Opening the discussion, moderator Filip Dumbović (Avison Young Croatia) set the stage by inviting the panellists to share their perspectives on the current state and future direction of retail in Croatia. He remarked that it’s clear that competition is intensifying on the Croatian retail market. He steered the conversation toward the strategic decisions shaping the sector, emphasising the importance of adaptability and innovation.

Lea Uroš Gregorec (Spiller Farmer) observed that tenant mixes in retail parks are carefully curated, with five to ten key retailers dominating most new developments. “If there is an interesting brand coming to our market, space for them will be created within existing locations. The vacancy rate in retail parks is quite low, and we are very limited with available units, but developers are always focused on fashion retailers because of their turnovers, sales per square meter, and the footfall they create.”

Erika Barkó (AmRest) shared the company’s strategic approach to expansion in Croatia and the broader Balkans, highlighting the company’s data-driven decision-making and ambitious growth plans. “AmRest is growing. In 2023, the company decided to further invest in Croatia mainly due to the fantastic financial results we have achieved.” Barkó also addressed the much-anticipated question of Starbucks’ entry into Croatia, stating, “Starbucks overall is very successful, we are growing in most of our markets, and the latest country we entered was Serbia. Whenever we enter a country, we are targeting bigger cities.”

Tomislav Šapina (Kaufland) offered insights into Kaufland’s expansion strategy and commitment to innovation. “In our real estate department, we have three pillars when we talk about future strategy: the format of the future, the pace of expansion, and the financing of real estate projects. At the moment, we have 50 stores in our portfolio, and the new strategy is to focus on the smaller format, as the customer of today wants proximity and convenience.” Šapina elaborated on the company’s efforts to innovate, both in store formats and in operational efficiency. “The vision of the Schwarz Group is to be the leading ecosystem for a better life, and the purpose is that all of these divisions work on products or services in order to make a better life for current and future generations. One of the keys to success is definitely innovation, and the reason that retail is performing quite well, despite all the general difficulties, is that big brands keep innovating.”

The panel concluded with a consensus that the future of retail in Croatia will be shaped by flexibility, strategic partnerships, and a relentless focus on innovation.