All posts by tudor@cijeurope.com.

Safeway Invests EUR 5.2 million in New Logistics Center

The Safeway Group announced that it is investing EUR 5.2 million in a new logistics center and accelerating the development of infrastructure in Cluj and nationwide.

 

With this investment, Safeway doubles its storage capacity in 2026. The new logistics center represents an important step for the entire Safeway Group, being developed on a total area of ​​approximately 5,500 square meters, with a compartmentalization oriented towards operational efficiency: 4,920 square meters dedicated to the storage area; 580 square meters allocated to administrative and office spaces.

 

“This investment is part of a long-term strategy of consolidation and development. We are focusing on high-performance logistics and digitalization to support the growth of our brands and to develop product distribution for our partners,” said Ghassan Shakhshir, CEO of Safeway Group. Founded in 1992, Safeway Group has constantly evolved from a local distributor to an integrated structure that includes distribution, packaging and retail.

 

Source: economica.net

Holcim Romania Acquires Uranus Pluton

Swiss cement producer Holcim acquires Uranus Pluton SRL, a granite quarry operator active since 2004 in Cerna, Tulcea County.

 

The transaction strengthens the company’s position in the infrastructure materials and railway construction market. With this acquisition, Holcim Romania enters the market of quarry stone products used in asphalt production, railway applications and large-scale projects.

 

“We are pleased to welcome Uranus Pluton to the Holcim family. This acquisition expands our capabilities in the infrastructure value chain and reinforces our commitment to providing safe, reliable and high-quality solutions for Romania’s growing construction and mobility needs,” said Bogdan Dobre, CEO Holcim Romania & Market Head Moldova.

 

Holcim also recently bought Xella Romania, one of the leaders of the local construction materials market, the largest acquisition of the Swiss group in the last almost 5 years.

 

Source: Profit.ro

American Chain Chili’s Enters Romania 

The American casual dining restaurant chain Chili’s has opened its first unit on the local market, located in the Mall Băneasa shopping center in Bucharest, following an investment of more than EUR 1 million. The project is developed by a group of local investors who have set an accelerated expansion, aiming to reach a minimum of 10 restaurants nationwide by 2030.

 

The shareholder structure of the company that owns the local franchise consists of four partners: Mohamed Kotop, who is also the administrator, Honorius Prigoană, Horea Dinea and Ioan Anton Măzărianu.

 

The expansion strategy is not limited to shopping centers, although statistics show that 90% of Chili’s restaurants outside the US operate in malls. Investors are also considering locating future units in military bases, with talks in the works for a possible opening in the Mihail Kogălniceanu Military Base.

THR Marea Neagră Sells Hotel Siret for EUR 3.5 Million

Turism, Hotels, Restaurants Black Sea SA has approved the sale of several strategic assets from its portfolio on the coast. The decisions concern both the awarding of the tender for the Siret hotel complex and the approval of direct negotiations for other accommodation and catering establishments located in the Saturn and Venus resorts, the buyers being companies controlled by investors Mariana and Nicolae Movileanu.

 

The company announced the award of the public tender for the Siret hotel complex in the Saturn resort at a price of EUR 3.5 million plus VAT.

 

This sale is part of a broader plan to restructure the portfolio and mobilize capital, initiated by the management of THR Marea Neagră Sea against the backdrop of financial constraints, a strategy that in 2025 also included the auctioning of the Bran-Brad-Bega complex in Eforie Nord and the Magura complex in Eforie Sud.

City Grill Acquires Historic Gambrinus and Monte Carlo Buildings 

Dragoș Petrescu, owner of the City Grill group, has completed the acquisition of the historic buildings in the center of the capital where the Gambrinus Brewery and the Monte Carlo restaurant used to operate.

The acquisition of the former Gambrinus Brewery aims to launch a new concept, which will keep the historical imprint but not the original name. Petrescu emphasized that the goal is to create a “cool” and attractive space for young people. A similar strategy has been applied to the former Monte Carlo restaurant in Cișmigiu Park, which will be acquired and temporarily operated in 2025 under the pop-up brand “N/A – Not Available”, and will be inaugurated in 2026 under a permanent concept.

