News

Idea and affiliated companies registered to Fortenova Group Fortenova group

29.09.2020.

Fortenova Group has received a number of non-binding offers for the Frozen Food Business Group Food

22.09.2020.

Fortenova Group has received a number of non-binding offers for the acquisition of the companies Ledo plus, Ledo Čitluk and Frikom, forming together with several smaller affiliated companies the Frozen Food Business Group, which operates within Fortenova Group’s Food Division.

“Over the last few years, and again in recent weeks, there has been occasional comment and discussion in regards to offers being made for various Fortenova Group’s assets. Whilst this interest reflects the strength of our business, brands and management it obviously creates uncertainty and concern for our employees. We will therefore aim to quickly review the offers received and decide whether to move forward with one or more of them. Our aim is for this decision to be taken by mid-October, which will then be communicated first to our employees and then announced to the public. Our ultimate goal, subject to achieving a satisfactory price, is to select a strategic partner who will make the maximum contribution to the further development of the Frozen Food Business Group and completion of the process depends on finding such partner”, said Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors.

“With our clear strategy to financially strengthen the company in mind, a sale of the Frozen Food Business Group, if concluded, would result in a reduction of debt that would transform the financial position of the overall Fortenova Group. This would then allow full investment in the remaining businesses to drive their future growth. The Executive Directors and the Board will review the offers received and will quickly take a decision on how to move forward”, said James Pearson, Fortenova Group’s Chief Financial Officer.

“To proactively achieve our targeted capital structure via deleveraging the company, we are ready to dispose of only one segment of the core business which potentially with these offers would be the Frozen Food Business Group. Beyond this, the divestment of our non-core operations in order to focus on the core business will be continued”, concluded Fabris Peruško, Fortenova Group’s Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors.

European Commission clears concentration of Fortenova Group and Poslovni sistemi Mercator Sales

22.09.2020.

Fortenova Group finalises agreement for the sale of Projektgradnja plus to Osijek Koteks Business

17.09.2020.

Fortenova Group d.d. and Osijek Koteks d.d., a leading Croatian construction company, finalised an agreement whereby Osijek Koteks has acquired Projektgradnja plus d.o.o., a fully owned subsidiary of Fortenova. Osijek Koteks was selected as the best bidder through a competitive sale process managed by Fortenova and Deloitte Croatia as the exclusive financial advisor to Fortenova.

By closing this transaction, Fortenova Group continues towards its aim to focus on three core segments of retail, food and agriculture. Since the start of the sale process approximately a year ago, Fortenova Group has also divested its subsidiary Rivijera, which manages the Triestina camp in Ičići near Opatija, as well as minority stakes in ID Riva Tours and Gulliver putovanja. ID Riva Tours is a German tour operator organising trips to Croatia, with offices in Poreč, Žminj, Rijeka, Zadar and Trogir, while Gulliver putovanja is one of Croatia’s leading destination management companies in the majority ownership of the global tour operator TUI.

James Pearson, Fortenova Group’s Chief Financial Officer, emphasized on this occasion the importance of the company’s focus on core business: “I would first of all like to thank all the employees of Projektgradnja, and Rivijera, for their skills, dedication and hard work while they were part of the Fortenova Group. We now wish them the best with their new partners and hopefully, much deserved success in the future. For Fortenova, these four transactions, along with others we expect to make in the coming months, allow the Group to make good progress in moving towards its previously announced focus on three core divisions of retail, food and agriculture. The aim is to have a sharper focus on these three divisions and have an overall less complex Group to enable us to deliver better returns as we go forward.”

As part of the sale process for all these businesses Fortenova Group was focused on finding buyers who share Fortenova’s vision of developing the acquired businesses for the benefit of their employees, partners and other stakeholders. As a result of this transaction, Projektgradnja gained a strategic partner who will improve and strengthen its operations, and secure its long-term prospects. At the same time, Osijek Koteks will complement its portfolio which mainly consists of civil engineering and construction material production with building construction projects, and strengthen its overall expertise in civil engineering by taking over some 200 Projektgradnja’s construction experts. It is worth noticing that Projektgradnja executed some of the largest and most complex construction projects in Croatia, and is well qualified to perform all kinds of construction works. Over the last four and a half years Projektgradnja completed 69 projects with the total value of more than EUR 173 million.

