Abrasce - Associação Brasileira de Shopping Centers

What Abrasce - Associação Brasileira de Shopping Centers does

Abrasce - Associação Brasileira de Shopping Centers (Brazilian Association of Shopping Centers) is the sole national trade association representing the Brazilian shopping center industry, founded in 1974 and headquartered in São Paulo with a regional office in Brasília. The association serves approximately 400 member companies operating across an estimated 658 shopping centers in Brazil, representing a sector that generated R$200.9 billion in 2025 billing, 471 million monthly visitors, 124,791 stores, and over 1.08 million direct jobs — roughly 3% of Brazilian GDP. Members include shopping center owners, operator groups, and developer-entrepreneur groups spanning all 26 Brazilian states and the Federal District.

Abrasce's core products and services span four pillars: (1) market intelligence via the exclusive Censo Brasileiro de Shopping Centers, monthly sector monitoring, and specialized studies (including a franchise mapping of ~25,000 brands); (2) professional education through Universidade Abrasce — the only dedicated training institution for shopping center professionals in Brazil — offering online, face-to-face, and customized on-demand courses; (3) advocacy and legal defense at the national legislative level, plus ESG/sustainability programs (Carbon Free certification since 2017, UN Global Compact adhesion since 2024); and (4) industry events and networking, including the annual International Shopping Centers Congress, Exposhopping trade fair, Prêmio Abrasce awards, regional Encontros com Associados, and a multi-channel media presence (digital magazine, podcast 'Portas Abertas', YouTube, mobile app).

The association is funded through a membership-fee model (undisclosed), event and congress fees, training/course revenue, publication and e-book sales (R$65–R$500 per item), and tiered directory sponsorships (Gold/Silver/Bronze supplier guide). It is governed as a non-profit (associação civil) under president Glauco Humai, with no parent company or external shareholders. The 'Associado Abrasce' seal is internationally recognized as a sector-compliance certification, and the association holds no AI/ML technology products in its disclosed offering.

Name

Abrasce - Associação Brasileira de Shopping Centers

Legal name

Abrasce - Associação Brasileira de Shopping Centers

Website

https://abrasce.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Abrasce is the sole national Brazilian trade association for shopping centers, serving ~400 member operators across all 26 states with market intelligence (Censo Brasileiro), professional training (Universidade Abrasce), regulatory advocacy, and industry events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Abrasce is a non-profit trade association that represents, advocates for, and supports the Brazilian shopping center industry. Its core offerings include industry data and market intelligence (notably the annual Censo Brasileiro de Shopping Centers), professional education through Universidade Abrasce, regulatory and legal advocacy, sustainability programs, and annual networking events such as the International Shopping Centers Congress. Revenue is derived from membership fees, training programs, events, publication sales, and supplier directory sponsorships.

Product overview

Abrasce offers a comprehensive suite of products and services for the Brazilian shopping center industry. The core offerings include Universidade Abrasce (educational platform with online, face-to-face, and on-demand courses), the Programa Constelar (leadening development), and extensive market intelligence through the Census and sector data reports. Additional products include three specialized directories (Shopping Guide, Supplier Guide, Retailer Guide), the Podcast Portas Abertas, digital magazine, and annual events including the International Congress, Exposhopping exhibition, Prêmio Abrasce awards, and legal seminars. The organization also operates sustainability programs (Actúa a favor de la Vida y del Planeta) and provides an app for member access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Universidade Abrasce: Educational platform offering online, face-to-face, and on-demand courses for shopping center professionals.
• Programa Constelar
• Portas Abertas
• Prêmio Abrasce
• Congresso Abrasce
• Exposhopping

