IMMOFINANZ brings its shopping center brand VIVO! to Romania

IMMOFINANZ, one of the leading real estate investors in Romania, introduces its retail brand VIVO! to the local market and starts the rebranding process for its four existing shopping centres. As such, Polus Center Cluj will become VIVO! Cluj, Maritimo Shopping Center Constanta will be known as VIVO! Constanta, Pitesti Mall will become VIVO! Pitesti and Gold Plaza Baia Mare will be named VIVO! Baia Mare. The rebranding of the fully rented shopping centers with a total leasable space of 147,000 sqm will be finalized in 2017.  

“Our VIVO! brand stands for a shopping experience for the whole family which meets all expectations of a modern shopping, leisure and entertainment environment. Our very successful Romanian shopping centers fulfill all these criteria and therefore perfectly fit into our VIVO! network”, explains Dietmar Reindl, Chief Operating Officer at IMMOFINANZ. “We have a clear focus on building on brands within our portfolio as this is a clear competitive advantage for a real estate company that holds several hundred properties in Europe. With our brands, we concentrate on a high degree of standardization which allows us a fast expansion. For our tenants and their customers our brands are a quality and service promise. Therefore, we are convinced they will benefit and enjoy an even enlarged shopping experience.”

A mixture of international retail formats and local retailers, as well as a particular focus on the distinctive, standardised VIVO! ambience in the common areas make VIVO! particularly attractive. An integrated and coordinated experience guarantees a high recognition value. VIVO! also provides an extended range of services compared to competitors in this segment: modern food courts with a pleasant ambiance, refurbished relaxation areas, intuitive and friendly wayfinding systems, as well as a vast range of events, responding to all the public expectations and turning the shopping centers into leisure rather than commercial destinations. 

The VIVO! branding process will include a full visual identity update and the modernization of interior premises, e.g. common areas, food court etc. The first stage includes the full visual identity update of the exterior areas of the four shopping centres and is set to be completed by November 2016. Further refurbishments of the interior areas will then follow in all centers, including a renewal of the food court area of VIVO! Cluj.

“Adopting the VIVO! brand represents a natural step for our four shopping centres in Romania, which have enjoyed a constant increase in footfall and occupancy rates. All four shopping destinations record footfall increases of up to two digits on a year-on-year comparison. This represents the recognition of a suitable tenant and activities mix, plus the top quality experience we have been providing to Romanians and our tenants”, added Sorin Visoianu, Country Manager Operations Romania at IMMOFINANZ.

IMMOFINANZ’s retail properties in Romania have an overall leasable surface of 147,000 sqm, the equivalent of 12.4% of the company’s total retail portfolio, placing the company amongst the top five local landlords in terms of portfolio size. The shopping centers are currently fully rented, and have welcomed a total of over 25 million visitors in 2015.

On IMMOFINANZ 

IMMOFINANZ is a commercial real estate group whose activities are focused on the retail and office segments of eight core markets in Europe: Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Poland and Moscow. The management and development of properties form the group’s core business. The STOP SHOP (retail), VIVO! (retail) and myhive (office) brands create strong focal points for these activities and stand for quality and service. The real estate portfolio has a value of approx. EUR 5.4 billion and covers more than 360 properties. IMMOFINANZ is listed on the stock exchanges in Vienna (leading ATX index) and Warsaw. Further information under: www.immofinanz.com 

For additional information please contact:

Bettina Schragl

Head of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations

IMMOFINANZ 

T +43 (0)1 88 090 2290

M +43 (0)699 1685 7290

communications@immofinanz.com 

investor@immofinanz.com 

Romania Press Office:

Anca Meliu

Action Global Communications 

M +40 727 323 892

anca.m@actionprgroup.com  

Légende photo: Sorin Visoianu IMMOFINANZ Romania