Star Celebrates 110 Years of Business and Market Leadership

Star, a market leader and Croatian manufacturing company whose values are based on tradition, quality, and innovation, celebrated 110 years of successful business, according to a statement from the company. The ceremony took place at the Museum of the City of Zagreb, on the day when the First Croatian Oil Factory was established in Zagreb in 1916, in the presence of numerous company partners and representatives from institutions and the media.

The strong position of Star, as stated in the continuation of the announcement, is confirmed by data on the habits of Croatian households: every second edible oil used in Croatia is Star’s, two out of three cakes are baked with Star’s margarine, and nine out of ten people think of Star first when it comes to mayonnaise. According to a BRANDpuls survey by Ipsos from spring 2026, five of Star’s brands are among the 20 strongest brands in the Croatian market, with Star mayonnaise and Star oil occupying the top two spots.

– I am proud that we are the market leader in almost all categories in which we have chosen to compete, and the historically high result in the mayonnaise category of over 70 percent confirms this. Star has been the number 1 brand among all fast-moving consumer goods brands for years, and we continuously achieve these results thanks to our consumers, employees, and partners – emphasized Dinko Jurišić, a member of the Management Board of Star.

Since the beginnings of production at the First Croatian Oil Factory to the present day, the company has followed consumer needs over the decades, developed new products, and set standards for the domestic food industry. Thus, in 1956, it became the first margarine producer in the country, introduced mayonnaise to the market in 1959, and launched its own ketchup production in 2016. The company today operates under the brands Star, Margo, and Omegol.

– Today, Star is a large and modern company, as evidenced by these figures: 150 million euros in annual revenue, more than 400 employees, and presence in over 15 markets. We look at these 110 years with pride, but even more with a sense of responsibility for what is to come, so we continue to invest in the development of our products, modernization of production, digitalization of processes, and sustainable solutions that will further strengthen Star’s competitiveness – stated Karmen Rosan, a member of the Management Board of Star, at the ceremony.

Star has been operating as part of the Žito group since this year, one of the leading Croatian food groups. With its entry into the Žito group, a new developmental chapter has begun for Star, focused on further strengthening its business, market position, and creating new growth opportunities.

– Star is one of the most recognized Croatian food brands and a company that has held a special place in the lives of generations of consumers for 110 years. Its entry into the Žito group represents a great responsibility for us, but also an opportunity to build together a new chapter of one of the most successful Croatian business stories, so that we remain competitive and recognizable among consumers in the years to come – said Josip Bičvić, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Star.

Star also marked the anniversary with a donation to the Croatian Down Syndrome Community, with which it has collaborated for more than ten years, and as part of the collaboration, the labels of the special edition of Star’s sunflower oil were decorated with drawings by children from the Community.