A BRAND new independent specialist supermarket has opened its door in Andover’s town centre today (Friday, December 4).

Despite facing a number of challenges - right up to internet trouble on launch day - Magazin Alimentar on Union Street is now welcoming customers into its store.

It is Andover's first-ever Romanian specialist supermarket and will be the only one of its kind for miles.

Owners Ana Roset, 27, and Nik Policarp, 40, told the Advertiser how excited they were to have reached this point.

Ana said; “Finally! It has been so stressful, four weeks of getting ready.

“We have had a lot of people coming in, asking when we are going to be open and they are really happy to see a new business in town. We wanted to open as soon as possible because it’s going to be Christmas soon!”

The store is stocking a variety of produce, from fresh fruit and veg, to meat, cheese and snacks.

Ana said that they hope to later bring in products from lots of different countries.

“We hope people will come and take a look at different foods, have a taste of something new, and maybe they will like it.

“We have already had some Bulgarian ladies asking us if we can get Bulgarian foods in too.

“We want to bring food from other countries and cultures as well, for people to try something they haven’t had before.”