Fortenova Group Companies Receive Most Prestigious Acknowledgement for Human Resources Management – Employer Partner Certificate! Fortenova group

08.07.2026.

The companies comprised within the evaluation together employ more than 31,000 people, and the certificate bears witness to Fortenova Group’s long-term commitment to building sustainable, high-quality, encouraging workplaces

Fortenova grupa d.d. and six of its companies renewed, and Konzum d.o.o. Sarajevo for the first time received the Employer Partner Certificate for the year 2026.

Fortenova grupa d.d., Idea-CG d.o.o., IDEA Marketi d.o.o., Konzum plus d.o.o., mStart plus d.o.o., Poslovni sistem Mercator d.o.o. and Roto dinamic d.o.o. have this year again renewed the Employer Partner Certificate awarded by SELECTIO Group, the largest domestic consultancy group in the area of human resources. With the successful completion of the evaluation process, Konzum d.o.o. Sarajevo has joined them for the first time this year.

The certificate is based on international standards and makes it possible to compare domestic and global practices and monitor progress in the development of the industry. This is particularly important because businesses on the regional labour market have been faced with numerous challenges in recent years, from labour shortages to organisation structure adjustments, operational optimisation and increased needs for seasonal employment.

Fortenova grupa d.d. and its companies from across the region have proved the maturity and quality of their human resources systems, which is particularly important in light of the fact that the companies comprised within this year’s certification together employ more than 31,000 people and are among the largest employers in the region, with particular significance for the economy.

In the certification process SELECTIO particularly highlighted the consistency in implementing all key HR processes in the Group, the timely communication of organizational changes and the high-quality inter-sectoral collaboration. In their opinion, one of Fortenova Group’s strengths is the systematic encouragement of collaboration among the companies and the continuous exchange of knowledge, experience and good practices, as well as providing employees with the possibility to continue developing their career within other Group companies as well.

“The renewal of the Employer Partner Certificate, as well as the involvement of new companies in the certification process, bear witness to Fortenova Group’s long-term commitment to building sustainable, high-quality and encouraging workplaces and jobs where employees can develop their potential, build their career and contribute to the success of their companies and the whole group in the long term. At the same time, precisely because of their responsibility toward the economic environment, the companies have continued to review and improve their HR systems in order to keep pace with business needs, employee expectations and the requirements of the modern labour market” – said Lara Šubić Šuša, Head of HR Consulting, SELECTIO.

“When such a large number of companies continuously renew the certification and each year another of our companies joins them, this stands as proof that at Group level we have adopted high standards that all members strive to meet, and the Group encourages them to do so. For years we have been developing numerous valuable initiatives focusing on the growth of employees and organisations, and hence we have perceived this year’s recertification as an acknowledgement for the successful continuation of this good practice. Thanks to all our teams that have been committed to work on keeping it up” – said Vlasta Babić Kolar, Fortenova Group’s Director of Human Resources.

The Employer Partner Certificate is the most prestigious regional recognition for excellence in human resources management and it is awarded by the SELECTIO Group, which serves as a one-stop shop for all HR services across the region. The certificate proves the highest quality of management in seven key human resources areas. The certification process evaluates a number of topics, such as recruitment/selection, competence development, leadership, operational success, inclusion and satisfaction, career and succession and rewarding at all organisational levels.

Fortenova Group Assembles More than 100 Suppliers at Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Training Fortenova group

06.07.2026.

Changes will affect the packaging of all products on the market, hence it is necessary to additionally educate all economic entities

More than 100 representatives of Fortenova Group’s private label suppliers from different markets of the region and different categories attended the training on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which shall become effective in Croatia already in August 2026.

PPWR has three crucial goals: to reduce the quantity of unnecessary packaging, make sure that all packaging is either recyclable or reusable in an economically sustainable way and to increase the use of secondary raw materials, particularly in plastic packaging. Furthermore, the packaging disposal symbols will have to be uniform at all EU markets. Companies shall be subject to additional obligations under the Regulation in the period from 2027 to 2035, whereof the most shall apply in 2030. For companies that manufacture or place their products on the EU market, this means that they will have to prove that their packaging is recyclable, optimised and in compliance with the rules on recycled content, labelling and waste reduction, which at the same time implies large investments in the adjustment of processes.

