Croatian bakery chain Mlinar, which currently operates 18 bakeries in Ljubljana, Maribor and Celje, plans to open five more shops by the end of the year, a member of the management has told the STA.
"Our market share on the Slovenian bakery market stands between one and two percent. We believe we will double that by year's end," said Marin Picukarić, who sees a lot of potential here.
The expansion in Slovenia will be the company's foundation for development plans for 2015.
Mlinar has so far invested some EUR 2.5m in its retail network in Slovenia and plans to invest another EUR 500,000 in the country this year as well as enter the wholesale market.
Picukarić noted that Mlinar had been cooperating well with food group Agrokor in Croatia as well as Slovenia's biggest retailer Mercator. "We are ready to help with their development plans," he said.
Agrokor purchased a majority stake in Mercator in June.
With its production located in three plants in Zagreb, Osijek and Poreč, Mlinar employs 67 people in Slovenia and exports half a million pieces of frozen bakery products to the country a year.
Source: The Slovenia Times
Photo source: JaTrgovac
