Eurocash has acquired 49% stake in Arhelan retail chain, which operates over 100 stores in north-eastern Poland. The investment in Arhelan is in line with the development strategy of the group, as it aims to create the largest supermarket chain in Poland based on owned and franchise stores. 

The Polish anti-monopoly regulator UOKiK has approved the takeover of the Polish branch of the British retailer Tesco by its Danish competitor, Salling Group, operator of the Netto discount store chain.

Panattoni is to deliver a dedicated facility for TJX Europe - the owner of the TK Maxx brand and a leading off-price clothing and homeware retailer. The 61,135 sqm distribution centre will be located in Sulechów, Western Poland. This facility will help to supply products to TK Maxx shops in Poland, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Real estate advisory firm Cresa represented TJX Europe in the transaction.

Mitiska REIM announced it has secured a €123 million senior debt facility for its entire retail park portfolio in Romania from Erste Group Bank AG.

Chariot Top Group BV, a company managed by Griffin Real Estate, has sold 4 retail parks, completing the third and the last tranche of retail assets acquisition by EPP. It is the biggest retail transaction on the Polish real estate market in terms of volume since the beginning of the pandemic.

On Thursday, 11 March, SES Spar European Shopping Centers opened S-Park Kaposvár, a new retail park in Southern Hungary. As a result of a renewed lockdown in the country, only those stores that are deemed essential for the provision of basic goods and services to the population have been allowed to open. These are a 6,800 sqm Interspar store, a 600 sqm dm drugstore and a 150 sqm Ofotért optical retail store. S- As soon as official Hungarian regulations permit, all other stores located at S-Park, such as Hervis, Deichmann, Euronics, Pepco, and Kik will go into full operation. The segment and shop mix, which includes 10 stores, covering a leasable area of 11,200 sqm, will deliver a comprehensive range of brands and services to Kaposvár and the surrounding region.

AFI Brașov has obtained the LEED Gold Green Certification as a sustainable project for using technics and technologies for construction, design, and execution with minimum impact on the environment.

AFI Europe Romania is building a small shopping centre in Bucharest, on the land where the company completed the first phase of the AFI City housing project.

After a year in which the volume of investments amounted to about €900 million, 2021 will not be as rosy. Colliers consultants foresee a total volume for commercial real estate transactions in excess of €500 million. They also see room for a slight decrease in yields by the end of the year for prime office and prime industrial, if the economy, political and monetary system will be satisfactory.

The first year of the pandemic brought many lessons for all entrepreneurs and business executives. With plans and expectations upside down, many companies have had to adapt to new realities, regardless of the field. One of the big winners of the crisis was retail park operators that now plan heavy expansion in the coming years. Property Forum takes a look at Romania’s retail park pipeline.