Spir Brothers Disrupt Israeli Retail with Rapid Expansion and Planned IPO
Oren and Avinoam Spir, brothers and co-CEOs of Super Spir and Neto Hissachon retail chains, have rapidly expanded their business from a small market stall in Jerusalem to a multi-billion shekel enterprise. Starting at age six in the Katamon neighborhood and running a fruit and vegetable stall by 16, Oren now leads a retail group with over 50 Super Spir branches and 18 Neto Hissachon stores serving the Haredi community. In 2024, they acquired eight Carrefour branches for 50 million shekels, followed by nine more for around 100 million shekels, boosting their sales from 1.7 billion shekels in 2025 to 2.5 billion shekels this year, with projections of 3.5 billion shekels next year.
The brothers plan to go public by 2028 with a valuation of approximately 1.5 billion shekels, aiming to become one of Israel's top three retail groups. They have diversified into convenience stores through a partnership with Kamari Group's 7-Eleven chain and acquired 50% of the Jerusalem-based "Market Ba'Ir" chain. Recently, they launched "Pharm Plus," a pharmacy chain targeting 50 branches to compete with Super-Pharm and others, emphasizing competitive pricing and sports supplements.
Oren, who overcame dyslexia and hyperactivity, credits his success to perseverance and discipline, exemplified by his Ironman triathlon participation. The brothers also operate a private real estate investment company managing commercial centers across Israel. They have established a joint distribution company with the Dan and Ron Barak family to supply their stores and private market minimarkets.
The Spir brothers criticize Carrefour's failure in Israel, attributing it to a lack of local market understanding and ineffective management. They emphasize their grassroots experience as key to their success, contrasting with corporate executives. They also plan to expand into the perfume market with the acquisition of 50% of Blendo, a Dubai-based fragrance importer, aiming to revolutionize the Israeli perfume market with affordable quality scents.
Looking ahead, they are exploring autonomous stores and advanced retail technologies to enhance customer experience and reduce costs. Despite fierce competition, they maintain a friendly rivalry with retail giant Rami Levy. Oren stresses that technology complements rather than replaces employees and that innovation is essential for survival. The brothers' story is one of resilience, strategic growth, and ambition to reshape Israel's retail landscape.