Given that the subject matter in question is very complex and affects processes in both production and retail, the Group has recognized the need for a proactive approach to its suppliers in the adjustment process, where the mutual support among the partners is intended to reduce the impact on business processes to the minimum.

Hence, Fortenova Group’s ESG team, in collaboration with its companies Konzum and Mercator and the company Kaligraf as partner, organized a workshop as part of the comprehensive preparations for the application of the Regulation, which have been going on at the Group since 2023.

Namely, given that the Group companies have thousands of SKU’s in their assortment, including private label products and own brands, changes in packaging are expected in almost every product category and suppliers will be required to adjust to them as well.

So far, the Group has conducted an in-depth analysis of the situation in each product category, and changes will primarily take place in the plastic packaging segment, but other types of packaging will be included as well in order to achieve the pursued objective of 100 percent recyclability.

Also, late last year the Group introduced an ESC questionnaire for suppliers in its KYC (Know your Customer) procedure, as part of which it, among other things, verifies the stage of preparations for PPWR compliance.

As part of the comprehensive preparation, Kaligraf – the Group’s long-standing partner in preparing packaging for print – held an online training for suppliers, where during the two-hour workshop everyone had the opportunity to raise specific questions that bother them with regard to the adjustment to the Regulation, and prior to the workshop they also filled out a survey questionnaire where they pointed out the major unknowns and challenges in the process, and the content of the presentation was then adjusted thereto.

The Group companies and suppliers recognized the greatest challenge in the implementation of the Regulation in the various models of deposit refund schemes, infrastructure and local rules at the member states, and additional complexity is expected in the collaboration with third country suppliers that are not always directly affected by the same regulatory framework.

The Group will therefore continue to monitor suppliers in the adjustment process, organise additional training when needed and share best practices.

Fortenova Group Prevents Over 41 Tonnes of Waste in Five Years with Reusable Packaging Social Responsibility

29.06.2026.

Reusable packaging contributes to reducing total greenhouse gas emissions, so that only through that segment of its operations Fortenova Group reduced CO₂ emissions by almost five thousand tonnes in one year, and over the course of five years by a total of almost 18.2 tonnes of CO₂

Precisely 3,581 cars less on the roads in one year, water savings of more than 11 million five-minute showers or energy for 32 thousand light bulbs – these are the equivalents of the total savings that Fortenova Group’s retail companies made by using eLog RPC reusable plastic packaging in its operations in 2025.

The packagings in question are collapsible boxes for the transportation of fruit and vegetables, meat and eggs, by the use of which Konzum HR, Konzum BiH, Mercator, Idea Marketi, PIK Vrbovec and Arivera Fruit have actively taken part in circular economy and contributed to the fresh food supply chain sustainability.

There are many positive effects of that model – no new raw materials need to be used to produce disposable packaging and thus no new waste is created and there is no need for its disposal later. Over the period of five years of using reusable packaging at Fortenova Group companies a significant aggregate amount of positive effects on the food management chain has been “collected”, along with an equally significant trend of growing savings, which have at least doubled in all elements of the calculation.

For example, over the period of five years, more than 41 thousand tonnes of waste have been prevented in total, with 4.9 tonnes of waste prevented at the beginning of the period, in 2021, while in 2025 the quantities grew to more than 11 thousand tonnes.

By using this type of packaging a higher utilisation of transportation units is achieved, too, which contributes to the reduction of total greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, only through that segment of its operations Fortenova Group reduced CO₂ emissions by almost five thousand tonnes in one year, and over the course of five years by a total of almost 18.5 tonnes of CO_2.

A significant feature of using this packaging is the reduced possibility of damaging the products during transport, with more than 480 tonnes of products, or quantities sufficient for the preparation of more than 800 thousand average meals, thus “preserved” at Fortenova Group in 2025. Over the course of five years that number has reached almost three million average meals. The ergonomic design and the low weight of the packaging, on the other hand, “preserve” the employees as the packaging is easier to carry, thus preventing potential injuries, and consequently also the loss of productivity.

