Citycon opens gateway to Nordic retail sector
With strong demographic trends and a solid economic environment, the Nordic region boasts the fastest-growing cities in Europe. The region's capitals - Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki - are ranked first, second and fourth among the fastest-growing cities in Europe and are prime locations for international investors and retailers.
With strong demographic trends and a solid economic environment, the Nordic region boasts the fastest-growing cities in Europe. The region's capitals - Stockholm, Oslo and Helsinki - are ranked first, second and fourth among the fastest-growing cities in Europe and are prime locations for international investors and retailers.
Citycon, as a leading owner, manager and developer of urban grocery-anchored shopping centres, has positioned itself as a conduit for international brands to make a debut in the Nordic region and even the Baltics.
"If foreign retailers can offer good value products, I forecast a good future for them here," says Marcel Kokkeel, CEO. "People in the Nordics have genuine appreciation for value-for-money products. The fastest-growing cities in Europe deserve a bigger selection of international brands."
Citycon owns 36 shopping centres and 31 other retail properties across Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania. The company always positions its shopping centres close to public transport hubs to increase convenience for shoppers.
Offering shoppers a full retail experience, Citycon shopping centres house a well-curated list of shops for daily shopping such as groceries. Drugstores, restaurants and cafes also stand alongside clothing boutiques.
"People visit our shopping centres to shop and spend time with family and friends. It is increasingly becoming a social setting as we create natural urban areas, such as libraries, schools, theatres, sports and public services, that affect people for varied reasons," Kokkeel says.
In its Kista Galleria property, among the largest malls in Sweden, Citycon built a state-of-the-art digital library, giving visitors an ideal venue to forge stronger community ties. Equipped with the latest technology, the digital library provides access to many interactive facilities.
Aside from the digital library, Kista Galleria also has a wet-waste mill where the garbage collected is processed into fuel for buses. As seen in Kista Galleria, Citycon shopping centres embody the company's commitment to sustainability. Citycon has drafted a sustainable development framework that entails the reduction of energy and water consumption, achieving a waste management recycling rate of at least 50 per cent in the shopping centres.
Citycon's focus on sustainability speaks volumes about the company's goal to be in the retail business for a long time. It invites investors to be part of its drive to become a leading Nordic company specialising in urban grocery-anchored shopping centres.
"If people want to invest in an international company with a clear focus on urban shopping centres in the Nordic region, they should invest in Citycon. We are the gateway to the Nordics," Kokkeel says.
http://www.citycon.com