Category: News

The Almeida Junior Group continues to strengthen its presence in the Santa Catarina market with the inauguration of new stores that elevate the level of shopping experience and wellness. Major openings have marked recent days at the group’s properties, bringing renowned and exclusive brands that reinforce the quality and varied mix offered at the company’s shopping centers. The French brand Le Creuset, Porsche, and Riviera Café are coming to the chain’s shopping centers.

Nações Shopping in Criciúma welcomed Me.Linda, a store with over 400m² dedicated to the cosmetics, accessories, perfumery, and beauty products segment. With a selection of the best brands on the market, the new operation represents a major advancement for the shopping center and for consumers in the region, further consolidating the Giant of the South as the main shopping and wellness destination in Santa Catarina.

In Balneário Camboriú, the French brand Le Creuset, synonymous with design and quality in kitchenware, opened its first signature boutique at Balneário Shopping. Known worldwide for its iconic cast iron cookware, the store features an innovative concept developed by architect Maurício Queiroz, with a sophisticated layout that enhances the consumer experience. With dedicated kitchen areas, a “gift station,” and differentiated visual communication, the boutique promises to offer a unique shopping experience to customers.

The iconic mall has also welcomed names such as Samsonite, Salinas, Ellus, VR Collezione, Lofty Style, Simmons, Me.Linda, and Creamy. In the coming months, the shopping center will receive the Coliseu jewelry store, Hector Albertazzi – specializing in luxury accessories – Wow Park, Manteigaria do Porto, and the UniZushi and Duladupara restaurants to strengthen Balneário Shopping as a consumer experience hub. In 2024, brands such as Buddha Spa, Samsonite, Sisley Paris, Lofty Style, Paula Torres, Virus 41, Grand Vision, Be Fly, Manoa Acessórios, The Wine Pub, Stanley, Biscoitê, Go Coffee, Vibe Beach, Moncloa, and Fom have already opened.

Other important openings arrived at Continente Shopping in Greater Florianópolis. Riviera Café, bringing the charm of the French Riviera to the property, opens with an elegant and welcoming environment combined with good gastronomy. With an area of 160 square meters, the new unit was designed to provide an engaging and sophisticated experience, combining comfort and style. The menu offered by Riviera Café goes beyond traditional coffees and includes specialties, as well as a selection of savory items, sandwiches, pies, and cakes prepared with high-quality ingredients. Also arriving is Raveli Brand Store, a multi-brand store that brings together labels such as Calvin Klein, Dudalina, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Richards, Levi’s, and Columbia, focused on the men’s fashion segment. The new store expands the range of options for consumers in Greater Florianópolis, reaffirming Continente Shopping as the region’s largest shopping destination.

At Neumarkt in Blumenau, Reserva opened its doors, presenting customers with a blend of high quality, style, and sophistication. The brand offers a product mix with main lines including: casual, work, jeans, beach, pets, eyewear, Go (footwear and accessories), and Mini. The result is products for the whole family in one place. The new store at Neumarkt Shopping is located across from Life by Vivara. Neumarkt Shopping will also receive the region’s first Porsche store, exclusively and temporarily. The store will be the city’s first Porsche Center, consolidating the luxury brand in the Itajaí Valley.

In recent months, Garten Shopping welcomed the opening of Cantina Mattarello, reinforcing its gastronomic offerings with a touch of Italian tradition, while Norte Shopping expanded its mix with the arrival of Avatim and Leo Cosméticos, brands that add even more quality and diversity to the beauty and wellness portfolio, meeting the demands of the discerning Santa Catarina public.

In celebration of Children’s Day, Almeida Junior has prepared a special initiative for the month of October. Customers will be able to redeem personalized kits through the AJFans app, which include an exclusive original activity book celebrating the typical festivals of the cities/regions where Almeida Junior shopping centers are located, along with a set of crayons. The goal is to provide moments of fun and learning for children, exploring Santa Catarina’s culture and curiosities.

To pick up the book “Playing and Discovering Santa Catarina’s Festivals” and the crayon set, the guardian simply needs to register as a user in the AJFans app and collect them at the partner stores indicated in each of the group’s shopping centers, presenting the QR Code of the benefit reservation for validation. “We want families to enjoy this playful experience, which stimulates creativity and connection with Santa Catarina’s roots in a fun and accessible way,” comments Gisele Onofre, Corporate Marketing Manager at Almeida Junior. The initiative is valid for the group’s six shopping centers: Balneário Shopping, Continente Shopping, Garten Shopping, Nações Shopping, Norte Shopping, and Neumarkt Shopping.

In a scenario where the balance between personal and professional life is becoming increasingly essential, companies around the world are adopting initiatives that promote the well-being of their employees. According to a recent survey by Aon Brasil, 60% of companies have started investing in health and quality of life programs, making it the second most valued benefit after the Covid-19 pandemic period. Attentive to these needs and the importance of a healthy work environment, Almeida Junior, Santa Catarina’s largest shopping center chain, has just launched the Viva Bem AJ program, an initiative that will benefit its 1,000 employees and their dependents.

The Viva Bem AJ program is structured around three fundamental pillars for employee well-being: physical, psychological, and nutritional health. Almeida Junior, in partnership with GoGood, a Santa Catarina company specializing in health and wellness benefits, offers a wide range of services that include access to gyms, psychology and nutrition consultations, and 24-hour medical support. Among the program’s initiatives, the encouragement of regular physical exercise stands out, through discounts ranging from 30% to 70% at over 2,500 gyms affiliated with GoGood throughout Brazil. Additionally, employees and their dependents will have free and unlimited access to telemedicine consultations with psychologists, nutritionists, and general practitioners.

To promote healthy eating habits and a balanced lifestyle, the program also includes educational activities, workshops, lectures, and mindfulness sessions, providing a work environment that values self-care and the comprehensive well-being of its employees.

Innovation and Care for Employees and Their Pets

Recognizing the importance of the family environment and the growing trend of families adopting pets, Almeida Junior also includes in the Viva Bem AJ program access to the premium version of the Budz app, an innovative pet tech that provides a complete care and wellness experience for dogs and cats. With features ranging from training and behavioral management to health management and vaccination records, Budz offers exclusive content on nutrition, behavior, and hygiene. The app, which has 50,000 users, features an AI assistant to answer questions 24 hours a day and, starting in October, will have veterinary telemedicine available.

“It’s the perfect tool for companies that want to stand out in the market and create a more welcoming work environment, where the well-being of employees and their pets is also a priority,” says Jaimes Almeida Neto, partner at Budz.

Appreciation and Strengthening of the Employer Brand

For Beth Rachelle, People and Management Director at Almeida Junior, the Viva Bem AJ Program places people at the center of the company’s growth strategy. “We believe that a healthy, inclusive, and motivating work environment is essential for the success of any organization. By integrating ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) principles into our internal practices, we demonstrate our genuine commitment to sustainability and care for people,” she states.

Beth emphasizes that Viva Bem AJ goes beyond improving traditional benefits. “This program is an opportunity for us to modernize our benefits, adapting them to the new expectations of our employees and the market. We are aligning our practices with the best global references, with the goal of offering a work environment where each employee feels valued, respected, and encouraged to reach their full potential,” she explains.