MEC Malls
MEC Malls is a privately held Brazilian real estate firm that develops, manages, and consults on strip malls in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, leasing space to national retail anchors and independent operators. It operates an active portfolio of 13 properties and serves retail chains, SMB tenants, and property investors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersSão Paulo, Brazil
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What MEC Malls does
MEC Malls is a privately held Brazilian real estate company specializing in the development, management, and consulting of strip malls (open-air neighborhood commercial centers). Founded around 2006 and headquartered in São Paulo, the company operates an active portfolio of approximately 13 strip mall and multi-use developments concentrated in São Paulo state (11 properties) and Rio de Janeiro state (2 properties), with individual properties ranging from 415 m² to roughly 12,000 m² of leasable area (ABL). The portfolio includes Open Mall Panamby, Open Mall Dom Pedro I, Open Mall Itu, Villa Multimall, and Quinta da Aldeia Mall among others. MEC Malls also lists approximately 25 historically developed projects over its operating history.
MEC Malls generates revenue through three streams: commercial space leasing (long-term contracts with national and regional retail chains as well as independent operators), recurring property management fees on managed properties, and project-based consulting for third-party property owners and developers. Its anchor tenant roster includes McDonald's, Pão de Açúcar, St. Marche, Smart Fit, Burger King, Drogaria São Paulo, Cobasi, Pizza Hut, and Bradesco Prime, alongside smaller independent tenants such as salons, clinics, and bakeries. The company's go-to-market combines direct B2B outreach to retail chains, a public portfolio showcase on its website, and thought leadership through its blog, Instagram, and industry event participation (NRF, ABMalls).
MEC Malls is led by founding partners Marcos Saad (also founding president of ABMalls, the Brazilian Strip Mall Association) and Mario Sergio Thurler (ABMalls vice-president), plus founding partner Lucelia Alves. The firm operates as a relationship-driven business with no proprietary software platform; its core competency is described as operational expertise in location analysis, tenant mix design, commercialization, and ongoing property management.
MEC Malls firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MEC Malls
- Legal name
- MEC Malls
- Website
- https://mecmalls.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- MEC Malls is a privately held Brazilian real estate firm that develops, manages, and consults on strip malls in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, leasing space to national retail anchors and independent operators. It operates an active portfolio of 13 properties and serves retail chains, SMB tenants, and property investors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where MEC Malls is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- São Paulo
- HQ country
- Brazil
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
MEC Malls business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Commercial Space Leasing: MEC Malls owns/develops strip mall properties and generates revenue by leasing commercial space (lojas) to retail chains and service businesses. Tenants include supermarkets, drugstores, fast food, gyms, pet shops, beauty salons, and other convenience operators. Rental income is derived from contracted long-term leases with a mix of anchor tenants and smaller operators.
- Property Management Fees: Ongoing management services for strip mall properties, including maintenance, security, cleaning, common area management, and tenant relations. Fees are charged as a percentage of property operating costs or as a flat management retainer, providing a recurring revenue stream.
- Consulting Services: MEC Malls provides advisory services to third-party property owners and developers seeking to develop, commercialize, or restructure strip malls. Services include location studies, feasibility analysis, tenant mix design (ancoragem), and operational planning. This is a project-based or retainer revenue stream.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
MEC Malls product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MEC Malls is a Brazilian commercial real estate company that develops, manages, and consults on strip malls (open-air neighborhood commercial centers). It owns and operates a portfolio of 13 strip mall and mixed-use properties concentrated in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, leasing commercial space to national and regional retail chains and independent operators. The company also provides third-party property management, anchor tenant placement, and feasibility/development consulting services to investors, REITs, and developers.
