Danish discount retailer Normal, healthy fast-casual brand Honest Greens and active gaming concept Activate have been named the most exciting brands of the year at the MAPIC Awards 2026, announced on 3 November in the Grand Auditorium of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes.
The awards, presented during the MAPIC retail real estate event, also recognised projects by Compagnie de Phalsbourg, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield and Siam Piwat, and Coach’s Coach Play store in Osaka. The winners were chosen from 22 finalists shortlisted across seven categories in October.
The jury was chaired by Joanna Fisher, CEO of ECE Marketplaces, and comprised Mohammad Alawi of TEAA Holding Company, Simon Boutigny of La Correspondance de l’Enseigne, Alexia Delaire of AEW, Valeria Di Nisio of Eurocommercial Properties, Carsten Heidtmann of Pandora, Sebastian Hylving of Ingka Centres, Caroline Murphy of Siam Piwat, Valérie Stern of Fast Retailing Group, Pablo Sueiras of Landsec and Robert Travers of Cushman & Wakefield.
Most Exciting Retail Brand: Normal
Normal has passed 1,000 stores across Europe and is continuing its international expansion, with entries into Italy, Ireland, Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Romania. The retailer sells branded beauty, personal care and household products at consistently low prices, using a “treasure hunt” format designed to encourage frequent visits from value-conscious shoppers.
Most Exciting Food & Beverage Brand: Honest Greens
Honest Greens combines chef-led food, technology and design in a healthy fast-casual format. The brand is expanding internationally with openings in London and Paris alongside continued growth in Spain and Portugal. Backed by investment firm Act III, it plans to expand further across Europe and potentially into new international markets, targeting urban professionals, health-conscious consumers and younger diners.
Most Exciting Leisure & Entertainment Brand: Activate
Described as the world’s first “active gaming” concept, Activate combines physical activity, video games and team challenges. It has opened its first French venue at Val d’Europe and plans around 30 venues across France, Spain, Portugal and the Benelux countries, with Generation Z, families and corporate groups among its core audiences.
Best New Development Project: Valvert Croix-Blanche Retail Park – Compagnie de Phalsbourg
Valvert Croix-Blanche Retail Park, developed by Compagnie de Phalsbourg in Essonne, south of Paris, is a 65,000 sq m lifestyle destination built around a lake, an art trail and landscaped walking paths. Alongside sports and homeware stores, the scheme includes a “Fashion Street” for fashion retailers and an “Outlet Avenue” offering mainstream and premium brands at discounted prices. Its leisure offer includes 18 restaurants, a gym, padel courts, a five-a-side football pitch, a climbing wall, play areas, a “Dinosaur Forest” and an immersive exhibition.
Best Urban Regeneration Project: Rembrandthof Extension, Stadshart Amstelveen – Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s transformation and extension of the Rembrandthof shopping district forms the first phase of the regeneration of Stadshart Amstelveen, near Amsterdam. The project has introduced flagship stores, modernised workplaces, improved public spaces, stronger pedestrian connections and sustainability measures, and has attracted 15 new brands. It has also prompted wider public and private investment, supporting a longer-term plan for the regeneration of the town centre.
Best Refurbishment Project: NEXTOPIA – Siam Piwat
Siam Piwat has transformed 15,000 sq m on the fifth floor of Siam Paragon in Bangkok into NEXTOPIA, which it describes as a “sustainable prototype city” bringing together retail, dining, lifestyle and innovation. Sustainability runs through the refurbishment, from green building features and responsibly sourced materials to tenant selection, community engagement and educational experiences. NEXTOPIA has attracted more than 4.2 million visitors and took part in the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit.
Best New Store Concept: COACH Play Shinsaibashi, Osaka
Coach Play Shinsaibashi sits in one of Osaka’s main shopping districts, home to department stores including Daimaru and Parco and popular with Generation Z shoppers. The experiential store blends New York style with local culture: an oversized Rexy, Coach’s dinosaur mascot, greets visitors, while interiors pair natural wood and bamboo, following traditional Japanese architectural lines, with neon art inspired by Osaka. Customers can browse handbag collections including Tabby, Brooklyn and Empire and personalise products at the Coach Create station, which has helped increase time spent in store more than eightfold.
Special Jury Prize: Souq7, Jeddah – Azad Properties
The jury also awarded a Special Jury Prize to Souq7 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by Azad Properties, which had been shortlisted for Best Urban Regeneration Project.
The ceremony also included a Lifetime Achievement Award for Fernando Guedes de Oliveira, chief executive of Sonae Sierra.
MAPIC 2026, organised by RX France, continues at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes until 4 November.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
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