What will happen to Spar at Utrecht Science Park?

To many people's disappointment, the university has recently announced the impossibility of having a bigger and cheaper supermarket at Utrecht Science Park. The only grocery store on campus right now, Spar, cannot become that much bigger or cheaper in the short term, says its owner, Martijn ten Berge (30). But he hopes to be able to do more in the long run. 

Next year, the supermarket's retail area will be expanded by 100 square metres. Then, somewhere between 2028 and 2031, Spar will move to another place at Utrecht Science Park, after the Langeveld building is demolished. It is not yet clear where Spar will be temporarily relocated. 

As the only supermarket on De Uithof, the survival of the store is crucial for those living on campus, observes Ten Berge. That is why Spar and the university are looking for a solution. "We are currently having constructive talks with the university and are confident that a solution will be found. It is challenging, though." One of the options being considered is installing a temporary building, as seen in new housing estates.

Expansion in 2025 and lower prices
In 2025, the canteen and the site of the former Spar ATM will be added to the shop area, which will increase the shop floor by 100 square metres. People living in Utrecht Science Park are invited to join an "inspiration council" to suggest which products the supermarket should add to its range. Ten Berge plans to invite about ten students to help him think of ways to meet residents' wishes. "I would very much like to get feedback",  he says.

He would also like to reduce prices wherever possible. "We cannot suddenly make the entire store 20 per cent cheaper, but we have some wiggle room. That's why we'd like to know what students need. For example, are there any specific products that would be cheaper, which we could include in our range? We could also look into giving discounts to USP residents on the entire range in the evening and on weekends."

Split between to-go customers and residents
Although the supermarket's clientele is overwhelmingly made up of students and employees of the university and university of applied sciences, Spar also tries to meet the demand of those living on campus, even though they only form 5 per cent of customers. This lopsided ratio adds to the puzzle. "On weekdays, 50 per cent of our sales happen between noon and two in the afternoon. On weekends, the turnover is only 10 per cent of a normal day. This means the store is not profitable in the hours when residents come."

Many students live in Utrecht Science Park, compared to other university campuses. But those campuses have big supermarkets nearby. Spar, on the other hand, must fulfil the role of both a convenience store and a supermarket for daily groceries. Ten Berge fully understands that a second, larger supermarket is not an option at Utrecht Science Park. "There is no financial space for that, there would only be losers," he says. That is why he would prefer to see an additional supermarket in the Archimedes Quarter, where a residential area is planned, which could or could not be from another chain. "Spar could never be a full-fledged supermarket at USP, people will always have to cycle for their groceries. It would be very nice for the students if they could go somewhere nearby."

The new Spar, which will return to USP somewhere in 2031, will occupy no more than 1,000 square metres, which is more than double the current area. "But, compared to many supermarkets, this is still a small shop," says Ten Berge. However, he hopes the additional space will allow him to sell evening meals, hot sandwiches and breakfast products.

Critical students
Due to its dual role, Spar has a much lower rating compared to supermarkets on other campuses. "As a general rule, UU students are more critical than students from other universities. It's been like this for 20 years." That doesn't bother Ten Berge. "It hurts when people post unfounded criticism on Google but then don't want to engage in a conversation. I think many people don't see how much we're willing to do for students."

Ten Berge hopes the talks with students will have the same effect as in Rotterdam and Nijmegen, where he used the same tactics. "We listened to students' needs and we see that reflected in customer satisfaction."    

Do you live in Utrecht Science Park and would like to help Spar reconsider its range and prices for a fee? Send an e-mail to Martijn ten Berge at martijn@spartb.nl