Category: Innovation

The group launches a new feature that allows customers to purchase gifts from stores in the shopping centers and offers a promotional 20% cashback during the launch campaign

Almeida Junior, the largest shopping center network in Santa Catarina, is launching a groundbreaking project in the sector: the digital gift card feature through the AJFans app. The new feature will be available starting on September 21, in celebration of Customer Month, and will allow any user to purchase a gift to send to someone, who can exchange it for products offered at the shopping centers in the network.

The new feature will be available directly through the AJFans app, where customers can select the desired amount, make the payment, and personalize the gift card delivery with a special message. After confirming the purchase, the recipient will receive a link with the digital credit, which can be used at any participating store that accepts Pix as a form of payment, valid at the six Almeida Junior shopping centers: Balneário Shopping, Continente Shopping, Nações Shopping, Garten Shopping, Neumarkt Shopping, and Norte Shopping.

The entire process is 100% digital, secure, and integrated with the AJFans app ecosystem, offering a practical experience for both the gift-giver and the recipient. During the launch campaign, customers who make a purchase through the app will receive 20% cashback, limited to R$ 100 per CPF during a specific period. The complete regulations will be available in the app.

The Brazilian shopping center sector continues to expand, with a revenue of R$ 200 billion in 2024 and a projected growth of 1.6% in 2025, according to Abrasce (Brazilian Association of Shopping Centers). Almeida Junior’s initiative aligns with the evolution of a rapidly growing market. According to Blackhawk Network data, the global gift card sector generated US$ 767 billion in 2023, with R$ 4 billion in Brazil, and is growing at an annual rate of 14.9% in the country.

In this context, the new digital gift card represents a strategic innovation that enhances Almeida Junior’s digital presence and meets the demand for practical, secure solutions aligned with contemporary consumer behavior.

“Besides bringing innovation to retail, our digital gift card expands convenience options and strengthens the connection between customers and our shopping centers, offering practicality and flexibility for gifting on any occasion,” says Rogério Alves, Marketing and Relationship Director of Almeida Junior.

Continente Shopping hosted an event this Tuesday, the 24th, with presentations on solutions and innovations focused on retail, promoted by Almeida Junior in partnership with the retail vertical of the Santa Catarina Technology Association (ACATE). The ‘Conexão Almeida Junior Shopping Centers’ event focused on connecting companies with the corporate marketing, unit, and Human Resources areas of the Almeida Junior group and participating companies.

The initiative brought together solution pitches with the goal of encouraging the application of innovations aimed at retailers and large companies in the retail segment. Douglas Heinzein, Corporate Marketing Manager at Almeida Junior, opened the event by welcoming attendees and highlighting the importance of the connection between the sector and innovative companies that develop disruptive solutions for the market.

The opening lecture was presented by Valda Stange, CEO of TopMed, a Santa Catarina company that is a reference in the Telehealth and Telemedicine segment in Brazil. This was followed by pitches from companies that are part of ACATE’s Retail Vertical: DataForAll, with data intelligence solutions; Mimos Profile, which connects brands and customers to improve the shopping experience; Kevi, which centralizes customer data from various sources to give retailers a complete view; Inside the Box, which uses artificial intelligence to improve communication, training, and task monitoring for stores; Control, focused on financial process automation solutions; and Plooral, for HR recruitment and selection.

A sponsor of ACATE’s Retail Vertical since 2019, Almeida Junior has been driving the retail sector through events and discussions aimed at fostering new initiatives and solutions. “We work with innovation on three fronts: process optimization, enhancement of the company’s core business, and disruptive innovation. Our goal is, in a collaborative manner with the entire innovation environment where we operate, to create and co-create solutions for different business needs,” says Douglas Heinzein, Corporate Marketing Manager at Almeida Junior.

Event took place on the 4th at ACATE Primavera and integrated different players from the technology ecosystem applied to retail

Almeida Junior, Santa Catarina’s largest shopping center network, participated in the third edition of the prestigious Varejo Tech Day, an annual sector event. The meeting, promoted by ACATE’s Retail Vertical, which has Almeida Junior as a sponsor, took place on July 4th and was a meeting point for networking and knowledge exchange about the latest innovations in retail and the use of artificial intelligence.

The event, considered the largest technology event for retail in Southern Brazil, fostered visibility, connections, knowledge, innovation, and business between startups, retailers, and through the integration of different actors in the technology ecosystem applied to retail, promoting business generation among sector participants through connections and knowledge exchange.

Rafael Fiedler, Marketing and Relationship Director at Almeida Junior, participated in the panel on how to continue innovating in the world of Artificial Intelligence. “We were able to share a bit about our experience here at AJLabs, our innovation laboratory, and participate in the debate alongside major names such as Alexandre Rodrigo Arnold, Director of Technology, Innovation, Data and AI at Grupo Panvel, and Lisiane Monteiro de Freitas Batista, Tribe Leader at Algar Telecom.”

“Participating in this event is extremely important for us at Almeida Junior. It’s a unique opportunity to exchange experiences and insights with other sector leaders, as well as discuss innovative solutions that can transform the future of retail. This type of interaction is fundamental to foster innovation and strengthen the retail and technology community,” explains Rafael, Marketing and Relationship Director at Almeida Junior.