Studenac, the grocery chain with the densest store network on Croatia's Adriatic coast, is shutting 104 of its supermarkets as part of a restructuring triggered by a pre-bankruptcy proceeding. The cuts, reported by HRT and covered by Croatia Week, also include dropping the company's wholesale arm and trimming roughly 40% of head-office staff — 185 administrative positions.
The stores closing employ 335 people, and Studenac says all of them have been offered roles at locations that will stay open. Once the closures are done, the chain will run a slimmer network of 1,165 stores focused purely on retail. New management board president Teo Vujčić called the decisions difficult but necessary, framing them as a way to match the company's footprint to its actual financial capacity.
The numbers behind the restructuring are significant. Studenac reportedly owes suppliers around €60 million, and creditors have until 28 October to file claims with Croatia's Financial Agency (FINA). Next comes a formal restructuring plan, which creditors will vote on before a court signs off. Economist Ljubo Jurčić told Croatian media that cutting the least profitable stores is a credible way for the company to show action — but warned that without real financial improvement, tougher times could follow.
For anyone who has driven the Dalmatian coast, Studenac is hard to miss: its small supermarkets dot waterfront towns and villages, often the only shop for miles. Customers have already been reacting to the news, with some wondering whether the chain simply grew too fast and others pointing at its pricing. The practical takeaway for travellers is modest but real — a handful of neighbourhood and village shops may disappear over the coming months, and if one was your go-to for water, bread or beach supplies, it's worth checking which stores remain before the summer season. The company insists the surviving network will be on firmer footing, which should mean better-stocked shelves where stores do stay open.
The bigger picture: this is one of the larger retail restructurings Croatia has seen in recent years, and the creditor vote and court decision later in the process will decide whether Studenac stabilises or slides into deeper trouble. For now, the chain is open and trading.