“We are pleased to say that through the long-standing cooperation with Fortenova Group we have supported more sustainable practices in the supply chain. The numbers we see today are the result of a partnership based on trust and they demonstrate that reusable packaging can provide measurable benefits in day-to-day logistics. Our past cooperation constitutes a strong foundation for future projects. In the forthcoming period we see a great potential for extending the reusable packaging pooling model to the categories of bakery and frozen products, and we have been actively discussing that with our partners. Apart from that, we have continuously been developing and testing new logistic tools that can help improve efficiency across the supply chain. With the development of such new tools and the extension of reusable packaging to new product categories we have supported our partners in improving relevant operational and ESG performance indicators. Besides that, by joining the IFCO Group, eLog has gained access to international know-how, innovation and best practices at global level, and the combination of local experience and global knowledge creates a powerful platform that provides our partners with key competitive advantages through efficient reusable packaging solutions in the fresh food supply chain”, said Marko Maloča, CEO of the company eLog.

„When we started this cooperation five years ago, we have laid the foundation for a significant positive step forward towards environment protection. These impressive results not only constitute an added value to our business, but clearly prove that strategic partnerships can achieve goals that are of great importance for the broader community. Reusable packaging, although seemingly just an operational adjustment, is a key mechanism to be used in extending sustainable practices and reducing our carbon footprint. It is Fortenova Group’s strategic vision to integrate maximum efficiency and rational resource management in each segment of our operations. For years we have systematically been building a model of sustainable economic activities and have transparently, through our Sustainability Report, communicated our contribution to the green transition of the entire economy, where partnerships like this one with eLog are the key driver of that process” – said Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors, commenting on the results.

The calculations of environmental savings made by using eLog RPC packaging are based on the Fraunhofer IBP’s peer-reviewed LCA study according to the ISO 14040/14044 standard, while savings in food waste are based on a Fraunhofer Institute survey.

Fortenova Group and MK Group Close Sale Transaction of Dijamant Fortenova group

23.06.2026.

Fortenova Group and Badel 1862 sign Negotiation Exclusivity Agreement Fortenova group

03.06.2026.

Fortenova Group and BOSQAR INVEST Sign Agreement on Acquisition of Shares in PIK Vrbovec Fortenova group

18.05.2026.

This is a key step in the transaction, the formal completion whereof will follow once BOSQAR realises the planned financing and all regulators approve the acquisition

Following the recent acceptance by Fortenova Group of BOSQAR INVEST’s binding offer for the acquisition of PIK Vrbovec, the two companies have now signed an Agreement whereby BOSQAR INVEST shall acquire 100 percent of shares in the company PIK Vrbovec plus d.o.o., owned by Fortenova Group.

This marks the conclusion of negotiations on the acquisition, which was an important step in the transaction the formal completion whereof will follow once BOSQAR realises the planned financing and upon obtainment of all the required regulatory approvals. Given the structure of the transaction, the price shall be finally established at completion.

PIK Vrbovec is Croatia’s largest producer of fresh and processed meat and a large exporter to around 20 markets, holding the export number HR 10 which makes it possible to export to the world’s most demanding markets. The company boasts the most modern primary meat processing facility (slaughterhouse) in the region as well as meat processing facilities and directly cooperates with over 100 local farms and the farms of Belje, which makes it the largest domestic pork processing industry. Traceability is guaranteed at all phases of production, with the highest technological, IT and hygiene standards applied, and all processes are continuously being monitored by experts.

PIK products bear the designations of highest consumer trust, such as the No. 1 Ham designation, as well as the official designations Proven Quality Croatia and Meat from Croatian Farms, and in Croatia the company is also protected by patent for its production of meat products without added phosphates. It currently employs around 1500 workers and has over the last few years undergone transformation into a profitable company with high development potential.

Due to PIK’s pivotal role in the national agriculture and food industry ecosystem, its acquisition is an important step in BOSQAR INVEST’s intention to build a strong food platform in Central and Southeast Europe through the ownership of several significant companies in the food sector.

Sale-Purchase Process of Zvijezda and Zvijezda Slovenia Closed Fortenova group

13.05.2026.

