ROS Retail Outlet Shopping is the fourth largest European company managing 12 outlet shopping destinations in 7 countries. It is an Austrian company founded in 2011 by Thomas Reichenauer and Gerhard Graf, which, on behalf of investors, manages outlet shopping destinations with a total area of 215,000 square meters and receives 25 million visitors annually. In addition to covering all phases of outlet center development, ROS also works for well-known institutional and private investors such as DWS, Resolution Property, INGKA Centres, Mutschler Outlet Holding, and many others. Currently, there are 4 center expansions underway with investors: Designer Outlet Gdańsk (opening in autumn 2024), Designer Outlet Algarve (opening in summer 2025), City Outlet Geislingen (opening in late summer 2025), and Designer Outlet Croatia. A new development project, Designer Outlet Kraków, is planned to open in spring 2025.
ROS Retail Outlet Shopping Has Been Acquired by the French Group FREY
The French group FREY develops, invests in, and manages real estate, specializing in the development and management of open shopping centers in Europe. FREY is a pioneer in the context of environmentally friendly retail parks with its Greencenter concept and is also the inventor of a new generation of open shopping centers, Shopping Promenade. They also hold Société à Mission and B Corp™ certifications, which further indicate their commitment to a more responsible and greener society, ultimately contributing to the ecosystem and shareholders. The company is aware of how important retail is for urban diversity, social connectivity, a strong local economy, and ecological transition, thus its mission is to restore retail as a service for the common good. FREY also undertakes large urban renewal projects and mixed-use projects.
A Win-Win Situation for ROS and FREY
The acquisition of ROS gives the FREY group access to the European outlet market, strengthens its position in Europe, and supports the company’s vision to become the European market leader in open retail and prestigious shopping destinations. While traditional shopping centers have seen a decline in business during and after the pandemic, outlet centers and retail parks have shown their resilience as open shopping destinations. Despite rising inflation, outlet centers remain popular shopping destinations, as evidenced by the fact that ROS concluded 2023 with a sales increase of +16.5% compared to 2022.
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The future collaboration will be the product of the joint development of new outlet locations, taking into account the expansion plans of brand partners within the ROS network, as well as enriching and enhancing the diversity of categories and marketing in general. ROS, in turn, gains a financially strong real estate group behind it that will help manage the portfolio and seize new growth opportunities in the European outlet market. Additional development will occur in the areas of ESG and the increasing digitalization of the retail real estate sector.
– We are excited to announce this important strategic operation for FREY. The acquisition of ROS, the fourth largest operator of outlet centers in Europe, will not only give us access to a very high-performing class of assets but will also offer us significantly diversified geographical exposure. ROS is an outstanding company led by some of the most talented individuals in the outlet market and has successfully risen to the top in Europe. FREY’s strategy will focus on strengthening ROS’s position in third-party asset management, as well as leveraging its experience and reputation to build a portfolio specifically dedicated to outlet centers through acquisitions or developments. The first example of this strategy relates to the recently launched operation for the development of Malmö Designer Village. FREY now has more than 31 open shopping destinations in 9 European countries, further solidifying its leading position in the retail asset classes that are most sought after by consumers, brand partners, and investors – said Antoine Frey, Chairman and CEO of FREY.
– FREY is the perfect investor for further growth in the European outlet market and the development of new, unique, and innovative open shopping destinations. We share the same vision of creating sustainable, socially responsible, and attractive shopping destinations that meet the current needs of customers and those of future generations. We see room for realizing many synergies and creating additional opportunities to reimagine outlet shopping with the financial strength and experience that the FREY group possesses. In this context, we congratulate FREY on the purchase of Malmö Designer Village, which is a perfect outlet location. We look forward to a successful joint journey where we will learn from each other, inspire each other, and create something new – stated Thomas Reichenauer, co-founder and CEO of ROS.
The First New Outlet Project of the FREY Group – Malmö Designer Village, Sweden
FREY is already utilizing its newly acquired knowledge and has announced the acquisition of its first outlet project in Malmö, Sweden. Malmö Designer Village is currently under development and is located in the heart of the largest Scandinavian area, which includes the cities of Malmö, Helsingborg, and Copenhagen.
With all necessary permits, with no difficulties recorded, and with an already well-advanced pre-leasing process, the start of construction is scheduled for the end of 2024. The first phase, covering an area of 18,000 square meters, will open in the second half of 2026, while the second phase of 8,000 square meters will follow after the first. The project will ultimately become the largest outlet in the Nordic market, with over 135 national and international brands including Adidas, Levi’s, Marc O’Polo, and Skechers. The Malmö Designer Village project will receive BREEAM Excellent, in accordance with the high ESG standards of the FREY group. Approximately 100 million euros will be invested in the first phase, with a targeted profitability of over 8 percent.
