Konzum
Croatian supermarket chain and one of the country's largest food retailers.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Konzum is a Croatian supermarket and grocery-retail brand headquartered in Zagreb. It is widely described as Croatia's largest supermarket chain, serving a broad mass-market customer base through a network of stores that includes conventional Konzum locations, medium-sized Konzum Maxi supermarkets, and larger Super Konzum stores. The chain sells food, beverages, household supplies, personal-care goods, and other everyday consumer products, including merchandise under its K Plus private label. Its retail model combines neighborhood convenience with larger destination stores and has also included online shopping, loyalty services, logistics operations, and related retail formats. The brand traces its origins to 1957, when the first Konzum self-service store opened in Zagreb. This format was significant in the local retail environment because it introduced self-service shopping to the city. In 1970, four retail organizations—Črnomerec, Konzum, Moslavka, and Slavonia—were combined under the name Unikonzum. The company later returned to the Konzum name in 1995 and reorganized its operations, including the adoption of an electronic point-of-sale system. Konzum expanded substantially after Croatia's independence in the early 1990s. It joined the Agrokor group in 1994, a change that supported further expansion, acquisitions, store development, and investment in distribution infrastructure. In 2002, Konzum acquired Alastor, then one of Croatia's major food retailers. That year also saw the introduction of a customer loyalty-card program and Croatia's first retail online shop associated with the chain. Store growth accelerated in the following years, including the opening of dozens of new branches and the development of the Super Konzum format. By 2005, the company had retail outlets across all parts of Croatia. The business has operated through several neighboring-market formats and associated activities. Its regional portfolio has included Velpro cash-and-carry operations and the Idea brand in Serbia and Montenegro. Konzum also created Kozmo, a Croatian drugstore chain, in 2005. Kozmo was sold to the Nexus ALPHA fund at the end of 2009, and the stores were subsequently taken over by German retailer Müller in 2017. Konzum additionally launched Konzum Benz petrol stations in 2012 and a mobile application during the same year. A major corporate transition occurred in 2019 during the restructuring of Agrokor. On 1 April 2019, Konzum's operations and assets were transferred to Konzum plus d.o.o., a company owned by Fortenova Group. This placed the retail brand within Fortenova's post-Agrokor corporate structure. The chain has continued operating under the Konzum name, with its core emphasis on food retail and everyday household shopping. In 2021, Konzum became the first Croatian retail chain reported to accept cryptocurrency payments through its webshop and physical stores, using the Croatian payment processor Electrocoin. Konzum's current identity is therefore that of a large Croatian grocery retailer with regional links, a developed store-format architecture, private-label products, and integrated digital and distribution capabilities.
History
Konzum's history begins in 1957, when its first store opened in Zagreb as the city's first self-service retail store. The self-service format marked a modernization of grocery shopping, replacing much of the traditional counter-service model with customer-selected merchandise and organized shop-floor retailing. In 1970, four retail chains—Črnomerec, Konzum, Moslavka, and Slavonia—were brought together as Unikonzum. The combined organization provided a broader base for coordinated retail operations. In 1995, the company changed its name back to Konzum and reorganized its business. This restructuring included the implementation of an electronic point-of-sale application, improving transaction processing and store-level information management. The company's growth accelerated after Croatia separated from Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Konzum joined the Agrokor group in 1994, after which the chain expanded its store network and strengthened its position in Croatian food retail. In 2002, it acquired Alastor, identified as Croatia's third-largest food retailer at the time. The same year, Konzum launched a loyalty-card program and opened what was described as Croatia's first retail online shop. These initiatives broadened the company beyond physical stores and created new ways