SISA was founded in Carpi (near Modena) on May 22, 1975. The idea originated from a group of vendors who had turned their own shops into mini-markets or supermarkets and wanted to constitute a group with which making common bulk purchases.

This is the core basis that still today motivates the group, i.e., unity of purpose, team spirit, open debate, mutual respect and trust among the partners. Soon the group felt the need of growing into the national scene and to have a common trademark.

The number partners quickly rose to 169 with 260 stores. Meanwhile SISA is still growing: the partners are now 213 and the stores have increased by 44 units becoming 304.

The progressive development of the various Distribution Centers with greater contractual power, quick turnaround and restocking led to improve the supermarkets performance, however, the problem of the common trademark remained to be solved: many partners with small local retailing shops in order to avoid scaring away customers because their favorite store has changed its name, have decided, to place the SISA sign next to the original store name.

At the same time, the first SISA-branded products were launched on the market. A continuous evolution and modernization of the SISA sign until today’s claim that characterizes the trademark: I Supermercati Italiani was adopted.