MDSR announces the acquisition of a portfolio of 9 hypermarkets

• Advised by BNP Paribas Real Estate and Cushman & Wakefield, this is one of the most significant transactions closed in 2022, with a total GLA of 123,000 square meters.
• MDSR Investments has secured the acquisition of the portfolio comprising 5 hypermarkets in Spain and 4 in Italy.

Madrid, May 4th 2022– Amundi Real Estate and MDSR Investments have reached an agreement on one of the most important retail transactions of the year. The French fund manager, representing a club deal of institutional investors, has divested a portfolio of 9 hypermarkets located in Spain (5) and Italy (4), mainly operated by Carrefour and one by the Italian cooperative Coop. These hypermarkets are in the following locations: Santander, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Alcalá de Henares, Ávila and Málaga within Spain, and Turin, Florence, Matera and Ancona in Italy.  

The transaction adds 123,000 square meters to MDSR Investments retail portfolio.

BNP Paribas Real Estate and Cushman & Wakefield have advised Amundi Real Estate throughout the sale process. DLA Piper provided legal advice to the vendor, whilst Pinsent Masons advised the purchaser.

Retail, growing investor interest beyond grocery

The largest transactions within the retail market continue to be on grocery-assets. It is precisely this asset-class that has been strengthened the most during the pandemic.

Since 2020, a large number of supermarket portfolios have been transacted across Europe as a consequence of the resilience demonstrated by the food and large distribution markets, which have had a reduced impact by Covid restrictions over the last 2 years. This resistance is exactly what investors value most, combined with the security of income and sustained rental levels.

The acquisition of the 9 hypermarkets by MDSR is representative and emblematic due to the large volume of the transaction, and because it is the first hypermarket transaction in 2022 – another area within the food market with a strategic position for operators. 

Besides the strong interest in food, within the retail sector there is also growing investor demand for retail parks and warehousing, another hot market, as well as in shopping centers, where there is a clear positive trend in sales and footfall that is motivating the return of institutional investors to this asset-class.