Leading the Way
As a principal real estate company, NEINVER develops, owns and manages retail assets across Europe, partnering with over 800 fashion, F&B and leisure brands to support them in driving sales and growing their businesses across Spain, Poland, France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. Here, RLI meets with Joan Rouras, Leasing and Retail Director at NEINVER to discuss the company’s portfolio and the times ahead.
NEINVER has marked a new trend in the retail real estate sector and a new shopping format for consumers by leading the way in developing and managing outlet centres in Europe. Their specialised management model, the ability to manage all phases of the real estate cycle combined with more than 50 years of experience in the real estate sector, are key differentiators that allow them to increase the value of all their managed assets.
“Last year was an exceptional year for us, marked by the rollout of numerous projects and it is incredibly rewarding to see those efforts paying off this year,” says Joan Rouras, Leasing and Retail Director at NEINVER. “We have also continued to strengthen our relationships with our partners and with many new brands valuing our partnership approach, flexibility and success across all our projects. A standout example of this is our series of branded events (what we call our Trademarks) – such as Jungle Nights, 80’s party, Club Days and Super Thursdays – which are achieving high levels of brand participation and performance.”
A project was set in motion in 2023 that was based on building up from sales to rents and Rouras highlights they are headed in the right direction. From the end consumer to the brand, they have undoubtedly seen a change in areas, not only in demand from their partners but also in terms of quality. They are seeing better brands, more innovative store concepts, higher-quality products and an overall enhanced customer experience. Rouras explains that this positive trajectory is proof that their approach resonates with their brand partners.
In the light of changing consumer behaviour over the last few turbulent years, NEINVER has been proactive in adapting its operating strategies, with its primary goal to capture consumers’ time and attention, as they not only compete with other retailers, but also with various leisure activities from spending time at the beach to the increased use of digital platforms and social media.
“That said, designing the right strategy is all about understanding what our strong points are – brand, product, price – and focusing in on them, as well as improving other areas that are key for achieving good results, such as the shopping experience, service and safety,” Rouras comments.
As we move the conversation onto recent signings across the NEINVER portfolio, the Leasing and Retail Director highlights such projects as the F&B area at Vicolungo in Italy, where they have signed Miscusi, Calavera and Parma Menu among others; the development and growth of their Amsterdam centre thanks to the arrival of brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Asics, Calvin Klein, Selected and Outly; the qualitative leap seen at Las Rozas in Spain, which has seen several brands such as Skechers, Puma and Munich expand their stores. Amongst these was Adidas, which have taken more space to portray their “The Pulse” concept, in one of their first stores in Spain.
Finally in Poland the company has seen its international profile be strengthened through the welcoming of Jack & Jones to the market, where they have completed significant upgrades at the FACTORY Ursus-Warsaw and Krakow outlets and where they have secured brands such as Lacoste, Samsonite and Boss.
“We are clear about who we are and what we want to achieve. Our passion and focus on excellence set us apart, and we believe the best decisions come from the best talent.”
Looking forward, the business has one clear objective, to be the best NEINVER possible; with Rouras believing the key to achieving this is having as close a relationship as they can with their consumers, at every level. This is why they have rolled out projects such as increasing the share of F&B space at their centres and creating specially-designed areas to house this new offering. Another way of reaching this goal is the clustering of centres in a bid to drive synergies and competition between brands, similar to what happens on high streets and e-marketplaces.
Over the years NEINVER has enjoyed fantastic success, something which Rouras puts down to ‘The NEINVER Way’, which in its simplest term is the company making sure it specialises in everything that it does.
“If we decide to push retail, we must think and act like a retailer because if we don’t, we become estranged from the reality and needs of our partners. On top of this, we obviously also need to add processes and the question that we continually ask ourselves in every project is, are we adding value? If the answer is yes, then we carry on with resolve and determination.”
Outlet retail has seen a spike in popularity following the pandemic, making it harder to stand out from the crowd; however NEINVER continues to do this by ensuring every step forward they take, they do it directly with their partners. They feel that being well-aligned with their partners is the key to ongoing success, so collaboration is a vital part of every stage of their relationships.
“We are clear about who we are and what we want to achieve, we are committed to following our roadmap and our passion and focus on excellence sets us apart. Above all, we have an incredible team and the best decisions come from the best talent,” Rouras highlights.
“The outlet sector today is very dynamic; although consumption is falling in other areas, the outlet industry remains resilient and countercyclical during downturns. This makes us a reliable partner for brands seeking to grow. As demand rises, the bar for quality will only go higher, opening up many growth opportunities and we look forward to seeing what this brings.”