Half year 2020 Financial results presented to the DR holders Business

28.08.2020.

Over the first six months of 2020 the Group thus generated consolidated revenues of almost HRK 10 billion (9,910 million) and consolidated EBITDA of HRK 531.9 million. The consolidated results pertain to Fortenova grupa d.d. and its 95 subsidiaries, without Mercator, the transfer whereof to Fortenova grupa d.d. is expected by the end of the year. A strong cash position of HRK 1.5 billion on its accounts and stronger market shares were the features that Fortenova Group concluded its operations with in the first half of 2020.

According to non-consolidated indicators, the core businesses non-consolidated net sales revenues for the period were 4.3 per cent lower than in 2019, which was expected in view of the global economic lockdown that marked the H1/2020 operations due to measures introduced to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and EBITDA was improved by almost 3 per cent against the same period of 2019.

While net sales revenues in the Retail & Wholesale and Food segments dropped by 3.9 per cent and 8.3 per cent, respectively, total revenues in agriculture grew by six per cent due to the increase in pig prices. Agriculture segment also features excellent EBITDA growth rate of 41.5 per cent in H1/2020 against the previous year. Retail EBITDA grew by HRK 37 million, with the major positive effect accounted for by Q1/2020 and the implementation of measures taken to adjust operations to COVID-19 circumstances. The lockdown conditions were mostly reflected in the Food operations, particularly the segment that primarily leans on the HORECA channel and tourist flows, resulting in a drop of EBITDA by 11.5 per cent compared to the same period of 2019 though market shares increased in oil, beverages and frozen food and business in Serbia performed well.

“Given the impact of COVID-19 on the first half of 2020, we are very satisfied with our operations. When it comes to our consumers and the community in which we operate, the most important thing was to keep the supply chain running without interruption and to protect the safety of our employees and our customers, and when it comes to the position of Fortenova Group – to reduce the negative effects of the crisis as much as possible by implementing measures intended to adapt our operations and to manage liquidity reserves as firmly as possible, which we have successfully done, as shown by the six-months results. The period also featured very positive steps in the process of transferring Mercator and Dijamant to Fortenova Group and optimism regarding the results of the tourist season, which was way better than expected” – said Fabris Peruško, Chief Executive Officer of Fortenova Group at the presentation of the H12020 business results to DR Holders, i.e. owners of the company.

Commenting on the financial results of H12020, James Pearson, Executive Director for Finance of Fortenova Group, said that “in view of the negative impact of COVID-19 we have managed our cash and profitability very well”, stating further: “Fortenova Group now has a very clear and agreed strategy to deliver financial health of the Group. This we will continue to deliver on and we expect to fully comply to our lender requirements going forward”.

Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia revokes Ruling of Slovenian Competition Agency Fortenova group

30.07.2020.

Seized Mercator shares have to be returned to Agrokor

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia passed a judgement pursuant to which the shares of Mercator, that were by decision of the Public Competition Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (Javna agencija Republike Slovenije za varstvo konkurence – AVK) temporarily seized late last year, have to be returned to Agrokor without delay.

The State Attorney’s Office of the Republic of Slovenia had filed a request for the protection of lawfulness with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia whereby the State Attorney’s Office essentially stated that the Slovenian AVK, by seizing the Mercator shares from Agrokor, had acted unlawfully. With its final and non-appealable judgement the Supreme Court has confirmed such claim and changed AVK’s decision, thus halting the procedure that AVK had brought against Agrokor, in which the Mercator shares were seized. The Supreme Court has thus enabled Agrokor to freely dispose of the shares.

