Innovation

Since its creation, Frey has established itself as one of the most innovative players in its sector.

A pioneer in out-of-town shopping centres, then eco-friendly retail parks, and inventor of a new generation of outdoor shopping centres, innovation is part of our DNA. Through its business unit Citizers, Frey now designs and manages new mixed-use districts in town centres.

Through its services and tools rolled out in all these locations, Frey continuously experiments with new ways to make its visitors feel good, while developing value for the retailers and the local regions.

Pioneer in eco-friendly retail parks

In 2005, anticipating the need to improve the shopping centre model, Frey became the first French operator to transform a concept that is now flourishing.

By designing the Greencenter® concept, Frey initiated an environmental transition, becoming a pioneer in eco-friendly retail parks.

 

As the model for an “eco-designed” retail park, GreenCenter® offers an array of ecological solutions to decrease energy use in buildings (by up to 35%), reduce water consumption and optimise waste treatment.

The concept came into being in 2007 with the opening of Clos du Chêne in the Paris region.

In 2010, Frey inaugurated the 1st HQE Commerce® certified French retail park in Soissons: the Parc Commercial des Moulins recognised for its High Environmental Quality.

Clos-du-Chêne Parc Commercial des Moulins

Invention of a new generation of ecological, experimental outdoor shopping centres

In 2017, Frey inaugurated the first Shopping Promenade® in Amiens, the new generation of outdoor shopping centres, designed to offer spaces that respect the environment and an “augmented experience” to customers.

The environmental quality of the site and the quality of services are now key to the concept:

  • An advantageous setting offering a surprising, exciting opportunity to wander and relax;
  • A multi-purpose offering with trendy brands, a strong, inventive restaurant offer, local services and attractive leisure activities;
  • A year-round events calendar that turns the centre into a social hub (particularly through the Social Club, see below).

Find out about the Shopping Promenade® concept

Creating and managing new mixed-use districts in town centres

In 2019, Citizers became the new business unit in Frey Group, responsible for developing mixed-use urban projects, supporting the change process in town centres by making people the focus of our design of original, sociable locations.

Citizers operates across the whole country, guiding the contemporary urban and social change process by developing innovative urban complexes based on the unique coexistence of new types of space (work, hospitality, culture, retail, restaurants and leisure).

Within Frey Group, Citizers’ mission is to transcend mono-functional logic to create vibrant, unifying and more desirable locations in town centres, that are always eco-friendly.

Find out about our urban mixed-use expertise

Continuous experimentation approach: the Frey lab

As well as developing new location concepts that have an impact on market standards, Frey Group continuously experiments with new services and new tools

The leitmotif behind these innovations is an ever-present “Feel Good” spirit.

Common objectives:

  • Improve the quality of the visitor experience and well-being at FREY locations
  • Generate value for the retailers and the local regions

The Social Club®

In partnership with the Masters in Distribution and Customer Relations at Paris-Dauphine University, a “pilot” Social Club® project opened at the Shopping Promenade® Cœur Picardie on 1 March 2019.

Thanks to the tests carried out, the Social Club® has now established its form and operating mode and attained the common objectives of the POC (Improve the quality of the visitor experience and well-being / Generate value for the retailers and the local regions)

The Social Club® is the cornerstone of the social programmes developed by Frey, designed to be a versatile, sociable space, open to all users.

The Social Club® is a place for people to gather, open to the city and all its components, celebrating the local community in many different ways.

Following the success of the pilot, Frey opened a Social Club in the Shopping Promenade Arles in October 2019. The Shopping Promenade® Claye-Souilly and the Shopping Promenade® Cœur Alsace Social Clubs® will be launched in Autumn 2020.

Partnerships with start-ups

Within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Frey Group supports start-ups and project leaders in experimenting with their concepts and innovative tools. “Pilot” projects or POC (Proof of Concept) are rolled out in real life situations in the Group’s assets so that the start-ups we support can test and improve their concepts.

This stage is often crucial to confirming their business model and can help achieving a successful fundraising.

Frey Group supports ambitious, promising projects, as a partner in their development.

  • Are you an innovative retail / real estate / smart city / catering / digital start-up?
  • Are you a project leader with an ambitious vision of how to transform retail?
Come and pitch your concept and see if you can gain a custom-made accompaniment!

Contact us !

Focus on

Amiens

THE SOCIAL CLUB® in Shopping Promenade Amiens

In partnership with the Master in Distribution and Customer Relations at Paris-Dauphine University, a Social Club® “pilot” project opened on the Shopping Promenade® Cœur Picardie on March 1, 2019.

Due to the success of this pilot project, the Social Club® concept is gradually being rolled out to other group assets.

The real-life situation allowed the Social Club® concept to find its form and its mode of operation.

The objectives defined upstream were thus confirmed:

  • Improve the quality of the visitor experience and well-being
  • Contribute to the dynamism of local community life
  • Generate value for brands and regions

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