With the arrival of digital wholesale and retail players and the debut of new shopping features on social networks like TikTok Shop in Brazil, which allows users to buy products directly in videos and live streams and is projected to move R$39 billion by 2028, the e-commerce market gains new momentum. As a result, the warehouse logistics market solidifies as one of the most attractive assets for investments in the real estate sector. Online sales are expected to reach R$235 billion in 2025, according to the Brazilian Association of Electronic Commerce (ABComm), which has sparked a real race for modern and well-located structures, strategic targets for giants like Shopee, Mercado Livre, Amazon, and now TikTok Shop.
The competition for spaces in regions with strategic access to ports, highways, and urban centers has contributed to significant increases in value per square meter. In regions like the northern coast of Santa Catarina, the price per square meter of logistics warehouses can exceed 20% per year, according to data from Sort Investimentos, a specialist in the sector that manages R$3.9 billion in such assets. Besides Navegantes and other areas around Itajaí, regions like Araquari and Garuva, near Joinville and bordering Paraná, close to port zones, are expected to record above-average growth rates.
“Among real estate assets for investment, the vacancy rate for well-structured logistics warehouses is currently the lowest in the market. Of the assets we manage, especially on the coast of Santa Catarina, the vacancy rate is less than 5%, as they are essential to meet the agility, scale, and complexity required by digital wholesale and retail,” highlights Douglas Curi, managing partner at Sort Investimentos.
According to the executive, besides states like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and Minas Gerais, Santa Catarina attracts logistics operators due to its infrastructure, location, and extensive service support. “In recent years, we have seen significant growth in leased areas, and the trend is for continued growth. Those who invest now in logistics assets in the right regions can capture one of the best appreciation cycles of the decade,” emphasizes Curi.
Rise in imports in SC further heats up the logistics warehouse market
With a 15.3% growth in imports in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period the previous year, according to data from the Ministry of Development, Industry, Commerce, and Services (MDIC), Santa Catarina strengthens its position as one of Brazil’s main logistics hubs. The state has attracted operations that were previously concentrated in ports like Santos (SP), increasing the relevance of port complexes in Itajaí, Navegantes, and São Francisco do Sul on the national scene. “The growth of imports in the state reinforces the need for more robust logistics infrastructure. This trend should further accelerate the demand for modern warehouses in the region, especially by companies seeking agility in customs clearance and distribution of goods,” adds the executive.
