SPAR Hungary’s Regional Treasures programme continued to expand and achieved significant growth in 2025, with a total of 569 products from 139 Hungarian small producers and small businesses now available in SPAR stores. Partners involved in the programme provide livelihoods for around 800 people, while turnover of the products has increased by almost 60 percent in a year.

“With the Regional Treasures programme, our aim is to provide a real development opportunity for small Hungarian enterprises producing quality products. We are not just looking for products, we are looking for committed partners who care about quality and shared growth. The success of the programme shows that consumers are increasingly looking for reliable, locally sourced food products,” explained Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

National coverage, continuous expansion

The programme is organised around seven regional centres. By the end of 2025, most suppliers were operating in the Budapest region – 26 partners, 110 products – and in the Mecsek region around Pécs – 25 partners, 84 products -, but there is also a significant supply of products from local entrepreneurs in the Velence, Zala, Alföld, Nyírség and Kisalföld regions. In one year, the number of suppliers increased from 128 to 139, and the number of products from 532 to 569. The range now covers 23 product categories, from dairy and eggs to meat products, dry pasta and artisan snacks, drinks and desserts. Last year, gluten-free products and seasonal Szaloncukor candies were added to the range as new category.

Strong customer demand, outstanding sales growth

Demand for local products is continuously growing. Ice creams, eggs, dairy products, dry pasta and meat products were the top-selling articles, but artisan snacks and pastries such as cheese sticks, biscuits and gingerbread cakes were also very popular. SPAR not only provides a sales channel to its partners, but also complex development support. The highly popular SPAR Supplier Academy and Business Bootcamp provides enterprises with business, marketing and branding skills. In 2025, digital support has been further enhanced with the availability of an AI-based content creation solution for partners to easily facilitate social media communication. In addition to this, cooperation with universities and chambers of commerce continued, as well as the development of back-office systems and logistical processes. Also, shoppers will soon be able to get even closer to the producers: supplier

billboards will be placed at the entrances of the shops involved in the programme, presenting local partners in the region.

Hungarian success in the international market

It is an important milestone in the history of the Regional Treasures programme that a product of a domestic partner has reached the export market. The highly successful “Dubai chocolate” ice cream , produced by Bocco Doro, which is already available in SPAR’s own-brand range, has also been launched in Croatia and Slovenia. This example shows that the programme not only offers domestic sales opportunities, but can also open up international growth opportunities for Hungarian small businesses. SPAR has helped many partners develop from start-up to a nationwide presence. In the case of “Zalai Dödölle”, the joint work lasted from the design of packaging and presentation to the launch of the assortment, while SEMEC Hús products became more widely available through gradual market expansion. SPAR’s selection criteria remain unchanged: local ingredients, traditional processing, high quality and a dedicated production background. The aim of the programme is to bring local values to consumers in a competitive and sustainable way.

Further expansion expected in 2026

SPAR will continue to develop the Regional Treasures programme in 2026, with the aim of making quality domestic products available in as many stores as possible. The company is gradually adding the programme to its range of products in nearly 200 SPAR supermarkets and plans to expand into franchise stores. In addition, the company remains open to new partners to join the initiative.

SPAR’s aim is to bring more quality Hungarian products to consumers, while the Regional Treasures programme offers real growth opportunity for small businesses that are ready to take their business to the next level. “Regional Treasures is a great opportunity for Hungarian producers: we would like their quality products to prove themselves in a regional context, in cooperation with large companies, and we could build long-term joint successes with our partners,” emphasised Márk Maczelka.

For more information on products, supplier partners and how to join, please visit https://regiokkincsei.spar.hu/ .

SPAR Hungary has continued its practice of organising its flagship corporate events in line with a carbon-conscious approach. According to an assessment carried out with the involvement of an independent expert, the planting of 304 native fruit trees will ensure balance with nature.

As in previous years, SPAR Hungary used an independent expert to assess the carbon footprint of two major events held last year; the press conference organised to present its annual business report and the partner event linked to the Budapest Wine Festival. Based on the results, the company will voluntarily offset the emissions associated with these events by planting a total of 304 native fruit trees over a five-year period. The calculations were carried out by the GreenDependent Institute, which examined the wide-ranging environmental impact of the events, from the number of participants and their modes of travel to catering, energy use, printed materials and the operation of technical equipment. The findings clearly confirmed that SPAR has consciously incorporated previous recommendations into its event management practices in recent years, resulting in a measurable reduction in carbon emissions.

In the case of the press conference presenting the 2025 annual business report, held in April 2025, catering accounted for the largest share of the carbon footprint. However, significant progress was made in this area: at the 2025 event, carbon dioxide emissions related to catering were reduced to nearly one third compared to the previous year. This improvement is primarily attributable to a radical reduction in the quantity of meat-based dishes, clearly demonstrating that conscious menu planning can have a meaningful environmental impact.

Similar findings emerged from the carbon footprint analysis of the Budapest Wine Festival partner event held in September 2025. As in previous years, catering-related emissions proved to be the most significant factor, although a noticeable decrease was observed compared to earlier years. A particularly positive result was the substantial reduction in the amount of waste generated compared to 2024, while surplus food in all affected years was donated for charitable use.

