Amsterdam, the Netherlands: VIA Outlets, the owner-operator of 13 premium fashion outlet centres in Europe, has locked in a 30% year-on-year increase in the total gross lettable area (GLA) of its portfolio in 2026, driven by two acquisitions in Spain and Italy and the opening of a 22% GLA extension at Landquart Fashion Outlet in Switzerland. The momentum now extends into next year, with final planning approval secured for a major expansion of Zweibrucken Fashion Outlet in Germany, positioning the platform as one of the fastest-growing operators in European outlet real estate.
The portfolio's total GLA has reached 370,000m² across 13 centres following the acquisitions of Scalo Milano Outlet & More, which marked VIA Outlets' entry into Italy, and The Outlet Stores Alicante, which strengthens its position in Iberia. Both centres have been successfully integrated, and their remodelling and elevation plans are now moving into the next phase. The company holds the title of global leader for the retail commercial real estate sector in the 2026 GRESB Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark report, a credential that increasingly shapes capital allocation decisions among institutional investors.
Final planning approval for the expansion of Zweibrucken Fashion Outlet, located in the tri-border area near France and Luxembourg, marks the next milestone in VIA Outlets' organic growth strategy. The project will add 7,450m² of GLA, taking the centre to approximately 38,920m² and creating space for more premium and international brands while broadening its appeal to guests from Germany and neighbouring countries. At that size, Zweibrucken will sit among the larger outlet destinations in the German market, reinforcing the case for scale as a driver of footfall and brand diversity.
Beyond acquisitions and extensions, VIA Outlets continues to unlock value through remerchandising, with over 300 leasing transactions completed across the existing portfolio and more than 80 new brands joining its European portfolio year to date. In April, the company opened the expansion of Landquart Fashion Outlet, adding more than 4,800m² of retail space, following the 6,500m² expansion of Vila do Conde Porto Fashion Outlet in Portugal at the end of 2025. Both projects have been shortlisted for the MAPIC Awards in the Best Refurbishment Project category, with the winner to be announced in Cannes tomorrow.
For investors and developers, the VIA Outlets strategy highlights a shift that has received less attention than the headline acquisition volumes: in a market where new outlet development has slowed to a trickle, expanding existing, proven centres has become the most capital-efficient route to growth. Extensions benefit from established footfall, known catchments and existing tenant relationships, which lowers lease-up risk compared with ground-up schemes, while planning approvals for extensions of established centres are often easier to secure than for new sites. Combined with the lettable-area uplift from the 300-plus leasing transactions and 80 new brands, the model shows how an operator can compound income growth through both physical expansion and active remerchandising, a playbook likely to attract further institutional interest in the sector.
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Companies
- VIA Outlets, Amsterdam-based owner-operator of 13 premium fashion outlet centres in Europe; total GLA of 370,000m²; global leader for the retail sector in the 2026 GRESB benchmark
- Scalo Milano Outlet & More, outlet centre in Italy acquired by VIA Outlets in 2026; marked the company's entry into the Italian market
- The Outlet Stores Alicante, outlet centre in Spain acquired by VIA Outlets in 2026
- Landquart Fashion Outlet, Switzerland; VIA Outlets centre that opened a 22% GLA extension in April 2026, adding more than 4,800m²
- Zweibrucken Fashion Outlet, Germany; VIA Outlets centre in the tri-border area near France and Luxembourg; final planning approval secured for a 7,450m² expansion
- Vila do Conde Porto Fashion Outlet, Portugal; VIA Outlets centre that completed a 6,500m² expansion at the end of 2025
- GRESB, global real estate sustainability benchmark; ranked VIA Outlets as global leader for the retail sector in 2026
- MAPIC, international retail real estate event in Cannes; its MAPIC Awards shortlisted Landquart and Vila do Conde in the Best Refurbishment Project category
