Croatia offers important assets to the business and industrial communities, starting with its political stability.
Its main port, Rijeka, is a major gateway for Eastern European countries to the international markets and vice versa. In particular, the landlocked countries of Austria and Hungary operate freeports in Rijeka. This way they – together with several companies located in southern Germany – take advantage of the relatively short routes to the Middle East and the Far East.
Another attraction for those interested in doing business is Croatia’s ambition to become a leading regional player in food production and distribution. The growth of two major local companies illustrate this point.
The Agrokor Group is a leading food producer and retailer in the south-eastern European region. According to its website, Agrokor was the leader in 2014 in five regional markets – Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its annual income that year was cited as EUR 6.5 billion, generated by around 55,000 employees.
Agrokor Group holds the majority stake in leading regional brands, such as ice cream producer Ledo. Other recognisable names in its stable are from the edible oils segment, mainly olive oil, as well as Croatia´s largest supermarket chain, Konzum, with over 700 stores.
The second case in point, Atlantic Grupa, is a multinational company that has been in operation since 1991. Its website states that it is a leading food company in the region. It produces snacks and chocolate spreads, among other items. The company is also active in marketing cosmetics and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. It is supported by its own distribution network, which currently services companies like Unilever.
In the days of the socialist Yugoslav federation, Croatia was the second most prosperous member. It is clear that the entrepreneurial fervour has not been lost over the years. On balance, Croatia offers some of the more attractive business prospects among post-communist states in Central and Eastern Europe.
MPOC Brussels
Croatia : Small but Attractive Market was last modified: September 30th, 2016 by GOFB