Žito d.d. gets three strong regional brands – Zvijezda, Margo and Omegol

By signing the Share Transfer Agreement today, Fortenova grupa d.d. and Žito d.d. formally closed the process whereby Zvijezda plus and Zvijezda Slovenia have been transferred to the ownership of Žito Group.

With the transaction in question the company Žito d.d. has become the owner of 100 % of shares in the companies Zvijezda plus d.o.o. and Zvijezda Podjetje za notranjo in zunanjo trgovino, d.o.o., Ljubljana.

Following the approval of the concentration by all regulatory authorities, the signing of the Agreement marked the realisation of one of the most significant transactions in the regional food industry.

The sale-purchase price defined in the Agreement amounts to EUR 94.06 million, and in accordance with the agreed pricing mechanism additional corrections of the sale-purchase price are possible in the forthcoming period.

Upon inclusion of the financial assets and liabilities of the acquired companies the transaction value amounts to EUR 115.72 million.

Žito d.d. has secured the funds for the transaction with a business bank loan in the amount of EUR 90 million and own funds.

The sale-purchase of Zvijezda, one of Croatia’s oldest production companies, was realised making sure that the ownership remains with a domestic company whose goal it is to further develop the strategically important food sector. The company, which plays a significant role in the food supply and which is important for the development of the domestic agriculture industry, now has the opportunity to additionally strengthen its position and extend its product portfolio and production capacities.

In particular, with the acquisition of Zvijezda in Croatia and Slovenia Žito Group has got three strong regional brands: Zvijezda, Margo and Omegol, among which Zvijezda edible oil and mayonnaise have for many years been positioned as the number one brand on the Croatian market, with high market shares on other markets of the region, too. The synergy between the Žito Group’s existing production facilities and Zvijezda will contribute to even greater efficiency, innovation and market competitiveness.

The industrial production at the Žito Group is vertically integrated with its crop and livestock production. The industrial group consists of Mesna industrija DOBRO (meat industry), Tvornica ulja Čepin (edible oil production), Tvornica stočne hrane Vitalka (animal feed production), a seed processing plant and an electricity production facility. It is important note that Žito is the largest egg producer, the second largest agricultural land tilling company and the second largest pig production in Croatia.

“Zvijezda is one of the most recognizable food brands in the region and we are proud to open a new development chapter within the Žito Group for the company today. For us this transaction marks the further strengthening of our food industry, production capacities and regional presence, and we are certain that our common know-how, experience and production potential will create added value for our consumers, employees and partners. We wish all Zvijezda employees welcome to our business family”, said Marko Pipunić, President of the Management Board of the Žito Group.

“I am sure that with this deal both Groups have made the right choice for their development, because we have not only opened new stages in our own development, but in the mutual partnership as well. On the one side, at Fortenova Group we have the leading regional retail network, and on the other side there is a large regional food production. The mutual support in business is a strong development driver for both Groups. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Zvijezda employees for their exceptional contribution made at Fortenova Group. I am convinced that they will continue with the same level of dedication in the new environment as well. I would also like to thank everyone who worked hard over the course of the last year to bring the realisation of this process to a closing”, said Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors.

The Management Board of Zvijezda shall continue to run the company, and its Supervisory Board has seen the appointments of Jozo Ljubičić, Member of the Management Board of Žito Group in charge of finance, accounting and strategic operations like M&A, and Josip Bičvić, Member of the Management Board of Žito Group in charge of industry and trade.

Fortenova Group Closes 2025 as Financially Strong Company Fortenova group

30.04.2026.

Konzum Invests Profit in Employee Benefits and Modernisation!

In 2025, Fortenova Group has met its most important financial goal – it reduced its leverage by more than EUR 700 million and realised its first commercial bank financing since its inception in 2019, substantiating the full trust of international financial institutions in its operations.

The Group has thus closed the year 2025 as a financially very healthy company with safe operations and resilience to stress, which is able to cope with possible economic difficulties in the environment more easily.

With more than 38 thousand employees, Fortenova Group is still one of the largest employers in the region of Southeast Europe.

