A retail space of 820m² was purchased on the Markt in Ronse (see photo). This new construction project is leased to the Delhaize Group to operate a Delhaize Proxy. The opening of the Delhaize and delivery to Forum Estates are planned for this autumn.
In addition, we are working hard to optimise the existing real estate portfolio. In the centre of Liege, a retail space previously leased to Zeeman was leased to the Delhaize Group. The opening of the store is planned for the autumn of 2020. In addition, an existing but independent, Spar store in Hechtel-Eksel has now been leased directly to the Delhaize Group, which opened a Proxy Delhaize there in the spring.
These three properties are leased to the Delhaize Group under a long-term commercial lease and are fully in line with Forum Estates’ investment strategy. In this way, Forum Estates optimises and valorises the existing real estate portfolio.
This acquisition and transformation fit into Forum Estates’ investment strategy, which only invests in a supermarket and other E-commerce resistant real estate. This type of neighbourhood supermarket has experienced strong growth in recent years and meets the needs of today’s consumers who want to be able to shop in a quality, price-conscious, close and efficient manner. The ‘Proxy Delhaize’ neighbourhood-store formula responds to this with its range of fresh products, late opening hours and Sunday openings. With the addition of three Proxy Delhaize stores, Forum Estates strengthens its leading position as a real estate investor for neighbourhood supermarkets in Belgium.