DFF - Viva Fresh Regional (EBRD-56223)

Regions
  • Europe and Central Asia
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Countries
  • Albania
  • Kosovo
Geographic location where the impacts of the investment may be experienced.
Financial Institutions
  • European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
International, regional and national development finance institutions. Many of these banks have a public interest mission, such as poverty reduction.
Project Status
Approved
Stage of the project cycle. Stages vary by development bank and can include: pending, approval, implementation, and closed or completed.
Bank Risk Rating
B
Environmental and social categorization assessed by the development bank as a measure of the planned project’s environmental and social impacts. A higher risk rating may require more due diligence to limit or avoid harm to people and the environment. For example, "A" or "B" are risk categories where "A" represents the highest amount of risk. Results will include projects that specifically recorded a rating, all other projects are marked ‘U’ for "Undisclosed."
Voting Date
May 6, 2025
Date when project documentation and funding is reviewed by the Board for consideration and approval. Some development banks will state a "board date" or "decision date." When funding approval is obtained, the legal documents are accepted and signed, the implementation phase begins.
Borrower
Viva Fresh Sh.p.k.
A public entity (government or state-owned) provided with funds or financial support to manage and/or implement a project.
Sectors
  • Agriculture and Forestry
  • Industry and Trade
The service or industry focus of the investment. A project can have several sectors.
Investment Type(s)
Loan
The categories of the bank investment: loan, grant, guarantee, technical assistance, advisory services, equity and fund.
Investment Amount (USD)
$ 28.35 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Currency conversion note:
Bank reported 25
Converted using 2025-05-06 exchange rate.
Loan Amount (USD)
$ 28.35 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Currency conversion note:
Bank reported 25
Converted using 2025-05-06 exchange rate.
Project Cost (USD)
$ 28.35 million
Value listed on project documents at time of disclosure. If necessary, this amount is converted to USD ($) on the date of disclosure. Please review updated project documents for more information.
Currency conversion note:
Bank reported 25
Converted using 2025-05-06 exchange rate.
Primary Source

Original disclosure @ EBRD website

Updated in EWS Jun 9, 2025

Disclosed by Bank May 1, 2025

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Project Description
If provided by the financial institution, the Early Warning System Team writes a short summary describing the purported development objective of the project and project components. Review the complete project documentation for a detailed description.

As stated by the EBRD, the project consists of the provision of a long-term loan by EBRD and ENEF II to Viva Fresh to finance part of the cost of the acquisition of 100% of the shareholding of Spar Albania.

The Project will support Viva Fresh's regional expansion into neighbouring Albania, through its cross-border acquisition of the 2nd main food and beverages retail chain, Spar Albania franchise, and subsequent investment program for roll-out of new stores and refurbishment of some existing stores in Albania. Through it, the project will support the expansion of modern retail in Albania and regional integration of supply and logistics chains in food and beverage distribution and retail. The project will also support enhanced sustainability measures expected to lead to the attainment of the international green building certification EDGE "Advanced" (Level 2) or higher for new and renovated stores by the client in Albania and Kosovo.

Investment Description
Here you can find a list of individual development financial institutions that finance the project.
Private Actors Description
A Private Actor is a non-governmental body or entity that is the borrower or client of a development project, which can include corporations, private equity and banks. This describes the private actors and their roles in relation to the project, when private actor information is disclosed or has been further researched.

As stated by the EBRD, Viva Fresh sh.p.k. is a company established and operating in Kosovo since 2003, which is the leading food and beverages retail chain with 111 stores in Kosovo and also present in North Macedonia with 67 stores, through its directly and fully owned subsidiaries: Kit-Go Dooel, which (was acquired by Viva Fresh in 2022 and) is the sixth retail chain with 65 stores under its Kit-Go brand; and Viva Fresh North Macedonia, which operates two stores under the Viva Fresh brand. 

Spar Albania is the second food and beverages retail chain in Albania with 43 own-operated stores and an additional 47 sub-franchised stores.

Private Actor 1 Private Actor 1 Role Private Actor 1 Sector Relation Private Actor 2 Private Actor 2 Role Private Actor 2 Sector
- - - - Viva Fresh SHPK Client Industry and Trade

Contact Information
This section aims to support the local communities and local CSO to get to know which stakeholders are involved in a project with their roles and responsibilities. If available, there may be a complaint office for the respective bank which operates independently to receive and determine violations in policy and practice. Independent Accountability Mechanisms receive and respond to complaints. Most Independent Accountability Mechanisms offer two functions for addressing complaints: dispute resolution and compliance review.

Client - Viva Fresh Sh.p.k.:

Xhevdet Rexhepi
Email: info@vivafresh-rks.com
Phone: +38338408888
Website: https://vivafresh-rks.com/
Address: Logistics center, Village Suhodoll 10000/14000 Lipjan, Kosovo

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can request information by emailing: accessinfo@ebrd.com or by using this electronic form: https://www.ebrd.com/eform/information-request

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF EBRD

The Project Complaint Mechanism (PCM) is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the PCM, it may assess compliance with EBRD's own policies and procedures to prevent harm to the environment or communities or it may assist you in resolving the problem that led to the complaint through a dialogue with those implementing the project. Additionally, the PCM has the authority to recommend a project be suspended in the event that harm is imminent.

You can contact the PCM at: pcm@ebrd.com or you can submit a complaint online using an online form at: http://www.ebrd.com/eform/pcm/complaint_form?language=en

You can learn more about the PCM and how to file a complaint at: http://www.ebrd.com/work-with-us/project-finance/project-complaint-mechanism.html

How it works

How it works