Key financial indicators and investments

Fortenova Group closed the year 2025 with a total debt of EUR 673 million and an exceptionally favourable debt to EBITDA ratio of less than 1.3 times. In spite of the planned reduction in total revenue due to divestments (disposals of companies), the total revenue amounted to EUR 5.6 billion.

Operating profits (EBITDA) grew by 14 % year-on-year due to improved efficiency and cost optimisation.

In 2025, almost EUR 100 million were invested in modernisation (capital investments), and the same amount was invested in Group employee benefits.

The largest adverse effects resulting in the Group’s total revenue reduction against the previous year came from the legislative decree on the limitation of margins and price control on the market of Serbia, as well as short-term external factors such as the consumer boycott in early 2025 and strikes at two of the Group’s production companies.

Despite the external pressure on operations, the Group’s operating performance indicators have remained strong.

On all retail markets additional focus was placed on strengthening the core business, which resulted in absolute year-on-year profitability improvements in Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Konzum in Croatia continued to invest in its infrastructure and employees in 2025. Konzum’s profits were invested in increasing employee salaries and capital investments, with the same trend to be continued in 2026. For the eighth consecutive year Konzum was declared The Best Donor (Najdonator).

The beverage production operations recorded growth as well, and the operations of other companies within the Group have continued to be stable.

The last year was marked by the completion of a number of capital investments and preparations for stronger investment momentum in the area of retail development, with investments started in infrastructure modernisation, technological improvements and the extension of our retail networks.

“The significant leverage reduction and the optimisation of financing costs have directly contributed to strengthening our resilience to risks and geopolitical instability. Today Fortenova Group operates with a robust balance sheet and a debt level that unleashes our capacity to start a new investment cycle in the key strategic sectors”, said Damir Spudić, Fortenova Group’s Executive Director of Finance and Member of the Board of Directors, commenting on the results.

Strategic Portfolio Focusing

In accordance with the new development vision, in 2025 Fortenova Group pursued a significant redefinition of its portfolio by exiting the primary agricultural production. The divestment processes were either closed or agreements were entered into for the disposal of the companies Agrolaguna, Zvijezda, Mercator-Emba, Dijamant, PIK Vrbovec and Vinka.

On the other hand, the Group has strengthened its core operations (retail and distribution) with the integration of the companies Arivera Fruit and Kenty Adria, while Roto dinamic extended its base with an additional 500 new partners, having acquired the company Hermo.

At the same time, a large portfolio of Group-owned commercial real estate has become a new pillar of the core business, activated by the foundation of the FNG Property real estate companies.

“The year 2025 saw us complete the process of capital restructuring and raising the company value as much as possible. Our focus is now solely on supporting the development of retail, wholesale, distribution and logistics. We have also laid the foundation for strong real estate operations designed to additionally improve the whole Group’s operating efficiency”, concluded Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors.

Fortenova Group and BOSQAR INVEST Reach Agreement on Acquisition of PIK Vrbovec Fortenova group

02.04.2026.

Fortenova Group and BOSQAR INVEST have reached an agreement on the acceptance of BOSQAR INVEST’s binding offer for the acquisition of the 100 percent share in the company PIK Vrbovec plus d.o.o. The signing of the contract on the acquisition of shares and the closing of the transaction will follow once BOSQAR realises the planned financing and upon obtaining all the required regulatory approvals.

Today PIK Vrbovec possesses the region’s most cutting-edge primary meat processing plant (slaughterhouse) as well as meat processing facilities. They directly cooperate with over 100 local farms as well as with the farms of Belje, which makes them the largest domestic pork processing company. Traceability is guaranteed at all production stages, with the highest technological, information technology and hygiene standards being applied, and all processes are under the permanent supervision of experts. The company exports its products to around 20 countries and holds the export number HR 10, which allows it to export to the world’s most demanding markets.

PIK’s products bear the designations of highest consumer trust, such as the designation Number 1 Ham and the official designations Proven Quality from Croatia and Meat from Croatian Farms, and recently the company received patent protection from the State Intellectual Property Office of the Republic of Croatia for its production of meat without added phosphates. Currently the company employs around 1500 workers and over the last few years it has been transformed into a profitable company with large development potential.

