Croatia's Studenac, which has risen to become the country's largest by store count through a series of acquisitions in recent years, has announced plans to acquire Decentia, a Zagreb-based retailer.
The transaction, which is pending regulatory approval from the Croatian Competition Agency (AZTN), would see 36 Decentia stores transfer to Studenac, as part of the retailer's strategy of expanding through acquisitions in the proximity segment.
If completed, the move will strengthen the retailer's position in the capital, with its store count growing to 130 outlets.
About Decentia
Decentia was founded in 2001, and reported revenue of more than €34 million last year. The group's 36 stores cover an average of 110 square metres of retail space.
Studenac has grown its store county by more than three times since 2018, integrating some 650 stores into its network through acquisitions over the past six years.
At the end of 2023, Studenac had 1,265 stores across Croatia, both in urban centres like Zagreb and Split as well as rural regions with lower population density and in the coastal regions.
The group, which has been owned by a fund managed by Enterprise Investors, one of the largest private equity firms in Central and Eastern Europe, since 2018, is headquartered in Omiš, in the country's Dalmatia region.
Logistics Investment
Earlier this month, Studenac announced plans to open a new 36,000-square-metre distribution centre in Velika Gorica, near Zagreb. This facility will create 500 new jobs.
Studenac currently operates a central distribution centre in Dugopolje, near Split, supporting cross-dock operations in Zadar. It also operates semi cross-docks in Dubrovnik, Pazin, Zagreb, and Kutina.
