Costella water plant sold to Croatia

Slovenian entrepreneur Joc Pečečnik bought the Costella mineral‑water bottling plant in late 2022 for about €2 million. After a decade of losses, the company posted its first profit in 2023, with revenue reaching €1.96 million and net profit of €465 thousand, aided by new contracts and a €4 million loan from the Croatian Stanić Group for plant refurbishment. In July 2026, Pečečnik sold Costella, including its production facilities and a water‑extraction concession at Grgel (valid until 2035 with possible extensions), to the Stanić Group for €7 million. The agreement contains a clause for an extra €3 million if performance targets are met. The transaction, reported to Slovenia’s competition authority, continues a partnership that began in early 2024 and reflects a broader pattern of Slovenian food‑and‑beverage assets moving under foreign, particularly Croatian, ownership, while the state retains ultimate ownership of water resources.