to maintain customer relationships. Store expansion continued in the early and mid-2000s. In 2003, Konzum opened 70 new branches and increased its workforce from approximately 5,000 to 7,000 employees. By 2005, the chain had sales outlets in all parts of Croatia. The business also developed several formats to serve different shopping missions. Standard Konzum stores focused on regular grocery shopping, Konzum Maxi represented a medium-sized supermarket format, and Super Konzum offered larger stores with a wider assortment and more extensive shopping space. In 2006, the company opened the Super Konzum Tower Centar in Rijeka, then its largest branch. Further Super Konzum openings followed, including nine additional stores in 2009. Earlier, in 2007, the retailer had opened 67 new Konzum stores, illustrating the pace of its national expansion. Distribution infrastructure became another strategic priority. From 2011, Konzum developed a logistics and distribution center in Dugopolje covering approximately 85,000 square meters, described in the reference material as the largest facility of its kind in the region. Konzum also experimented with adjacent retail and service businesses. It established the Kozmo drugstore chain in July 2005. Kozmo reached 42 stores and 242 employees before being sold to the Nexus ALPHA fund on 31 December 2009. In 2017, German retailer Müller took over all 70 Kozmo stores. Konzum opened Konzum Benz petrol stations in 2012 and launched a mobile application in the same year. Its wider regional activities included Velpro cash-and-carry operations and stores operating under the Idea name in Serbia and Montenegro. The Agrokor crisis led to a major legal and corporate reorganization. On 1 April 2019, Konzum's operations and assets were transferred to a new company, Konzum plus d.o.o., owned by Fortenova Group. This transition separated the operating retail business from the former Agrokor structure while preserving the Konzum consumer brand. The chain continued to operate as a major Croatian grocery retailer and as part of Fortenova's regional portfolio. In 2021, Konzum introduced cryptocurrency payment capability through Electrocoin, a Croatian crypto-payment processor. The service was made available through the online shop and in physical stores, positioning the retailer as an early adopter of this payment method in Croatia. Across its history, Konzum has therefore developed from a Zagreb self-service shop into a national supermarket network with multiple store formats, private-label goods, digital services, logistics infrastructure, and regional commercial connections.
- 2021
Cryptocurrency payments introduced
[1]Konzum introduces cryptocurrency payment capability in its webshop and physical stores through Electrocoin.
- 2019
Operations move to Konzum plus under Fortenova
[1]Konzum's operations and assets are transferred to Konzum plus d.o.o., owned by Fortenova Group.
- 2012
Konzum Benz and mobile application launch
[1]Konzum opens petrol stations under the Konzum Benz name and launches a mobile application.
- 2011
Dugopolje distribution center development begins
[1]Konzum develops a major logistics and distribution center in Dugopolje, reported at approximately 85,000 square meters.
- 2009
Kozmo is sold
[1]Konzum sells the Kozmo drugstore chain to the Nexus ALPHA fund.
- 2007
Large-scale branch expansion
[1]The chain opens 67 new Konzum stores during a major period of network expansion.
- 2006
Largest store opens in Rijeka
[1]Konzum opens the Super Konzum Tower Centar in Rijeka, at that time its largest branch.
- 2005
National Croatian coverage and Kozmo launch
[1]Konzum reaches all parts of Croatia and establishes the Kozmo drugstore chain.
- 2002
Alastor acquisition and loyalty expansion
[1]Konzum acquires Alastor, launches a loyalty-card program, and starts an online retail shop.
- 1995
The Konzum name is restored
[1]Unikonzum is renamed Konzum and its operations are reorganized, including the introduction of an electronic point-of-sale application.
Products and positioning
Mass-market grocery retailer emphasizing broad everyday assortment, nationwide Croatian coverage, multiple store sizes, private-label value products, and convenient shopping services.
Supermarket format
Konzum
The core Konzum store format serves routine grocery and household shopping. Stores typically offer food, beverages, fresh products, personal-care items, cleaning supplies, and other everyday merchandise. The format is intended to provide accessible local shopping across Croatian communities and forms the foundation of the brand's national retail network.
