moments a day, including not just breakfast, lunch, and dinner but also snacks like yogurt after sports."

Raymond has been responsible for recruiting, selecting, and successfully launching franchise entrepreneurs for SPAR convenience stores for over two years.

A new identity also requires a different type of entrepreneur. At SPAR, we carefully consider the entrepreneur's profile and which type of store would suit them. "We undertake entrepreneurship together and feel truly responsible for our entrepreneurs' success," says Raymond.

"SPAR is there for every place, every moment, for whoever you are," says Raymond de Koning, recruitment and selection advisor at SPAR.

SPAR is on the rise again. With significant growth ambitions and the search for new franchise entrepreneurs, Raymond asked: "Why are our most successful entrepreneurs so successful? What qualities and talents make them successful?" To answer these questions, Raymond and his colleagues started the project "the sheep with five legs."

A franchise entrepreneur at SPAR must be a jack-of-all-trades, the well-known "sheep with five legs." To better understand this profile and predict the success and future sustainability of prospective franchise entrepreneurs, Raymond sought the traits that make a successful entrepreneur.

Together with GITP advisor Mark van Ieperenburg, the profiles of the 15 most successful entrepreneurs were thoroughly mapped. Various factors were analyzed, including personality, motivations, and cognition, translating these into the developability of competencies.

Where do these profiles differ? Where do they find common ground? And do the assumptions about the supermarket manager profile that SPAR has been seeking for years hold true?

The analysis yielded remarkable outcomes, especially regarding motivations. For years, SPAR sought result-oriented and ambitious entrepreneurs, believing that performance and prosperity were key drivers. However, the analysis clearly revealed that "team" emerged as the most common motivator. This was a real eye-opener for Raymond. Additionally, cognition proved to be a good predictor of work success. The diversity and complexity of the role have increased, directly influencing the requirements for (future) entrepreneurs. Consequently, the minimum cognitive level has been adjusted to an HBO work and thinking level.

From Analysis to a Workable Model
In addition to analyzing profiles, Raymond and various colleagues examined the desired behavior of a franchise entrepreneur in line with strategic objectives and identity during several meetings. These behavioral characteristics were translated into five roles that our ideal entrepreneur should demonstrate to varying degrees or grow into. The five roles are:

• Smart Calculator
• Talent Developer
• Commercial Retailer at Heart
• King of Convenience
• Connecting Ambassador

Working Together at SPAR
Recruiting and selecting new franchise entrepreneurs, from internal candidates (SPAR Academy and/or the Talent Community) as well as external candidates, is a meticulous process. Besides several interviews, candidates always take an online assessment (Talent Match Premium) to facilitate a meaningful conversation based on valuable insights since being a franchise entrepreneur is not a temporary role. Moreover, the investment and risk for the entrepreneur are significant.

"We feel very responsible and involved from SPAR's side. As an entrepreneur at SPAR, you are not alone; we undertake entrepreneurship together. Additionally, it is crucial that you can truly add value and contribute to the success of SPAR."

The first results are cautiously visible; a new franchise entrepreneur in Hoorn, recruited under the new approach, doubled his usual revenue in his second week. "We continue to follow this new entrepreneur with interest and curiosity to see how he develops," says Raymond de Koning.

From Onboarding to Developing
Besides having a good understanding of a successful entrepreneur, there is also a focus on successful onboarding and preparing for the job. Next year, the focus will shift to developing existing entrepreneurs. "We want to challenge entrepreneurs to reflect on their personal development and that of their team. We do this through conversations, assessments, 360-degree feedback, and coaching, ultimately giving the entrepreneur control over their development."

Learning 'on the job' and 'peer-to-peer' learning are integral parts of this approach. This means moving away from 'one size fits all' learning programs and tailoring the learning trajectory to the entrepreneur's profile and needs. In summary, a customized learning path where entrepreneurs also strengthen and help each other develop. Together, we continue to build SPAR.