Croatian bakery sector revenue tops €1 billion as profit falls 12.8%

Croatia's bakery industry crossed the billion-euro revenue threshold in 2025. The 912 enterprises producing bread, fresh pastry and similar products and cakes — activity class NKD 10.71 — generated €1.1 billion in combined revenue, 12.1% more than a year earlier, according to Financial Agency (Fina) data reported by Poslovni.hr. The figures were compiled for the September issue of the trade magazine Ja TRGOVAC.

Growth came at the cost of profitability. Total expenses rose faster than revenue, climbing 14.1% to €1 billion, and the sector's combined net profit fell 12.8% to €51.5 million from €59 million in 2024.

Margins narrow after a record year

The 2025 result interrupts an otherwise steady run. Fina data show the bakery industry closed every year from 2014 to 2025 with a positive financial result. The strongest was 2024, when net profit reached €59 million; the weakest was 2021, at €2.8 million. Measured against turnover, the 2025 net margin works out below 5%, leaving a thin cushion against further increases in energy, flour and labour costs.

Exports rise by a third

• Exports: €104 million, up 33.6% year on year
• Imports: €33.1 million, up 2.1%
• Trade surplus: wider by €25.5 million, or 52.7%

PEKAR TOMO d.o.o. was the single largest exporter in 2025, with shipments worth €49.4 million, close to half of the sector's total foreign sales. The largest importer was MLINAR PEKARSKA INDUSTRIJA d.o.o., which brought in goods worth €16.7 million.

Employment and wages

Employment in the industry reached 15,486 workers, 5.4% more than a year earlier. The average monthly net wage was €994, up 10.7%. Large enterprises paid the most, €1,131 a month on average — 13.8% above the industry average, but still 13.4% below the average net wage across all Croatian enterprises. Large companies also booked the highest net profit of any size class, €22.1 million out of the sector's €51.5 million.

Zagreb leads a concentrated market

The City of Zagreb hosted 203 of the sector's enterprises, ahead of Split-Dalmatia County with 113 and Zagreb County with 88. Požega-Slavonia County had the fewest, five. Zagreb also led on financial performance: companies headquartered there posted €399.7 million in revenue and €23.4 million in net profit, the top result on both counts.

Concentration is pronounced. The ten largest companies by revenue employed 39.6% of the workforce, earned 52.6% of total revenue and took 63.3% of net profit. MLINAR PEKARSKA INDUSTRIJA d.o.o. led on revenue with €183 million, or 16.9% of the sector total, and was also the largest employer with 2,239 staff, 14.5% of the workforce; its average monthly net wage was €1,159 and its operating profit €12.6 million, the highest among the companies surveyed. The largest net profit, however, belonged to ZAGREBAČKE PEKARNE KLARA d.d. at €9 million, equal to 17.4% of the sector total.