“Sustainability is a continuous learning and development process for us. We are proud that by incorporating previous professional recommendations we have been able to achieve

tangible results, while remaining open to acting even more responsibly across all areas of our operations,” emphasised Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

As part of the five-year carbon offsetting programme, the 304 native fruit trees to be planted in spring 2026 will come from the collection of Gyula Kovács’s ‘Tündérkert’ orchard in Zala County. With the involvement of GreenDependent, the trees will be planted in school gardens and the gardens of non-profit organisations. In addition to offsetting emissions, the trees will create long-term educational and community value, while contributing to biodiversity and the preservation of traditional Hungarian fruit varieties.

The A Joy to Give! donation campaign, jointly organised by the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta and SPAR Hungary, has come to a close, ensuring that Christmas will be brighter for tens of thousands of people facing hardship. Shoppers donated a total of 208 tonnes of non-perishable food in designated SPAR and INTERSPAR stores, while the sale of donation cards – including online contributions – raised 11 million forints. Using the donated food and the funds received, a total of 25 thousand gift packages have been prepared, which the Charity Service’s staff will deliver to families in need, elderly people and those struggling to make ends meet before the festive season.

“This year’s collection has once again shown the immense power of solidarity. Behind the food donated in person and the funds raised through the donation cards stand people who think of those for whom the holidays are a much more difficult time. We are grateful to every shopper who contributed even a single item, helping us put together 25 thousand packages this year, as these parcels contain not only food but also the donors’ personal care and concern. Our thanks also go to our thousands of volunteers, who have worked tirelessly in the shops, in the warehouses and during deliveries to ensure that the donations reach those most in need before the holidays,” said Tamás Romhányi, head of communications at the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta.

“We are proud that, together with our strategic partner, the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta, we were once again able to show the strength and humanity of the community that has formed among shoppers in SPAR stores. Real care and attentiveness lie behind every contribution, expressing the true essence of the festive season. We thank every donor and every volunteer for passing on what the holidays really stand for: attention, care and the power of reaching out to others,” emphasised Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

The food packages prepared from in-store and online donations are dispatched from the Charity Service’s warehouses to different parts of the country, primarily to communities where the burdens of daily life pose an especially great challenge. The contents of the packages – long-life staple foods, tinned goods, sweets, pasta, rice, cooking oil and other essential items – provide real, immediate help in preparing warm meals and easing the difficulties of the festive period.

Detailed results of the 2025 Joy to Give! charity campaign can be found on the website at www.adniorom.hu. An animated short film showing the journey of the donations is also available there, offering insight into how contributions reach people in need step by step.

“What kind of workplace would you wish for your daughter?” – this was the question Dreher Breweries asked its employees for this year’s International Women’s Day. The responses from fathers of daughters were then passed on to illustrator Barbara Bernát, who created visual interpretations inspired by their thoughts. The resulting dialogue has been continued within internal communications, while the artworks have been shared on the company’s social channels.

In line with its corporate culture, Dreher has been celebrating its female colleagues – who make up nearly 40% of its workforce – in a value‑driven way that fosters inclusive, gender‑independent dialogue. This year, the conversation began specifically with fathers of daughters, and with the involvement of creative artist Barbara Bernát, the initiative was elevated to a new level.

“Here at Dreher, it’s completely natural for multiple generations of a family to work side by side. So the question arose: looking ahead, what can we do for those who matter most to us – our children? As male employees, it is our everyday responsibility to help create a workplace environment we would wish for our own daughters. We received incredibly valuable answers from colleagues across all fields and roles. We will preserve these thoughts within our internal communications, while we felt Barbara’s illustrations deserved to be shared with a wider audience,” said Áron Berkes, HR Director of Dreher Breweries, about the project.

Although brewing is often perceived by the public as a masculine industry, the reality is quite different. Dreher Breweries has a long tradition of women’s participation – across its overall workforce, within senior leadership, and even among its active brewmasters. In 2023, the company explored this topic in a three‑part short‑video series.

Barbara Bernát was selected for the project because of her bold, experimental artistic style. She enjoys illustrating stories, works with dynamic, character‑focused drawings, and often uses traditional techniques such as watercolour or printmaking. She is also a member of the Halisten Studio, alongside fellow illustrators.

From autumn to spring, E.ON works in close cooperation with nature conservation experts from the country’s national parks to prepare for the arrival of storks. As the network operator in Transdanubia, Pest County and Budapest, E.ON plans to retrofit more than 250 electricity poles, rendering them bird-friendly. Most of this work will be completed before the storks return to Hungary. The operation entails installation of bird-friendly covers, long insulators and bird perches on the poles. Electrical connections will also be replaced to ensure bird safety.

Stork nesting will be facilitated by sturdy nest supports, 70 of which will be installed this year. Nests damaged in storms will be rebuilt, and those which are too heavy and at risk of collapsing will be thinned: 80 stork nests are set for renovation. Part of the work involves conservationists replacing branches intended for nest building on new nest supports, to make them more attractive for storks. A key aim of E.ON’s conservationist interventions is to make the power line network more bird friendly at several open waste sites in Transdanubia (e.g., near Tatabánya and Győr), as these are popular feeding grounds for storks. E.ON – with its cherry picker trucks and experts – also plays an active role in banding stork chicks in Transdanubia.

As a result of the scheduled conservation activities, this year 3,300 safe, new or reinforced nesting sites await stork pairs across E.ON’s entire power grid.