Product overview
MEC Malls is a Brazilian company specializing in strip mall development, management, and consulting services. The company operates as a platform offering four integrated service modules: Gestão (Management), Ancoragem (Anchoring), Consultoria (Consulting), and Planejamento e Desenvolvimento (Planning and Development). These services support the entire lifecycle of strip mall projects from site acquisition and planning through construction and ongoing operations. MEC Malls currently manages a portfolio of 13 strip mall and multi-use developments across São Paulo state and Rio de Janeiro, including Open Mall Dom Pedro I, Open Mall Itu, Open Mall Panamby, Villa Multimall, Quinta da Aldeia Mall, and others. The portfolio spans properties ranging from 415 m² to 12,000 m² of leasable area, serving anchor tenants including major retailers like McDonald's, Burger King, Pão de Açúcar, and Smart Fit.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Strip mall operating costs are approximately 10x lower than traditional shopping centers
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use MEC Malls
Customer profileNamed customers18 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
MEC Malls technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
MEC Malls partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- McDonald's BrasilcoreMcDonald's is a key anchor tenant in multiple MEC Malls strip mall properties across Brazil, including Open Mall Dom Pedro I (Ribeirão Preto), Open Mall São Vicente, Maricá, and Lins. The partnership is a strategic retail alliance where McDonald's occupies premium drive-thru and quick-service positions in MEC Malls' strip mall portfolio, providing reliable foot traffic and brand credibility to each location. McDonald's is the fastest-expanding fast food chain in Brazil with 40–50 planned new openings.
- Pão de Açúcar (GPA)coreGrupo Pão de Açúcar operates its Minuto Pão de Açúcar proximity supermarket format in MEC Malls properties, including Open Mall Itu O. Mendes. GPA has been aggressively shifting toward proximity formats, with 45 of 49 new store openings in 9M 2023 being proximity stores. The partnership positions Pão de Açúcar as a strategic anchor tenant driving grocery traffic to MEC Malls locations.
- Drogaria São PaulocoreDrogaria São Paulo operates pharmacy/drugstore units in multiple MEC Malls properties including Aclimação and Open Mall Panamby. The pharmacy chain is one of Brazil's largest and most recognized drugstore brands, serving as a essential-services anchor tenant with consistent foot traffic.
- St. MarchecoreSt. Marche operates premium supermarket units at Quinta da Aldeia Mall (Barueri) and Open Mall Panamby (São Paulo). As a lifestyle grocery brand, St. Marche attracts a higher-income consumer demographic that benefits co-tenants across the strip mall.
- Smart FitcoreSmart Fit operates fitness/health club locations in Open Mall Panamby, Open Mall Dom Pedro I (Ribeirão Preto), Villa Multimall (Santa Bárbara d'Oeste), and Quinta da Aldeia Mall. As one of Latin America's largest gym chains, Smart Fit provides consistent daily foot traffic and positions MEC Malls as a health and wellness destination.
- CobasisecondaryCobasi operates pet retail and services (grooming, veterinary) in Open Mall Dom Pedro I (Ribeirão Preto). The pet retail segment is cited by MEC Malls as one of the key growth categories in strip malls due to the one-stop-shop convenience model.
- AmericanassecondaryAmericanas operates variety/department store locations in MEC Malls strip malls including Chácara Santo Antônio and Aclimação. The brand is one of Brazil's largest retail chains, offering broad consumer goods and services that complement the strip mall convenience mix.
- Burger King BrasilsecondaryBurger King operates fast food/drive-thru restaurants in Villa Multimall and Salto strip malls. As a major international QSR brand, Burger King reinforces the food and convenience positioning of MEC Malls properties.
- Bradesco PrimesecondaryBradesco Prime operates premium banking service points in Open Mall Panamby, providing financial services to the residential catchment area. Banking services are a key component of the strip mall convenience mix, serving daily financial needs of local residents.
- Pizza Hut BrasilsecondaryPizza Hut operates pizza and fast casual dining restaurants in Open Mall Dom Pedro I (Ribeirão Preto). The brand contributes to the food and beverage anchor mix that drives strip mall foot traffic.