Medium-sized supermarket
Konzum Maxi
Konzum Maxi is the chain's medium-sized supermarket format. It provides a broader assortment and larger sales area than a standard neighborhood store while remaining suited to regular local shopping. The format has been used in cities and towns across Croatia, including coastal, central, and eastern regions.
Large-format supermarket
Super Konzum
Super Konzum is the largest principal store format in the Konzum portfolio. These stores are designed for larger shopping trips and generally provide more selling space and a wider assortment than standard Konzum and Konzum Maxi locations. The format has been expanded through major branches in cities including Rijeka, Zagreb, Split, Zadar, Dubrovnik, and other Croatian markets.
Private label
K Plus
K Plus is Konzum's value-oriented private-label brand. It covers food and household products positioned at affordable prices, allowing the retailer to offer a lower-cost alternative to branded merchandise while extending its own product identity across everyday categories.
Cash-and-carry wholesale · 2003
Velpro
Velpro is a cash-and-carry operation associated with Konzum's wider retail group. The format serves business customers and other buyers seeking wholesale-style purchasing. Reference material identifies Velpro operations in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with additional regional activity connected to Serbia.
Regional supermarket format
Idea
Idea is the supermarket brand used by Konzum's regional operations in Serbia and Montenegro. Its stores have appeared in several sizes, including Idea, Idea Super, and Idea Extra. The brand extends the group's grocery-retail presence beyond Croatia while using a market-specific consumer identity.
Drugstore · 2005
Kozmo
Kozmo was a Croatian drugstore chain established by Konzum in 2005. It reached 42 stores and 242 employees before being sold to the Nexus ALPHA fund in 2009. The stores later became part of Müller’s Croatian drugstore expansion and are no longer a Konzum-owned offering.
Brand decisions
2021
Introduction of cryptocurrency paymentsProduct launchBackground
Digital payment adoption was expanding and Konzum was exploring additional payment options for online and physical retail.
Action taken
Konzum enabled cryptocurrency payments through its webshop and physical stores in cooperation with Electrocoin.
Aftermath
The move positioned Konzum as an early Croatian retail adopter of cryptocurrency payment acceptance.
2019
Transfer of operations to Konzum plusStrategyBackground
The restructuring of Agrokor required the reorganization of the group's operating companies and assets.
Action taken
On 1 April 2019, Konzum's operations and assets were moved to Konzum plus d.o.o., owned by Fortenova Group.
Aftermath
The retail brand continued operating under the Konzum name within Fortenova's post-Agrokor corporate structure.
2011
Expansion of logistics and distribution capacityStrategyBackground
Rapid store growth required additional warehousing and distribution infrastructure.
Action taken
Konzum developed a logistics and distribution center in Dugopolje with an area reported at approximately 85,000 square meters.
Aftermath
The facility strengthened the supply-chain base supporting the retailer's Croatian network.
2009
Sale of Kozmo to Nexus ALPHAM&ABackground
Konzum's drugstore operation had grown to a sizeable network but was outside the company's core grocery focus.
Action taken
Konzum sold Kozmo to the Nexus ALPHA fund on 31 December 2009.
Aftermath
The divestment separated the drugstore chain from Konzum; Müller subsequently took over the stores in 2017.
2005
Launch of the Kozmo drugstore chainStrategyBackground
Konzum sought to extend its retail activity beyond food and groceries into the Croatian drugstore market.
Action taken
It established Kozmo as a separate drugstore chain in July 2005.
Aftermath
Kozmo expanded to multiple stores before being sold to Nexus ALPHA in 2009 and later taken over by Müller in 2017.
2002
Acquisition of AlastorM&ABackground
Konzum was expanding its position in Croatian food retail and sought to increase its store network and market presence.
Action taken
The company acquired Alastor, described in the reference material as Croatia's third-largest food retailer at the time.
Aftermath
The acquisition reinforced Konzum's position in the Croatian grocery market and accompanied the launch of its loyalty program and online shop.
Sources1 sources
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