The Supreme Court declared the seizure of shares to be unlawful, argueing that AVK had no legal grounds to issue a ruling to seize the shares. In particular, Item 5 of Art. 201 of the Slovenian Misdemeanor Act stipulates that the decision to seize property can be made if there is a »concern that the perpetrator may hide or travel abroad during the infringement proceedings or prior to the execution of the decision«. The Supreme Court established that it was conceptually impossible for a legal person to »hide, travel to an unknown location or abroad« and that there were no substantive legal grounds to seize the shares from Agrokor. The judgement indicates that, by passing the unlawful seizure decision, AVT completely wrongfully applied Art. 201 of the Slovenian Misdemeanor Act, the goal and intention whereof solely apply to natural persons for whom there is a possibility to »hide or travel to an unknown location«. For those reasons, the Supreme Courts states, Mercator shares have to be returned to Agrokor without any further delay.

This judgement of the Supreme Court provides for the return of property to Agrokor slightly more than a month after the Court Okrajno sodišče of Ljubljana already altered AVK’s decision on the amount of the fine and reduced the original amount of as much as EUR 53.9m to EUR 1m, explaining that not having reported the concentration was not the result of the »intention to bypass the concentration filing in order to cause possible harmful effects on market competition«, but was rather »the result of negligence of the responsible person Ivica Todorić«. Due to the fact that the court has not accepted all arguments, Agrokor appealed against this decision to the High Court of Ljubljana and has continued to apply legal means to refute the argumentation used by AVK in establishing the alleged breach of provisions.

Fabris Peruško, Chief Executive Officer of Fortenova Group, to which the Mercator shares are to be transferred, said: »We welcome the judgement of the Supreme Court, which shows that by protecting lawfulness, key institutions also improve the investment climate in Slovenia. We expect for the free disposal of shares to be made possible within shortest time and are still planning to realize the transfer of Mercator shares to Fortenova Group by the end of this year.«

Peruško also used the occasion to reiterate that transferring Mercator to Fortenova Group as soon as possible was primarily in the direct interest of Slovenia’s largest retail chain, its suppliers and the entire economic environment in Slovenia. »Due to its multiplying effect on the economy, Mercator is a company of systemic importance for the Slovenian economy. By the transfer from Agrokor, a company in bankruptcy, Mercator will find itself in the ownership of the stable and capital-strong Fortenova Group, whose ultimate goal is to make Mercator a strong local-supplier-oriented regional retailer«, Peruško said, concluding: »As already stated several times, in Mercator as part of Fortenova Group the entire Slovenian economy will gain a financially strong and stable partner and buyer of its goods. The cooperation with local suppliers and the maintenance and development of shorter supply chains is one of the key determinants of Fortenova Group’s regional retail development strategy and constitutes an important competitive advantage. After the Mercator shares are transferred to Fortenova Group, the local suppliers can therefore continue to count on their position at Mercator.«

Changes in the Board of Directors of Fortenova Group Fortenova group

14.07.2020.

Fortenova grupa d.d. presents financial results Business

02.07.2020.

Last year, marked by increasing revenue and adjusted EDITDA, ends with strong cash position while Q1 2020 shows best results in the past three years

In presenting the results of last year’s operations to its DR holders, Fortenova Group highlighted the growth of both most important performance indicators in 2019 – total revenue and EBITDA, accompanied by building strong liquidity reserves due to which it entered the year 2020 with a cash position of HRK 1.6bn.

The pro forma consolidated total revenue of Fortenova grupa d.d. in 2019 reached almost HRK 24 billion (23,946 million), with consolidated adjusted EBITDA amounting to almost HRK 1.7bn (1,662 million). Given that Fortenova grupa d.d. has been operational since 1st April 2019, the presented results are the pro forma consolidated results of Fortenova grupa d.d. and the 102 companies, net of Mercator, the transfer of which to Fortenova grupa d.d. is not yet completed.

