New retail projects spreading across Serbia, Sumadija in the lead – 2024 Retrospective, investments in TRADE CENTERS

The interest in the construction of trade centers and retail parks is not only not waning, but new facilities have either arrived or are soon to arrive to nearly all cities throughout Serbia.

While the investors worked hard to plan and build, we worked hard to follow their every step – and revealed what interested you the most. Although investments were announced throughout the country, from Vranje in the south, through Kikinda, Bor, Belgrade and its area, Sumadija is dominant, with as many as four projects in the top most read articles – two investments each in Arandjelovac and Velika Plana.

From innovative spaces which revive memories of former factories to futuristic retail parks which bring the best brands to your neighborhood, here is the list of the most read news in the field of investments in trade centers which marked the year behind us.

1. RIVA Shopping Center in Velika Plana

Velika Plana got the retail park RIVA Shopping Center in September.

Located in the very center of Velika Plana, it spreads on an area of 11,280 m2. With a total gross area of 6,019.93 m2, with 5,600 m2 for the tenants, it features over 17 stores, 100 parking spaces and a children’s playground.



The investor is the Donic company from Velika Plana, founded in 1994, which owns 11 retail outlets.

The investment was announced a year before, when the Municipality of Velika Plana advertised the public presentation of the urban project. In April 2024, a time capsule was laid down in the foundations of the shopping center.

2. New Chinese shopping center Eurasia Trade opens in Belgrade

After two years of construction, the new Chinese shopping center was opened in Belgrade. The investment is worth EUR 60 million. A thousand workers were employed.

The new Chinese shopping center “Eurasia” is located in Jurija Gagarina Street in New Belgrade.

When the second phase of the project is finished as well, there will be around 460 outlets with side features and parking spaces on 24,000 square meters, which makes it the biggest and most modern Chinese trade center in Europe.

The opening of this shopping center had been delayed on several occasions. It was first announced in May, then postponed until June, then until August, and the center was finally opened in September.

3. French chain Carrefour to enter Serbian market

Through its office in Greece, Carrefour plans to make a big expansion in the Balkans, it was announced in October last year.

At the beginning of 2024, the first supermarkets in Bulgaria opened, and the operations are expected to expand to the market of Serbia soon. As the Retail Serbia portal learns, Retail and More from Greece, the exclusive partner of Carrefour, has founded its branch in Serbia.

Following the signing of the agreement with the French group, the Greek company sought a partner in Serbia, but as that didn’t happen, negotiations about the acquisition of the famous chain were commenced. The negotiations are now in the final phase and the French chain could almost certainly appear in Serbia sometime in 2025. Unofficially, the group is currently negotiating about the potential acquisition in Bulgaria too.

4. Trade complex Dima Park in Velika Plana

The trade complex Dima Park, whose investor is Dima d.o.o. from Velika Plana, is to be built in Velika Plana. Two new facilities are planned, along with keeping an existing one.

As can be seen from the urban project, the space on which the facilities of the former dairy are located, which are planned to be demolished, takes up an area of 11,021 m2.

The first building, with seven retail outlets, has the floor plan in the shape of the Cyrillic letter G. It has a total net area of 3,335.35 m2. The second building will have one outlet and an area of 697.97 m2. The facility to be kept has retail space, as well as a warehouse and offices.

In addition to the two buildings, traffic routes, parking lots, infrastructure network and connections are to be built. A total of 69 parking spaces are planned, in two locations – in the central part of the complex and in the south part.

5. Former chocolate factory Simka in Vranje to become trade center

A shopping center will be built on the site of the once famous Simka chocolate factory from Vranje. This can be seen from the urban project that the City of Vranje put on public presentation.

The client of the project, i.e. the investor, is Dunja d.o.o. food industry from Belgrade, under which the chocolate factory in Vranje also operated. Dunja doo has been owned by the Sabac-based company Candy Rush since three years ago.

The plan is to convert the existing production facility into a facility for the needs of trade - a goods and trade center, according to the project documentation. The future shopping mall will be composed of three parts - a commercial part, a warehouse and an administrative part, and 78 parking spaces are also planned. The commercial building will span around 5,500 m2.

6. Construction of trade center Shop Park begins in Arandjelovac

The works on the new shopping center Shop Park Arandjelovac began in April. The investor, Niksen Real Estate, had obtained all the permits, which had enabled the beginning of the works on the construction of the shopping center.

Niksen Real Estate will invest EUR 15 million and build 11,000 m2 of retail space which will feature 20 retail outlets on an area of 3 hectares.

7. Lidl planning construction of logistics center south of Bubanj Potok interchange

In March, it was announced that Lidl Serbia planned to build a logistics center south of the Bubanj Potok interchange.

On that occasion, the Detailed Regulation Plan for the zone of commercial and business features along the Belgrade-Nis highway, south of the Bubanj Potok toll station, for a part of Unit 2 – the whole block 2 and parts of the blocks 1 and 3, in the city municipalities of Vozdovac and Grocka, was available for public review. The space occupies about 51.55 ha, and as stated, “represents a significant development potential of the city.”

Business and commercial activities are planned on about 43.5 ha, with a gross construction area of 650,000 m2. A total of 8,000 people can be employed there.

8. Retail park Nest in Kikinda

In November, in Kikinda, the first retail park Nest was officially opened, an investment in which the company RC Europe put more than EUR 5 million.

The retail park facility in Kikinda spreads on an area of over 5,000 square meters, has 13 retail outlets, additional features and 100 parking spaces.

9. New retail park in Bor on around 10,000 m2

BIG CEE has filed the request for the issuing of the building permit for the construction of a new retail park in Bor. The shopping center will be built in the location of the former soccer field of the Rudar F.C., announced the mayor of Bor, Aleksandar Milikic.

As the local media report, the plan is for the center to be built as a ground-floor facility, and it will spread on close to 6 hectares. The construction will take place in stages, and in the first stage, commercial space on around 10,000 square meters and over 300 parking spaces are planned. The construction of a restaurant is planned next to the shopping center.

10. Arandjelovac Retail Park

Donić doo Velika Plana

Niksen real estate doo Beograd

Industrija hrane Dunja d.o.o Beograd

Candy Rush doo Beograd

Eurasia trade center doo Beograd

Carrefour doo Beograd

DIMA VELIKA PLANA

Lidl Srbija KD Nova Pazova

RC EUROPE RSB d.o.o. Beograd

Cee Group d.o.o. Beograd

Peštan doo Bukovik

BIG CEE

RC Europe

Dima Park

RIVA shopping center

Shop Park Aranđelovac

Retail park Nest

Aranđelovac Retail Park

Aleksandar Milikić