MODELO CONTINENTE HIPERMERCADOS S.A.

Their core work

Modelo Continente is one of Portugal's largest hypermarket and supermarket chains (part of the Sonae group), operating hundreds of retail locations across the country. In H2020 projects, they serve primarily as a real-world testing and demonstration environment — offering their stores, logistics networks, and supply chains as living labs for innovations in energy efficiency, food packaging, smart buildings, and last-mile delivery. Their value lies not in research capability but in providing large-scale retail infrastructure where technologies can be validated under real commercial conditions. They bring end-user perspective and market access that helps projects bridge the gap between laboratory results and commercial deployment.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 involvement (2016–2019), Modelo Continente focused on core retail operations: commercial refrigeration and HVAC systems (MultiPACK), sustainable food packaging (YPACK), and logistics optimization (SELIS). From 2020 onward, their participation shifted toward digital transformation and data-driven approaches — data spaces (REACH, ZeroW), digital twins for logistics (LEAD), smart building integration (InterConnect, PROBONO), and advanced materials (FlexFunction2Sustain). This evolution mirrors the broader retail industry's digital transition, moving from optimizing physical infrastructure to embracing data ecosystems and connected building technologies.

Modelo Continente is moving toward digitally connected retail environments — expect future interest in data-driven supply chains, smart store ecosystems, and building-level energy optimization.

How they like to work

Modelo Continente participates almost exclusively as a third party (11 of 12 projects), never as coordinator. This means they are brought in by consortium leaders to provide real-world retail environments for testing and demonstration — they do not drive the research agenda themselves. With 362 unique partners across 30 countries, they are well-networked but function as a passive demonstration site rather than an active research contributor. Working with them means gaining access to large-scale retail infrastructure for piloting, not co-developing technology.

Connected to 362 unique partners across 30 countries through their third-party roles, giving them one of the broadest passive networks in Portuguese retail. Their connections span energy, logistics, ICT, and food sectors across most of the EU.

What sets them apart

Modelo Continente offers something most research organizations cannot: access to a real, operating, large-scale retail chain for technology validation. Consortium builders who need to demonstrate energy efficiency, smart packaging, logistics optimization, or data-driven retail solutions in a live commercial setting will find them an ideal demonstration partner. Their consistent willingness to participate as third parties across diverse topics makes them a reliable and low-friction addition to consortia needing retail end-user validation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MultiPACK
  Their only project as a direct participant (not third party), focused on next-generation commercial cooling and heating — directly relevant to supermarket operations.
• POCITYF
  Large-scale positive energy city transformation project running until 2026, positioning their retail locations as part of urban energy district demonstrations.
• ZeroW
  Recent project (2022–2025) tackling zero food waste across supply chains with data-driven approaches — aligns directly with retail sustainability mandates.