The Core segments, which include the results of 17 core companies of Fortenova grupa d.d., companies from the business areas of Retail and Wholesale, Food and Agriculture, generated a total of HRK 24,805 million in unconsolidated revenues in 2019, or a growth of 3.6 % against the year 2018. At the same time unconsolidated EBITDA of the Core segments saw a year-on-year growth of 13 % and amounted to HRK 1,917 million.

All Fortenova grupa d.d. Core segments experienced total revenue growth in 2019 – Retail and Wholesale of 3%, while both Food and Agriculture generated 4% higher revenues than in the year 2018. Total revenues generated in Retail and Wholesale amounted to HRK 13,934 million, in Food HRK 8,267 million and in Agriculture HRK 2,604 million.

Having maintained the same level of EBITDA as in the previous year, with HRK 1,132 million realized in 2019 the Food Business segment made the largest contribution to the Group total. The highest positive effect on total revenue growth in Food was accounted for by the edible oils and meat divisions.

The highest growth of revenue and EBITDA in the Retail and Wholesale business area was accounted for by Konzum, whose EBITDA in 2019 outperformed the one from the previous year by 25.5 %. Total revenues generated by Croatia’s largest retail chain in 2019 grew by 4.5%, in spite of the fact that it had a lower number of stores than in the previous year. In the Agriculture segment the increase in revenue was mostly accounted for by PIK Vinkovci, while the highest growth of profits in 2019, was generated at Belje with HRK 62 million.

Fortenova grupa d.d. was able to continue the favourable operating trends in Q12020, with consolidated revenues, net of Mercator, amounting to HRK 4.814 million, while adjusted consolidated EBITDA for the period amounted to HRK 93.6 million.

At the same time, in Q12020 the Core segments generated unconsolidated total revenue growth of 8 %, while the unconsolidated EBITDA for the quarter amounted to HRK 245 million or 90 % more compared to the results generated by Agrokor d.d. in the period preceding the Settlement Plan implementation.

„The growth of all key performance indicators, particularly EBITDA, as well as the fact that we secured a smooth operational continuity, have proved that the numerous transformational processes that have been taking place at Fortenova grupa with a view to achieving significant cost control and improving efficiency, have borne fruit. Furthermore, as already known, over the course of 2019 the company refinanced its SPFA debt, implemented changes in organisation and governance and obtained a new capital and ownership structure. At the same time, Fortenova Group has been settling all its liabilities regularly and without exception and entered the year 2020 with a very strong cash position of HRK 1,635 million on its accounts. Hence the measures taken by the Group at the end of Q12020 in order to adjust its operations to the impact of the COVID-19 crisis were primarily directed at maintaining its strong liquidity and employment in order for the Fortenova grupa to be ready to move on once the crisis is over” – said Fabris Peruško, CEO of Fortenova Group at the presentation of the 2019 results to the holders of Depositary Receipt s, ie. the owners of the company.

Fortenova Group extends offer of properties for sale Real estate

15.05.2020.

The website http://nekretnine.fortenovagrupa.hr features almost 200 properties worth more than HRK 139 million

Fortenova Group has refreshed the offer at its specialized website for selling properties http://nekretnine.fortenovagrupa.hr to include more than 50 new properties located all across Croatia. The offer still includes various property types: residential, commercial, agricultural and building land. Those are non-core properties owned by Fortenova Group’s operating companies. Thus the overall portfolio offered on that website comprises almost 200 properties worth more than HRK 139 million in total. As a new feature, all properties offered have additionally been designated with special boards on site with the required contacts in order to make the divestment process as efficient as possible.

The website http://nekretnine.fortenovagrupa.hr features a detailed description of the condition of each property offered for sale as well as the terms of disposal, along with the initial price and instructions on how to submit bids for a specific property. In addition, it is possible to tour and view commercial facilities subject to prior notice. There is also a special telephone line under the number +385 99 531 4000, where additional information can be obtained. Binding bids for purchasing properties shall be received until 31st May 2020.