 

For the year 2026, City Grill has allocated an investment budget of EUR 7 million, which also includes the completion of the renovation of the Cerbul Carpatin restaurant in Brasov.

 

The City Grill Group ended 2025 with revenues of around €90m, showing a nominal increase of 6.5-7% on the previous year.

TEDi Aims to Reach 100 Stores in Romania by 2026

Retailer TEDi opened its 73rd store in Romania earlier this year. The company is aiming for accelerated expansion, aiming to reach 100 stores by the end of the year.

 

The company has a network of 3,700 stores in 15 European countries and was founded in Dortmund in 2004.

 

TEDi consists of household products, home and decoration items, stationery and DIY items, gift and party accessories, drugstore and cosmetics. Almost a quarter of the products sold in TEDi stores are manufactured in Germany or other EU countries.

Romania: Residential Building Permits Rise by 4.4%

The number of building permits for residential buildings registered last year was 4.4% higher than in 2024, standing at 37,252, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics.

 

Increases were recorded in all development regions: North-West (+309 permits), Center (+279), West (+213), Bucharest-Ilfov (+180), North-East (+166), South-East (+164), South-West Oltenia (+145) and South-Muntenia (+129).

 

In December 2025, the number of building permits issued for residential buildings decreased by 9.4% compared to the previous month and increased by 5.5% compared to December 2024. INS data show that in December 2025, 2,650 building permits were issued for residential buildings with a total useful area of ​​894,770 square meters. Of the total building permits for residential buildings, 72.3% are for rural areas.

 

Ion family Opens Mercure Hotel in the Center of Bucharest

The Ion family has inaugurated a new 4-star hotel in the center of Bucharest and is working on another one. The investor has signed a partnership with the French hotel group Accor since 2023, and has now inaugurated a new Mercure hotel in a renovated building on Dimitrie Cantemir Boulevard, near the center of Bucharest.

 

The 40-room hotel increases the number of accommodation units affiliated with the Accor network in Romania to 25.

 

The Ion family also has the construction of a new event hall with a total capacity of 600 people under authorization, along with a 30-room hotel on Timișoara Boulevard in Sector 6.

 

Last year, the Ion family inaugurated a 4-star hotel in the Bucharest neighborhood of Cotroceni, in which over EUR 6 million were invested.

 

Source: Profit.ro

 

Victoria Business Park, Close to Completion

Chinese entrepreneurs Lu Jun and Chan Edy are nearing completion of the Victoria Business Park logistics park, in the Afumați commune, which will be located right behind the Expo Market Doraly wholesaler, with direct access to the old ring road and immediate connection to the A0 highway and DN2.

 

The total built area is 320,000 square meters, of which 95,000 square meters are showroom-type exhibition spaces, and the difference is intended for storage and production.

 

Currently, the project is over 90% complete. The total investment exceeds EUR 150 million. The developer estimates that the final adjustments and elements necessary for full operation will be completed by the end of 2026.

 

Source: Profit.ro

 

Except Recorded EUR 1.2 Million Turnover in 2025

Except Custom Solutions, a general contractor specializing in interior fit-outs and turnkey projects delivered under a design & build model, recorded a EUR 1.2 million turnover in 2025, with renovation projects accounting for 70% of the total volume of works. Overall, the company delivered 35 interior fit-out projects in 2025, mobilizing teams of up to 50 specialists, depending on project scope.

 

By segment, 50% of the 2025 business was generated by the residential segment, 25% by hospitality, and 25% by office fit-out projects. Renovations were predominant in residential and hospitality, while office projects were largely fit-out works.

 

These results come amid a market context in which the volume of construction works increased by 8.7% in the first 11 months of 2025, with major repairs up 48.6% and works on new residential buildings up 11.9%, according to data recently published by Romania’s National Institute of Statistics.

 

“Official data confirms what we experienced in business in 2025, namely a significant increase in interest for renovation projects, both in the private residential segment and in hospitality”, said Ioan Dobre, Founder and CEO of Except. “In the segment of refurbishing older homes, whether apartments or houses, demand comes from clients who want to work with a specialized company capable of taking over the entire project, including execution and project management, as well as design and furniture production. In short, they want to deal with one professional and have a single point of accountability, not multiple separate entities”, Ioan Dobre added.

 

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