Piotr i Paweł branding approved for selected SPAR stores

The Piotr i Paweł logo could appear alongside the branding of selected SPAR stores in Poland. As Polish retail news outlet Wiadomości Handlowe reported on 10 November 2026, Specjał Group has secured approval from SPAR International for the arrangement. This does not, however, mean that Piotr i Paweł is returning as a standalone chain. For those in franchising, the key distinction is between adding a second brand to a shopfront and launching a new franchise system.

Two brands at selected stores

Krzysztof Tokarz, president and owner of Specjał Group, told the publication that the use of the Piotr i Paweł logo had been agreed. The proposal involves co-branding: displaying two brands at the same outlet. In this case, Piotr i Paweł branding would complement the signage at some existing SPAR stores.

“In effect, we have permission and will probably go ahead,” Tokarz told Wiadomości Handlowe. This wording points to an option and an intention, rather than a completed rollout. Approval should therefore not be confused with a widespread change to store signage.

The green light came from SPAR International’s head office. The plans do not envisage adding the logo to every SPAR outlet in Poland. For prospective operators, this means the announcement concerns selected locations, rather than a new identity to be adopted across the entire chain.

This is also an important distinction for customers: the proposal is to combine branding at existing stores. It is not an announcement that the Piotr i Paweł brand will replace SPAR.

Specjał acquired the brand rights with SPAR

Specjał holds the rights to use the Piotr i Paweł brand. The group acquired them when it bought SPAR’s Polish business from South Africa’s SPAR Group. The latter had previously acquired the remaining Piotr i Paweł business in 2019.

The process leading to the latest change of ownership began in September 2023, when SPAR Group announced its intention to sell its Polish assets. An agreement with Specjał was signed a year later. The transaction, covering around 190 stores, was completed in January 2025. Specjał then became responsible for developing the SPAR brand in Poland.

The latest announcement is therefore not about the group acquiring an entirely new brand. It is a proposal to use rights it already holds. Securing agreement from SPAR’s head office to combine the two brands was a separate step.

Wiadomości Handlowe makes clear that there are no plans to build a separate Piotr i Paweł chain from scratch. This is crucial for anyone considering a franchise partnership: an additional logo does not amount to the announcement of a separate franchise opportunity under the former brand.

Dual branding already has a precedent

Combining the two names would not be entirely new. According to Wiadomości Handlowe, the exterior of a building housing a Eurospar store has displayed dual branding since at least 2022: “SPAR with the Piotr i Paweł tradition”.

This example shows that references to the former brand were already in use before Specjał’s latest statement. It does not, however, establish what future signage will look like or how widely the group will use its approval. The existing example and the announcement of potentially wider use should be treated as two separate pieces of information.

The core of the news is therefore the option to use the Piotr i Paweł logo at further selected SPAR stores. It is neither the first-ever appearance of both names on the same building nor the revival of a standalone chain.

This distinction matters when communicating with franchisees and customers. The return of a familiar name above the door does not automatically mean the return of the former business structure, owner or partnership model.

Expansion remains focused on SPAR

The additional branding proposal comes as SPAR’s expansion plans are being updated. According to figures cited by Wiadomości Handlowe, the chain currently has 192 stores. Specjał’s strategy targets 400 outlets by the end of 2027 and 1,000 by the end of 2030. Of the latter total, 250 are intended to be owned by Specjał, with the rest operating as franchised stores.

These are targets, not results already achieved. They nevertheless show that SPAR remains the brand around which the group plans to expand this part of its business. The Piotr i Paweł logo is intended to supplement the branding of selected outlets, rather than serve as an alternative chain-building project.

Practical takeaway: prospective franchise partners should separate discussions about store branding from the terms of the franchise agreement. Ask whether dual branding will apply to your location, who will cover any costs and whether it will affect your contractual obligations.