The bids are to be submitted in binding form and must contain the name of the natural person or firm name of the legal person, PIN/IIN (OIB), contact, proof of residence or registered seat of the bidder, designation of the property (property ID listed with each individual advertisement starting with „AGNE-____“) for which the bidder submits the bid in writing, the offered amount of the sale-purchase price in kuna that must be higher than the stated initial sale-purchase price, proof of security deposit payment, IBAN for possible security deposit repayment, statement of the bidder on acceptance of the terms and conditions of the sale-purchase agreement, signature of the bidder and a list of appendices submitted with the bid. The bidders should deliver the written bid in a closed envelope to the address: FORTENOVA GRUPA d.d., Marijana Čavića 1, 10 000 Zagreb, with the remark – „Bid for the purchase of the property – ID No. AGNE-______, Asset Management Department of the Group“. All details regarding the conditions of sale can also be found at the following link: http://nekretnine.fortenovagrupa.hr/hr/uvjeti/.

The list of properties offered for sale shall continue to be updated regularly and the website will soon be supplemented to include new content and new properties.

Changes to the Management Boards of Fortenova Group operating companies Business

11.05.2020.

As of mid May and early June, respectively, the companies Konzum plus d.o.o. and Ledo plus d.o.o. will be headed by new Presidents of the Boards. Thus Zoran Mitreski will replace Slavko Ledić as President of the Management Board of Konzum and Ivan Babić will assume the management of Ledo instead of Marin Poljak. In order for Fortenova Group operations to be even more efficient in the forthcoming period, Fabris Peruško, Chief Executive Officer of Fortenova Group, has together with the Executive Directors and the Board of Directors introduced changes with a view to further strengthening the management teams and improving the two key business areas of Fortenova Group.

The position of the President of the Managment Board of Konzum, the largest national retail chain, will as of 16th May 2020 be assumed by Zoran Mitreski, former Member of the Management Board of Konzum for purchasing and marketing. At the same time, with a view to further standardizing and strengthening synergic potentials as well as simplifying operations, the frozen food segment within Fortenova Group’s Food Business Area will be integrated in terms of management. As of 1st June 2020 Ivan Babić, currently director of the Turnaround Department at Fortenova grupa d.d., will assume the management of the frozen food segment as Executive Director and at the same time as Managing Director of the company Ledo plus.

Both Slavko Ledić, former President of the Management Board of Konzum and Marin Poljak, former Managing Director of Ledo plus, will continue their careers outside Fortenova Group.

„In realizing those decisions we were primarily guided by the wish for improvement and continuity, which we have achieved with these appointments. Our colleagues Mitreski and Babić are deeply integrated in the operations of the companies the management of which they are about to assume. With long-standing experience in retail, and particularly in Konzum where he has together with other colleagues run the company through the most challenging stages of its operations, since the deep crisis in 2017, through the Extraordinary Administration Procedure to the stabilization of operations and resumption of excellent results, Zoran Mitreski is the key person for Konzum’s further development. The leadership that he has shown today, under the circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, has significantly contributed to the fact that Konzum has again demonstrated exceptional strength under significantly aggravated operating conditions.

Similarly, Ivan Babić as head of the turnaround project, particularly important for the processes that Fortenova Group has undergone, had the opportunity to familiarize himself in detail with all our businesses and has with his strategic considerations and operational skills made a great contribution in raising Fortenova Group’s operating profit by EUR 100m through the restructuring over the last two years. The experience he has gained by doing that work and by running the restructuring at MOL, where he worked prior to joining Fortenova Group, guarantee that our colleague Babić will justify the trust placed in him to run the operations of the frozen food segment“ – said Fabris Peruško, Chief Executive Officer of Fortenova Group.

