Slate Asset Management (Slate) has entered into an agreement to acquire the grocery-anchored retail property portfolio of x+bricks Group (x+bricks). The transaction will be executed in two tranches, subject to certain closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Both tranches of the transaction are collectively valued at over €1b and comprise 188 properties. The parties have decided not to disclose further details.
Brady Welch, Co-Founding Partner of Slate Asset Management, said: “We are very pleased to be increasing our exposure to high-quality daily needs-based real estate in Germany, which we believe is a stable and defensive asset class with a positive growth outlook. Our ability to source and execute a transaction of this scale demonstrates the strength of Slate’s global team, the depth and breadth of our regional relationships, and our access to flexible capital through trusted partners who understand the value we bring to bear as investors and managers.”
Sven Vollenbruch, Senior Vice President at Slate Asset Management in Germany, added: “We are proud to be a leading partner for grocery and everyday goods distributors in Germany and plan to continue strategically investing across our portfolio to provide our tenants with high-quality spaces that meet the wants and needs of their customers. We look forward to further modernizing these properties with new infrastructure that will enhance their sustainability and convenience, with the goal of making these assets even more efficient, healthy, and attractive to tenants and end users.”
In connection with the transaction, the Founder and CEO of x+bricks, Sascha M. Wilhelm, has decided to sell his shareholding in the company and take on new challenges. Jorgen Verink, CFO of x+bricks Group, will take over the management role from Sascha Wilhelm.
Sascha M. Wilhelm, Founder and CEO of x+bricks Group, said: “Fueled by the fascination to drive and grow new ideas, we have developed x+bricks into a leading platform for grocery-anchored retail properties in Germany over the past five years. This success has been driven by a great team of partners and employees, whom I would like to thank today. Following last year's transactions, we succeeded in profitably selling the entire x+bricks portfolio to a strategic and proven investor in this asset class with outstanding capabilities to further develop the assets. At this point, I have decided to focus on new growth opportunities in a time window where the real estate market offers many attractive prospects."
Stefan Hohmann, Managing Director and Head of Investment at x+bricks Group, added: “In recent years, we have created a high-quality portfolio through numerous value-adding acquisitions and investments. We are pleased to pass on our best-in-class portfolio to Slate for further development now. This rapid and successful growth has been part of x+bricks' identity since its inception.”
Custodia Trust Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, owned by Berlin-based entrepreneur and investor Harald Christ, will continue to hold an unchanged stake in x+bricks Group until the portfolio is fully transferred to Slate.
To assist in the onboarding of the portfolio, x+bricks will temporarily provide transitional services for Slate.