Due to all of that, PIK Vrbovec plays a pivotal role in the national agricultural and food industry ecosystem.

“Already with its exit from the agricultural operations Fortenova Group started the strategic turnaround in its business, focusing on operations and services that are not directly related to primary production and processing. Given that PIK largely leans on agricultural production, it was only natural for us to decide to find another owner for this company. With its brands, quality and market shares PIK constitutes added value for any partner, and particularly for BOSQAR, which has good prerequisites to create its own strong food production platform. We, on the other hand, are very happy to have once again, as in all the previous divestment processes, met the most important value criteria – found a partner for our company who will continue to develop it, strengthen its market positions and preserve employment. This is good for the company and its employees, as well as for the local community and the economy as a whole” – said Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors.

The potential acquisition of Croatia’s largest fresh and processed meat producer would be an important step for BOSQAR INVEST in its strategy to build the strongest food platform in Central and Southeast Europe, as PIK would thus join BOSQAR’s Future Food Division, which already includes Panvita, the leading Slovenian agriculture and food group, and Mlinar, the leading bakery products group in the Adria Region.

Commenting on the agreement reached, Darko Horvat, President of the Management Board of the company BOSQAR d.d., the holding company of BOSQAR INVEST Group, said:

“The planned acquisition of PIK Vrbovec constitutes a key new moment in the strategy of BOSQAR INVEST to build a strong regional platform in the agricultural, food and meat processing industries. With the planned acquisition of PIK, BOSQAR would additionally strengthen its platform by bringing together Panvita, one of the largest food producers in Slovenia, and PIK, one of the largest food producers in Croatia, as part of the same operating structure. We are happy that Fortenova Group accepted our binding offer. We are working on the finalisation of the contractual elements with our partners at Fortenova Group and PIK and expect for the share acquisition contract to be signed in the near future, and will keep the investment community posted on the progress of the transaction in a timely manner. We are all well aware that we are living in unstable times. Recently, the escalating tensions in the Middle East have pointed at the fact that food security is more important today than ever – but also at the fact that it will stay that way in the foreseeable future. With that in mind, BOSQAR sees its further investments in Future Food as a strategic contribution to strengthening the resilience of food supply in Croatia and across the region.”

European Court of Justice adjudicates! Change of ownership at Fortenova Group was conducted lawfully Fortenova group

12.03.2026.

The ECJ’s Judgement finally refutes SBK Art’s false premise that Fortenova Group’s management had arbitrarily or maliciously ignored and bypassed SBK Art and their contestation of the change of ownership

The European Court of Justice (ECJ), the European Union’s supreme judicial authority, has upon request of the Supreme Court of the Kingdom of the Netherlands passed a judgement, ruling that the freezing of funds held by sanctioned entities in the EU absolutely and unconditionally prevents the sanctioned holders of depositary receipts from attending and voting at the general meetings of shareholders.

The Supreme Court of the Kingdom of the Netherlands had asked the ECJ for an interpretation – whether there was any situation where sanctioned persons would be allowed to make use of their shareholders’ and similar rights.

The question was raised in the context of SBK Art’s repeated attempts to prevent the shareholders’ meetings of Fortenova Group from being held in the period between 2022 and 2024. Namely, as part of the sanctions imposed on Russia because of is war of aggression in Ukraine, in 2022 the European Union adopted restrictive measures against Sberbank of Russia, including explicitly also against SBK Art, and hence their funds have been frozen.

It is the ECJ’s position that with regards to the “Restrictive measures against Russia: the freezing of funds prevents, absolutely and unconditionally, a holder of depositary receipts from attending a general meeting of shareholders and from voting in that meeting”.

This judgement has finally refuted SBK Art’s false premise that Fortenova Group’s management had arbitrarily and maliciously ignored and bypassed SBK Art and their contestation of the transaction of Fortenova Group’s divestment, which was completed in the summer of 2024.

The European Union’s court of highest instance has thus confirmed that Fortenova Group has acted in the right way from the beginning, having deprived the sanctioned entity SBK Art of the possibility of participating and voting in the general meetings and having taken all the necessary steps to protect the company from legal uncertainty, obstructions and attempts to exert influence contrary to the objectives and purpose of the European sanctions.