“I feel great pride, but at the same time great responsibility. On the one hand, this confirms that the Management Board that I have been part of in the former composition led the company in the right direction and I can only say that my appointment will provide for positive continuity. We shall continue working on all projects started and, of course, I look forward to all future ones. Konzum is made of people and I am sure that our winning team will continue to overcome all challenges just as it has done so far“, said Zoran Mitreski, the new President of the Board of Konzum.

Ivan Babić, the new Executive Director of Fortenova Group’s frozen food segment, said on the occasion of the appointment: „I am honored by the decision to entrust me with the responsible duty of running the new frozen food segment in the Food Business Area. After two years of very intensive work on the turnaround project and the cooperation with numerous teams from all parts of Fortenova Group, I believe that I have not only sufficient knowledge, but also the experience required to achieve the strategic objectives set. I very much look forward to new business challenges and particularly to the cooperation with colleagues on developing and strengthening the market positions of our companies.“

Peruško also thanked the former heads of Konzum and Ledo for the contribution they made to the companies and to Fortenova Group, particularly over the period of the Settlement Plan implementation and the transformation of the companies.

„The managerial skills, knowledge and personality of Slavko Ledić were key to maintaining Konzum’s operations in the crisis the company went through in 2017. In spite of a number of aggravating circumstances, Konzum survived and within very short time regained customer confidence and resumed its upward trajectory. Ledić headed the team that impeccably realized the Settlement Plan implementation, which was extremely complex in a retail company with more than 10,000 employees. In parellel to that, Konzum continuously improved its business results and was one of the major drivers of operating profit growth of the entire Group. At the end of the day, the period of extraordinary retail operations under challenging conditions that we are currently witnessing is largely the result of Ledić’s organisational skills and knowledge of retail operations. I therefore extend my sincere appreciation to our colleague Ledić for his hard work and engagement and wish him lots of success in his further career“ – Peruško said.

In his acknowledgment to Marin Poljak, former President of the Board of Ledo plus, Peruško highlighted his contribution to developing the organisation, the new vision and the realization of Ledo’s strategic plan. „Under his management Ledo continued to affirm its leading position in product innovation and quality under aggravated operating conditions“ – said Fabris Peruško on the occasion of announcing changes in leading positions at two Fortenova Group companies.

Zoran Mitreski CV Ivan Babić CV

Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia and associates visit Belje Agriculture

28.04.2020.

The Government delegation got acquainted with the Mitrovac production system, based on the synergy of a dairy cow farm, a biogas facility and a greenhouse for growing tomatoes, which also illustrates the basic determinants of Belje’s operations – the production of local food and traceability from field to table

Within the scope of their working visit to Eastern Slavonia, Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, accompanied by Marija Vučković, Minister of Agriculture, visited the Mitrovac agricultural complex at Belje, comprising a dairy cow farm, a biogas facility and a greenhouse for the production of tomatoes.

The Government delegation was acquainted with the Mitrovac production system, based on the synergic connection of a dairy cow farm with a capacity of 2000 cows, a 2 MWh biogas facility and a 4.5 ha greenhouse. The biogas facility uses raw material from the farm to produce electric power and heat, used in the greenhouse for a year-round production of tomatoes.

The Mitrovac agricultural complex thus illustrates the basic determinants of Belje’s operations – production of local food, traceability from field to table and sustainability, which have in these challenging times proven to be very important for the Croatian economy.

As Croatia’s largest agricultural and industrial complex, Belje boasts an agricultural production that follows all global trends and can produce sufficient quantities of local food. Belje tills 20,000 hectares of arable land and 650 hectares of vineyards, produces 35 million litres of milk a year and accounts for 35 per cent of Croatia’s pig production as well as 14 per cent of Croatia’s cattle production.

„With the agricultural potential that Belje has, just like the whole of Slavonia and Baranya, Croatia can produce sufficient quantities of food, primarily for its own needs but also for exports. Belje has systematically invested in the development and strengthening of its production capacities and has continuously produced local foods from our fields and farms. In spite of the challenging circumstances that we are facing, all agricultural works have been carried out according to plans and all our productions work at maximum capacities, as best witnessed by the results of the animal feed factories that in March recorded the largest monthly production in the company’s history“ – said Davor Bošnjaković, Managing Director of Belje plus.

