Retail trends for 2025 are focusing on more personalized experiences, digitalization, and sustainability. Florentin Avadanei, Founder & Co-CEO Goldbach Group, answered Business Review’s questions about the retail market in 2024 and 2025, which you can read below. Florentin Avadanei will be present at Re:FOCUS on Retail, Couriers & Logistics 2025.

Business Review: How has the activity in 2024 compared to 2023 and what are your estimates for 2025?

Florentin Avadanei: As we look back on 2024, we can say that it was a good year for Goldbach Group and for each company part of the holding.

In 2024, Goldbach Group, through K2 Retail Properties, inaugurated the first retail park under the K2 brand, a fully leased commercial gallery in Râșnov featuring international retailers. This gallery is the first to operate under K2 brand, as a part of the development strategy to expand national level. K2 Retails Properties also took over 8 commercial galleries throughout the country and began the development of another 14 retail parks. The total investment of K2 Retail Properties in these 23 commercial galleries amounts to 36 million euros. By the time all retail parks, currently in various stages of development, are completed – estimated by the end of 2026 – K2 Retail Properties will be present in 14 counties with a total of 40,000 square meters leased. This milestone marks a significant step towards a broader goal. By 2030, we aim to consolidate our national presence in both food and non-food retail sectors and increase our footprint of commercial galleries to 100.000 sqm.

Another key sector for Goldbach Group in 2025 is renewable energy. Goldbach Energy, a part of the group, leverages advanced technology to develop efficient and sustainable photovoltaic parks. In 2023, we completed the Simian and Salcia PV projects at the RtB stage, with a total installed capacity of 12 MW. Currently, we have ongoing projects in Motru and Gruia PV, with a combined capacity of 12 MW and 12 MW of storage.

The energy sector will be very important to our growth strategy in 2025. Our goal is to develop 100 MW of solar energy capacity by 2027, positioning ourselves as a key player in Romania’s solar energy market. This will support the expansion of renewable energy use and reduce dependence on traditional energy sources.

Another key achievement in 2024 came from civil and industrial construction, urban planning, and architectural design, partly due to Goldbach Design & Build, which provided urban planning services for 3.5 million square meters and design services for over 50,000 square meters.

What are the main development trends in 2025?

In 2025 and the following years, the results of recent efforts in absorbing European funds will become visible. The real estate market is expected to maintain an upward trend, exceeding the levels achieved in 2023 and 2024, driven by public investments in infrastructure projects, particularly in road networks such as highways and social infrastructure such as daycare centers, kindergartens, schools, and hospitals, as well as private investments in targeted real estate sectors.

Will consumption/increase next year as we expect tax increases?

Despite some challenging factors, the construction and real estate market remains stable, supported by strong demand, especially in industrial and commercial sectors. The uncertainty surrounding the international geopolitical and macroeconomic landscape, including ongoing conflicts, political shifts, and rapid changes, may impact the market. Additionally, on a national level, rising wages and taxes are expected to put pressure on profit margins for companies, potentially influencing the market in 2025 and beyond. However, there is a significant threshold of resilience within the sector, driven by continued investment and adaptation to evolving trends, which positions it for sustained growth and opportunity in the coming years.