With its clear and unequivocal interpretation the European Court of Justice has asserted that Fortenova Group’s actions were in fact the only lawful steps that Fortenova was allowed to take in the first place. “Any interpretation that is less strict would hinder the objective of ensuring that the freezing of funds has the effect of limiting as far as possible the transactions that can be carried out with frozen funds” – ECJ state in their decision.

“Today’s judgment unequivocally confirms that due to the sanctioned shareholders Fortenova Group was hindered in functioning normally. As of today it is clear to everyone that the process of ownership transformation was conducted in order to protect the company, its governance, financial stability and the lawfulness of its operations and that it was based on the law and on principles of responsible corporate governance.

This also proves that the vexatious litigation of several years had no legal foundation whatsoever and we believe that with this decision such proceedings will finally come to an end. I would like to congratulate and thank our legal teams as well as our advisors for the exhausting and demanding battle and let our employees know that after yet another legal affirmation we shall continue to build a strong and modern company”, said Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Member of its Board of Directors.

Awaiting the outcome of this procedure there were also all court proceedings where SBK Art had requested for the general meetings’ decisions of Fortenova Group in the Netherlands to be annulled. Therefore, upon formal service of the European Court of Justice’s decision to the Dutch judiciary, Fortenova Group expects the continuation and successful completion of five court cases in the Netherlands as well as the court proceedings on Malta against the company Open Pass Limited and others.

By way of reminder, so far Fortenova Group has finally beaten SBK Art in seven proceedings brought against Fortenova Group and its responsible persons – from several requests for the judicial review of the management in the Netherlands to interim measures in the Netherlands, Malta and Croatia. In addition, the General Court of the European Union has already twice rejected SBK Art’s application for annulment of the sanctions.

You can read the original document here.

MK Group to acquire Dijamant from Fortenova group Fortenova group

27.01.2026.

MK Group and Fortenova Group signed a sale-purchase agreement for the company Dijamant from Zrenjanin, whereby MK Group is to acquire a 100% share of Dijamant in what is to become one of the most significant acquisition processes in the food and agriculture sector of the Adria Region. This strategic step constitutes an important moment for both companies, with the clear common intention to realize the process in a responsible and transparent manner, in accordance with long-term visions of growth, market position strengthening and the further development of the regional agri-food industry. The transaction will be completed upon obtaining the approval of the competent market competition regulatory authorities.

“This acquisition constitutes an important step in the further development of our MK Agri-Food Division, once again bearing witness to MK Group’s long standing ambition to be the leader in the regional food and agriculture industry. With this investment we have confirmed our readiness to support companies with a high growth potential and continue to expand our business ecosystem. I am confident that the transfer of our know-how, experience and expertise, built over many years of managing agricultural and food companies, will make it possible for Dijamant to introduce significant improvements to its processes, quality and innovations, as well as create added value for its employees, consumers, partners and the entire industry”, said Mihailo Janković, General Manager of MK Group.

“With the sale-purchase of Dijamant we are about to conclude the very intensive activities pursued over the last two years in gradually exiting from the agricultural operations. We have found good partners that offer further development and strengthening for the business. In the previous period we were able to stabilize the company and repay all its debts incurred before 2017 as well as modernize part of the factory that was more than 40 years old by investing over EUR 40 million of our own funds. We have doubled the production capacities, improved the competitiveness and increased market shares. Today Dijamant boasts a factory that is among the technologically most advanced in the industry. I am happy because all the time we have continued to maintain the social dialogue and improve the employees’ material rights. Long story short, we have provided the prerequisites for a new development phase that I am sure MK Group will know how to make use of. This signature is the first step towards our exit from the ownership structure of Dijamant and we hope that the entire process will be completed within the expected timeframe in order for the company to continue its further development.

I would like to thank all the colleagues from Dijamant, Fortenova Group and MK Group who have brought this transaction to fruition and wish our colleagues at Dijamant a lot of success going forward. This transaction marks our exit from the agricultural industry and the edible oil industry. It is part of our portfolio optimisation process, whereby we have exited operations that are no longer our core business. Fortenova Group’s focus is on the retail sector, logistics and commercial real estate as well as beverages”, said Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors.

