Type Joint-stock company Number of locations 1,428 stores (2014) Founded 1949 Revenue 2.1 billion EUR (2014) Parent organization Agrokor | Industry Retail CEO Toni Balažič (May 2012–) Headquarters Ljubljana, Slovenia Motto The Best Neighbor | |
 | ||
Area served Slovenia, Southeast Europe Key people Toni Balažič (President)
Ante Todorić (Chair, Agrokor) Products Cash & carry, convenience store,
discount store, e-commerce,
hypermarket, supermarket Subsidiaries M - Energija, d.o.o., Interier, d.o.o., Profiles | ||
Mercator (mer-kah-tawr; meaning merchant) is a Slovenian multinational retail corporation in the Central/Southeast Europe. Apart from selling products of renowned national and international companies, Mercator also operates its own brand of various foods, drinks, and household products sold at discount prices. Aside from retail, Mercator also provides travel services for tourists, and payment-automated filling stations in Slovenia.
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History
Mercator was founded in 1949 under the name "Ljubljana Groceries" (Slovene: Živila Ljubljana), and four years later it was given its current name, Mercator. The first director of the firm was Adolf "Adi" Osterc (1918–2014), who served in the Partisans' Gubec Brigade during the Second World War and then carried out political arrests after the war. The company operated only in Slovenia until the 1990s, and later started opening retail stores in other countries in the Balkans, with future plans to spread on markets outside the territories of the former Yugoslavia.
Mercator entered retail markets of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2000, Serbia in 2002, Macedonia in 2005, and Montenegro in 2007. At the end of 2009, Mercator opened stores in Tirana, Albania, and Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. While also planning on opening seven other shopping centers in Bulgaria, Mercator considered exiting the Bulgarian market by 2013. In 2012, Mercator also planned to withdraw from the Albanian market; after which it closed the two stores located in the largest Albanian cities of Tirana and Durrës, in January 2013.
To pay off its debt, Slovenian shareholders agreed to Croatian Agrokor acquiring a 53.1% stake in Mercator in late June 2014, and additional 27.6% of the company shares in early September, 2014; leading to vast closure of Mercator stores in Croatia and Bosnia, and acquirement of nearly an equal amount of additional stores in Serbia. Due to the absence of a final decision from the Bosnian Competition Council, Konzum only in BiH was not obliged to sell or rent any of the retail stores inherited by merging with Mercator BiH (Mercator shopping centers and DP markets). Konzum is, in some parts of the country, gained almost a monopoly position.
Operating divisions
While Mercator's primary market remains in Slovenia, it is also operating its retail chain in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro.
Croatia
Mercator opened the first store in Pula, in 2000; following with establishment of over 40 hypermarkets and supermarkets, and many more convenience stores in Croatia. Following Agrokor's acquisition of Mercator, most stores were leased out to Konzum or closed down in late 2014.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mercator opened the first store in Sarajevo, in 2000, and later several additional hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores in Bosnia and Herzegovina. All Mercator BH stores were transferred to Konzum in late 2014.
Serbia
The first Mercator store was opened in Belgrade, in 2002. Today, the company has stores in many Serbian cities, including Belgrade and Novi Sad. An upscale supermarket in the basement of the Beograđanka skyscraper is branded Mercator Premium, while other stores are named Roda and Idea.
Montenegro
Mercator entered Montenegro's market in 2007. The retail chain is running stores named Mercator-MEX, and is also operating under the Roda banner.