Studenac Market and Wolt partner on Croatian dark stores

Studenac Market, Croatia’s largest retailer by number of stores, has teamed up with Wolt, a European delivery platform, to launch dark stores offering grocery products.

Studenac will provide the products and equipment, while Wolt will take responsibility for logistics and delivery.

The first dark stores will be opened in the Adriatic coast city of Split in late July, and in Croatia’s capital Zagreb in early August. Users will be able to order products via Wolt, and the latter will provide delivery in 30 minutes or less.

“We are proud to be setting up Croatia’s first quick commerce collaboration between a retail chain and an online delivery platform,” says Studenac Marketing Director Nina Mimica.

“In Wolt, we have a partner who shares our commitment to excellence, customer relationships and a pleasant and positive shopping experience. Their extensive network and deep knowledge of the delivery market allow us to offer ultra-fast delivery.”

After almost tripling its network since 2018, exceeding 1,000 stores last month, Studenac is focusing on digital initiatives to improve its relationships with customers and expand its reach.

The collaboration with Wolt is part of this strategy. More than 800,000 users in Croatia, a country of four million people, have downloaded the delivery app from Wolt, which was recently acquired by US big hitter DoorDash.

“Innovation and high quality partnerships like this set us apart in an increasingly dynamic market and position us as the preferred application for grocery and food delivery," says Wolt Regional General Manager Matko Katanec.

“Studenac is an attractive partner because it offers a broad range of affordable products.”

Digital initiatives announced by Studenac so far this year include the roll-out of a new loyalty app and the creation of a new unit, Studenac Digital, that is developing solutions in areas including pricing, promotions and assortment.

“We have become more aware than ever that we must use all the advantages of digital technologies in order to provide our customers with greater value, and by partnering with Wolt, we are going exactly in that direction,” says Mimica.

“We continue to invest in business innovation and development and actively listen to this dynamic market, looking for opportunities to serve our customers’ needs even better."