Dutch pension fund PME has given a mandate to CBRE Global Investors to build a convenience retail portfolio in the Netherlands. The first investments have been successfully completed with the acquisitions of an Albert Heijn convenience store in The Hague and the Helperplein shopping centre in Groningen. The investment strategy will focus on prime supermarkets and local shopping centres in urban areas. In addition, the mandate has a strong focus on sustainability and a wide investment horizon.
The Albert Heijn supermarket in The Hague is centrally located on the intersection of Theresiastraat and Laan van Nieuw Oost-Indië, a busy street in the Bezuidenhout district. The store, with a surface area of around 1,285m², has recently been refurbished.
The Helperplein shopping centre is located in the southern part of Groningen. Conveniently located on the main street in the Helpman district, the 5,000m² shopping centre has a good mix of convenience retail, with a full-service 2,450m² Albert Heijn supermarket as an anchor tenant. Other tenants include drugstore Etos, Gall&Gall, Bruna, cheese store Van der Ley and bakery Meijer.
Martijn Vlasveld, Portfolio Manager at CBRE Global Investors, said: “The essential places communities rely on for their daily needs also offer great long-term investment opportunities for pension funds. By focusing our strategy on the top 25% of supermarkets and shopping centres, we are focusing on assets that are inherently less sensitive to global events and e-commerce. These locations are used as local meeting places, the importance of which has become even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. These assets also all meet the stringent sustainability criteria that form a key part of our investment mandate with PME.”
Marcel Andringa, of PME, said: “With this mandate, we contribute directly to sustainable shopping facilities in busy areas. At the same time, this convenience mandate acts as a counterpart to our high street retail portfolio and ensures stable cash flow regardless of the economic environment. A fitting complement to our investment portfolio.”
