Pipunić: There is No Shortage in the World, However Prices Continue to Soar

Although it may seem that the global economic situation is stabilizing and that inflation is easing, the business world still feels the ‘tails’ of the recent peak of the crisis in its operations, and the war in Ukraine continues.

We are in full swing preparing for the largest Lider conference, the Day of Big Plans, which is being held for the 15th consecutive year, and this year it will take place on September 27 at the Westin Hotel in Zagreb.

This year, we expect leaders from various industries in Croatia, representatives of the public sector and state institutions on stage, from whom we will learn firsthand what awaits the entrepreneurial scene and the Croatian economy as a whole in 2024, how all economic stakeholders are facing existing challenges and preparing for upcoming ones, and what their forecasts and predictions are for the next year.

One of them is Marko Pipunić, founder, owner, and CEO of Žito Group based in Osijek, who has over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience. He started his business with two employees, a capital of 50,000 euros, and an annual revenue of about half a million euros. By integrating all entities into the Žito Group, his company has positioned itself as a leading regional food producer in Croatia and the region with over 2,000 employees. Today, it is the leading Croatian producer of pigs, milk, eggs, flour, and sugar.

Pipunić reflected on the very unstable times in which it is very challenging to make big plans and realize significant capital investments, especially in the agricultural sector, which is continuously shaken by major challenges, from the consequences of the war in Ukraine to swine fever.

– There is no shortage in the world; everything is available in the same quantities as it always has been, however, prices are soaring. All trends on the exchanges and all economic movements are unstable. We are constantly facing challenges, and it is difficult to plan anything precisely. What is certain is that prices cannot rise indefinitely and that the purchasing power of citizens will decline by the end of the year. Consequently, we can assume that prices will also decrease. As a small economy, we do not decide on anything nor can we create anything ourselves. We can follow large economies, conduct a guerrilla and flexible economy, and quickly adapt to trends – Pipunić believes.

In the last 14 years, the Day of Big Plans has become a hallmark of Lider’s conferences. It has gathered around 5,000 participants and 250 speakers, mostly industry leaders, macroeconomic experts, and leaders from political and public life. The conference has gained the status of a political-economic ‘must be’ event, and this status will be confirmed again this year with its program and speaker selection.

Do not miss the opportunity to network with the most successful entrepreneurs; register in time to participate in the 15th Day of Big Plans which will be held on September 27 in the crystal hall of the Westin Hotel Zagreb. More information can be found at the link.