- ABMalls (Associação Brasileira de Strip Malls)coreMEC Malls founder Marcos Saad serves as founding president of ABMalls, the Brazilian Strip Mall Association. ABMalls has grown from a small group to 40 member companies managing 608 strip mall properties across 17 Brazilian states. MEC Malls plays a central role in defining industry standards, conducting the annual Strip Mall Census, advocating for the sector, and attracting new members and investment to the strip mall segment. Saunders also serves on the ABMalls Board, giving MEC Malls significant influence over industry direction and market intelligence.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MEC Malls competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- BR Malls: Major publicly-traded Brazilian shopping center company (merged with Aliansce Sonae in 2023). Comparable as a Brazilian retail-anchored commercial real estate operator with full lifecycle capabilities across development, leasing, and management.
- Hedge Brasil Shopping: Brazilian listed REIT (FII) investing primarily in shopping centers. Comparable as a Brazilian retail-anchored commercial real estate capital pool whose capital allocation decisions affect MEC's ability to raise third-party investor capital.
- Multiplan: Brazil's largest publicly-traded shopping center company, operating 20+ regional malls across Brazil. Comparable to MEC Malls as a Brazilian commercial real estate operator anchoring retail properties with national tenant brands, though focused on enclosed malls versus MEC's open-air strip malls.
- Sonae Sierra Brasil: Brazilian arm of the Portugal-based Sonae Sierra, developing and managing shopping centers in Brazil. Comparable as a retail commercial real estate developer focused on anchor-driven multi-tenant retail properties in Brazil.
- Iguatemi Group: Brazilian shopping center operator and real estate developer with premium shopping centers in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasília. Comparable as a Brazilian retail-anchored commercial real estate platform with similar anchor tenant relationships to upscale brands.
- Aliansce Sonae Shopping Centers: Brazilian shopping center operator merged with brMalls in 2023, operating regional malls across Brazil. Comparable as a Brazilian retail CRE company competing for the same national retail chain tenants as MEC Malls.
- Ancar Ivanhoe: Privately-held Brazilian shopping center operator with 30+ malls nationwide. Comparable as a domestic retail real estate platform providing management, development, and commercialization services to retail tenants across Brazil.
Others
- JHSF: Brazilian high-end real estate developer with malls, resorts, and luxury residences. Comparable as a Brazilian luxury-anchored retail real estate developer (e.g., Fazenda Boa Vista complex); only loosely comparable given the very different price points and formats.
- ABMalls (Associação Brasileira de Strip Malls): Brazilian strip mall industry association whose president (Marcos Saad) is MEC Malls' founding partner. Comparable as the institutional ecosystem in which MEC operates — its 40 member companies manage 608 strip malls that constitute MEC's competitive set and partnership pool.
Regional players
- AD Shopping: Brazilian regional shopping center company operating smaller-format malls primarily in interior São Paulo and the South/Southeast. Comparable as a regional Brazilian retail CRE developer targeting secondary cities, similar to MEC's interior SP growth strategy.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MEC Malls social profiles
Digital presenceMEC Malls financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MEC Malls leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
MEC Malls funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MEC Malls M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MEC Malls
What does MEC Malls do?
MEC Malls is a Brazilian commercial real estate company that develops, manages, and consults on strip malls (open-air neighborhood commercial centers). It owns and operates a portfolio of 13 strip mall and mixed-use properties concentrated in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro states, leasing commercial space to national and regional retail chains and independent operators. The company also provides third-party property management, anchor tenant placement, and feasibility/development consulting services to investors, REITs, and developers.
Is MEC Malls a public or private company?
MEC Malls is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was MEC Malls founded?
MEC Malls was founded in 2006. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is MEC Malls based?
MEC Malls is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, in the Latin America region.
How does MEC Malls make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Commercial Space Leasing is the primary driver. The others are property Management Fees and consulting Services.
Who are MEC Malls's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are BR Malls, Hedge Brasil Shopping, Multiplan, Sonae Sierra Brasil, Iguatemi Group, Aliansce Sonae Shopping Centers and Ancar Ivanhoe. Others are JHSF and ABMalls (Associação Brasileira de Strip Malls). AD Shopping is listed as a regional player.
Does MEC Malls have an API?
No public API is recorded for MEC Malls.