Products and services

• Universidade Abrasce Educational platform offering specialized courses for shopping center professionals, including online courses, face-to-face courses, and customized on-demand training programs covering mall management, marketing, legal matters, and security operations.
• Programa Constelar Leadership development program for shopping center professionals featuring interviews, content, and resources for mall management leadership.
• Guia de Shoppings (Shopping Guide) Comprehensive directory of shopping centers in Brazil, including traditional malls, outlet centers, strip malls, and mini malls, with filtering by state and alphabetical order.
• Guia de Fornecedores (Supplier Guide) Directory of affiliated suppliers categorized by segment including building automation, elevators, landscaping, market research, security doors and access, with gold, silver, and bronze membership tiers.
• Guia de Varejistas (Retailer Guide) Directory of affiliated retailers operating within shopping centers, allowing filtering by state.
• Podcast Portas Abertas Official podcast of Abrasce featuring interviews, industry discussions, and insights on shopping center sector trends, available on Spotify.
• Revista Digital Shopping Centers Digital magazine covering industry news, trends, interviews, and developments in the Brazilian shopping center sector.
• Censo Brasileiro de Shopping Centers Comprehensive census report providing detailed data on Brazilian shopping centers including total count, revenue figures, visitor numbers, store counts, and regional breakdowns.
• Congresso Internacional de Shopping Centers Annual international conference bringing together shopping center professionals, featuring exhibitions, awards, seminars, and networking opportunities.
• Exposhopping Trade exhibition for the shopping center industry showcasing products, services, and innovations for mall operators.
• Prêmio Abrasce Annual awards program recognizing best practices and outstanding projects in Brazilian shopping centers.
• Semana Jurídica Abrasce Annual legal seminar addressing regulatory and legal issues affecting shopping centers in Brazil.
• Seminário Jurídico Abrasce Annual legal symposium covering legal updates and best practices for shopping center management.
• Encontros com Associados Regional networking events bringing together Abrasce members across different Brazilian states to discuss industry topics and share experiences.
• Estudos e Pesquisas de Mercado Market intelligence reports including monthly monitoring, sector data, regional statistics, and research publications on shopping center performance.
• Programa Atuá a favor da Vida e do Planeta Sustainability initiative program collecting and promoting social and environmental projects from Brazilian shopping centers, including humanitarian actions and environmental preservation efforts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Brazilian shopping centers generate approximately R$200.9 billion in annual billing and serve 471 million monthly visitors, representing 3% of Brazil's GDP.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations Global Compact (Pacto Global da ONU)coreOthers · 28 June 2024Abrasce reinforced its commitment to sustainability by announcing its adherence to the UN Global Compact on the last day of the 18th International Shopping Center Congress in June 2024. This partnership commits Abrasce and its member shopping centers to the UN's sustainable development principles.
• OverMallsminorOthersAbrasce links to OverMalls (overmalls.com) for job vacancies in the shopping center sector, providing a platform for employment opportunities within member shopping centers.
• Leading Educational InstitutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAbrasce University (Universidade Abrasce) has strategic alliances with leading educational institutions in Brazil for the delivery of professional development courses and specialization programs for shopping center professionals.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• SECOVI-SP (Sindicato das Empresas de Compra, Venda, Locação e Administração de Imóveis Residenciais e Comerciais de São Paulo): São Paulo-based trade union/association for real estate companies in Brazil's largest market. Adjacent to Abrasce in serving Brazilian real estate operators and producers, but with a broader residential/commercial scope rather than a shopping center focus.
• Consejo Nacional de Centros Comerciales de México (CNCC): Mexican national trade association for shopping centers. Closest Latin American functional peer to Abrasce — both represent national mall sectors and organize industry congresses — but serves the Mexican market rather than Brazil.
• Asociación Española de Centros Comerciales (AECC): National trade association representing shopping centers in Spain. Functionally analogous to Abrasce at a country level — promoting the sector, organizing events, and producing industry research — but operating in a different geography (Spain vs. Brazil).

Broad incumbents

• Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm with a dedicated retail/shopping center practice. Adjacent to Abrasce as a major data producer on the retail real estate sector (e.g., Main Streets Across the World report) and serves overlapping shopping center clients.
• FIABCI (International Real Estate Federation): International federation of real estate professionals across all asset classes, including commercial/retail. Comparable to Abrasce in operating as a global membership association for real estate practitioners, though with broader coverage beyond shopping centers.
• JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle): Global commercial real estate services and investment management firm with a significant retail/mall advisory practice. Comparable to Abrasce as a major data and advisory provider serving shopping center operators and developers worldwide, but as a commercial services firm rather than a trade association.
• Urban Land Institute (ULI): Global research and education organization focused on land use and real estate development broadly. Comparable to Abrasce as a membership-based real estate body that publishes research, runs education programs (ULI Learning), and advocates for the industry, but with a much broader scope than shopping centers alone.
• ABRAINC (Associação Brasileira das Incorporadoras Imobiliárias): Brazilian trade association representing the country's largest real estate developers. Adjacent to Abrasce as a fellow Brazilian industry body serving overlapping real estate developers, but focused on residential/corporate development rather than shopping centers specifically.

Direct peers

• International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC): Global not-for-profit trade association for the shopping center industry, headquartered in the US. Directly comparable to Abrasce as the international counterpart, offering advocacy, research (e.g., holiday sales forecasts), events (RECon), and professional education for mall operators worldwide.
• Nareit: US-based trade association representing REITs and publicly traded real estate companies. Analogous to Abrasce as an industry advocacy body serving real estate operators, including retail and shopping center REITs, with comparable focus on advocacy, research, and member education.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzJHgAxJzTQK5rVDH-YBvLQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/abrasce
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abrasce-associa-o-brasileira-de-shopping-centers
• Instagraminstagram.com/abrase

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Abrasce - Associação Brasileira de Shopping Centers