Atlantic Grupa, a prominent player in the food and beverage industry, has made a strategic move by selling its Montana Plus sandwich operations to local entrepreneur Marko Gross. The financial details of this transaction have not been disclosed.
This decision aligns with Atlantic Grupa’s ongoing strategy to concentrate on “development of key product categories and the disinvestment of non-core” businesses. Since 2018, the company has been actively shedding segments like sports and baby food, nutritional supplements, and cosmetics.
In 2020, Atlantic Grupa sold its Bebi baby food brand to Nelt Grupa in Serbia. Similarly, in 2019, it divested its sports nutrition and functional food division, including the well-known Multipower, Champ, and Multaben brands, to Germany’s Genuport.
The arrangement with Mr. Gross includes the Montana brand, its assets, and all employees. Montana Plus specializes in producing triangle sandwiches and those with extended shelf life. The company employs 32 individuals and its products are available at approximately 1,000 retail locations across Croatia.
Having owned Montana Plus since 1998, Atlantic Grupa has established a post-sale agreement with Mr. Gross for the ongoing sale and distribution of sandwiches. Atlantic Grupa believes that Mr. Gross’s extensive experience in marketing, sales, and production will significantly bolster the strategic growth and expansion of the Montana brand portfolio and enhance its competitive stance in the on-the-go food segment.
Based in Zagreb, Atlantic Grupa boasts a diverse portfolio that includes popular snack brands like Smoki, Najlepše Zelje, and Bananica, as well as savory spread brand Argeta. In the beverage category, its offerings include Grand Kafa and Barcaffe coffee brands, along with Cockta and Cedevita soft drinks. The company also owns the natural mineral water line Donat.
Beyond Croatia, Atlantic Grupa distributes its products in Slovenia, Serbia, Austria, North Macedonia, and Russia. In the first quarter of 2025, the company reported sales of €259.9 million (approximately $301.8 million), representing a remarkable 9.8% increase compared to the same period last year. However, EBITDA declined by 8.7% to €23 million, while EBIT saw a significant fall of 29% to €10.3 million. The net profit decreased by 38.4%, landing at €6.1 million.
In its food segment, Atlantic Grupa experienced a notable 19.5% rise in sales of savory spreads, which reached €42.7 million. Furthermore, snack sales increased by 2.1% to €31 million. For the 2024 financial year, Atlantic Grupa reported overall sales of €1.08 billion (+10.9%), EBITDA of €97 million (+12%), and EBIT of €45.8 million (+2.5%). Nevertheless, net profit dipped by 15.2% to €26.5 million.
As the food and beverage industry evolves, such moves highlight essential trends that impact the food and drink business and consumer preferences.