Vlado Čondić Galiničić, Executive Director for the Business Area of Agriculture at Fortenova Group and also President of the Agriculture Group of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, as well pointed out that the corona crisis has proved the importance of local agricultural production and the food industry tied to it.

„This knowledge can be used to strengthen the national agricultural strategy and resourse management. What we need now is a serious structural determination as to what we want and can produce in the forthcoming period, ie. a decision with what products we strive for self sufficiency and we should then develop in that direction. In our country we can produce sufficient meat, milk, cereals….. as there is enough room, experience, historical knowledge and people willing to work“ – Čondić Galiničić said.

Fabris Peruško, Chief Executive Officer of Fortenova Group, among other matters, drew the attention of the Government delegation to the fact that Fortenova Group’s strategic determination to develop the regional agricultural and food production of local origin on all markets where it operates, and the emphasis on products of local origin in purchasing and sales, was one of the key levers during the corona crisis in securing the supply of the market with the most important food products.

„Fortenova Group’s specific advantage in doing so was its regional footprint and cooperation, as the commercial flows within our region were functioning despite the global crisis“ – said Peruško and added: „Companies like Fortenova Group can lead the way in strenghtening the offer of local products both on the domicile market and in exports. This particularly applies to agriculture and food production, because we have all the prerequisites – heritage, high product quality and consumers who are used to those products and appreciate them highly. Hence, in a more intensive development of local production we should count on an even stronger local consumption, which shall also become a strong contribution to preserving economic activities and jobs in Croatia.“

Fortenova Group purchases and donates half a million protective masks to the Civil Protection Directorate Social Responsibility

10.04.2020.

The protective equipment worth almost HRK 2 million is intended for users working in the field to implement health protection measures against the coronavirus

Half a million disposable protective masks were donated by Fortenova Group to the Civil Protection Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Croatia. The protective equipment worth almost HRK 2 million, collected today from the Konzum warehouse, is intended for users who work in the field, implementing protective measures against the coronavirus.

Assistant Minister Damir Trut, PhD, thanked for the donation and said that it would contribute to increasing the safety of people taking part in activities related to fighting the novel coronavirus epidemic.

„The donation of protective masks will provide for safer work conditions and the protection of all workers, primarily in the health system, but also other operating forces in the civil protection system and I would therefore like to say thank you for this praiseworthy donation. It is only with joint forces that we can contribute to reducing the spread of the novel coronavirus and to increasing the safety of all citizens of the Republic of Croatia“ – the Assistant Minister said.

Despite the great challenge in purchasing equipment which is currently the most sought after product on global level, Fortenova Group managed to import a sizeable quantity thereof, part of which is intended for the protection of Fortenova Group employees, while the majority of the masks will be provided to those who currently need them most.

„Everything we get from medical workers, policemen, fire fighters and all the others who have over the last weeks non-stop been taking care of the safety and health of us all, is invaluable. At Fortenova Group we know this very well, as thousands of our workers have daily been taking care of the smooth supply of goods for the people in the region. This why we very much appreciate the value of caring for safety and health and the importance of investing in that safety at this point“, – said Fabris Peruško, CEO of Fortenova Group.

Fortenova Group companies in Croatia – Konzum, PIK Vrbovec, Jamnica, Zvijezda, Belje and Ledo – have since the beginning of the crisis been helping hospitals, the Red Cross and various associations taking care of those in need. In Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, countries of the region in which they operate, the companies have as well helped to a significant extent in providing the basic necessities in fighting against the coronavirus spread.

„With this most recent donation of protective masks the overall amount of Fortenova Group donations across the region to date has reached almost HRK 4 million in direct contributions to the communities in which we operate. This is also a way to show our gratitude to everyone who are in their workplaces daily, irrespective of the risks“ – Peruško highlighted.

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