Studenac is a Croatian retail chain established in 1991 in Omiš. Since 2018, when it embarked on a comprehensive business transformation marked by numerous acquisitions and organic growth throughout the country, it has become the largest food retailer by number of stores in Croatia. In 2024, Studenac took the first step in its international expansion by entering neighboring Slovenia.
Studenac prides itself on convenient and accessible stores that meet all of its customers’ daily needs, reflecting its dedication through a distinctive single-format customer proposition that is “I sitno i bitno” (“both small and essential”).
With continuous growth and innovation based on its unique and single format of proximity stores, Studenac has established itself as the only cutting-edge player operating in this part of the Croatian market. With digitalization firmly embedded in its DNA, Studenac is one of the fastest-growing players in the expanding Croatian grocery sector.
Since 2018, the company more than tripled the number of stores in its network. By the end of September 2024, Studenac managed over 1,400 stores and had over 6,700 employees. Studenac has established a strong presence in local communities, from bustling urban centers like Zagreb and Split to rural regions with lower population density, and islands on the Adriatic coast with a strong tourism industry.
Studenac has grown from a successful regional chain in Dalmatia to cover all of Croatia, and in 2024 the company took the first step in its international expansion by entering neighboring Slovenia.
Since 2018, Studenac has been owned by a fund managed by Enterprise Investors, one of the largest private equity firms in Central and Eastern Europe.