Fortenova Group expressed their satisfaction with the fact that the company has entered this new phase with a partner such as MK Group and the belief that MK Group’s experience, investment strength and strategic dedication would contribute to the further development of Dijamant and the strengthening of its market position. Fortenova Group will provide its full support in all steps of the transition in order for the process to be implemented successfully and in the best interest of the employees, partners and the entire business.

As usual, the public will be timely and transparently informed about all future steps and stages of the process.

Fortenova Group and Žito Group Sign Sale-Purchase Agreement for the Company Zvijezda Fortenova group

13.11.2025.

Today Fortenova Group and Žito Group signed a Sale-Purchase Agreement for the companies Zvijezda plus d.o.o. and Zvijezda d.o.o. Ljubljana, whereby Žito Group acquires a 100 percent share in the aforementioned companies. The signing of the Agreement marks the conclusion of the acquisition negotiations, and the transaction will be finalised upon obtaining the approval of the Market Competition Agency.

With the acquisition of Zvijezda, a company with a tradition of 109 years in manufacturing food products, the Žito Group portfolio will be extended with three strong brands: Zvijezda, Margo and Omegol. Among them, Zvijezda edible oil has for many years positioned itself as the No. 1 brand on the Croatian market, with high market shares on other markets of the region as well.

According to relevant market surveys that track sales and brand power perception, Zvijezda is the leader in all key product categories and the absolute star on the brand power scale in Croatia. As many as five Zvijezda brands have for years positioned themselves among the top ten strongest brands, with Zvijezda edible oil and Zvijezda mayonnaise regularly taking turns as No. 1 and No. 2 on that list. Such consumer loyalty to Zvijezda’s brands is primarily due to their quality, tradition, innovation and originality.

In 2024, Zvijezda had a realisation of 84,000 tonnes of finished products and generated revenues in the amount of EUR 155 million and the company currently employs more than 440 employees.

“The exit from this operation is a continuation of the process that Fortenova Group started with the divestment of the companies with agricultural production. As in all previous divestment processes, our focus in this process was also on finding partners that would, in addition to paying a fair price, make the maximum contribution to the further development and preservation of employment, tradition and the market position that Zvijezda holds. Hence the finalisation of this transaction results from our conviction that Žito Group, which has a local raw-material base and features technological excellence, is the most natural environment for Zvijezda where that company will, with its expertise and personnel potential, focused leadership and development vision, gain new momentum. At the same time, this will strengthen the partnership between two large regional companies. We are grateful to all colleagues at Fortenova Group and Zvijezda, as well as at Žito Group, who have worked hard to make the realisation of this transaction possible. It has additionally strengthened Fortenova Group’s financial position and set the foundation for its further growth”, said Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors.

The industrial production at Žito Group is a vertical extension of the crop and livestock production. The Group’s industrial branch comprises the DOBRO Meat Industry, the Čepin Edible Oil Factory, the Vitalka Animal Feed Factory, the seed product finishing plant and electricity production. It is important to note that Žito is the country’s largest egg producer, the second largest arable land tiller and the second largest pig producer.

“With this transaction Žito Group has additionally strengthened its position on the regional food industry market and expanded its product and production capacity portfolio. We believe that the synergy between Žito Group’s existing production plants and Zvijezda will contribute to even greater efficiency, innovation and competitive edge on the market. We would like to thank Fortenova Group for their trust as well as everyone involved in the realisation of this important transaction”, said Marko Pipunić, President of the Management Board of Žito Group.

“Žito Group has always been originally focused on growth and development, and with Zvijezda it has now gained additional strength and the width required for another step forward when it comes to brands, production and market positions. I am confident that we shall use this opportunity to create long-term value for all stakeholders: the employees, the shareholders and the community”, Pipunić concluded.

The final sale-purchase price will be established upon closing of the transaction, in accordance with the agreed pricing mechanism, depending on the financial and operational results generated by the company Zvijezda plus d.o.o. by the closing date.

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