December 15, 2021 - The success of the Croatian burger chain Submarine should not be doubted, which is why we are not surprised about their latest news - a European expansion.

In the spring of this year, Financial Times included Submarine in the list of 1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe and thus positioned themselves as the only non-tech company from Southeast Europe recognized by Financial Times. This special recognition was undoubtedly a driving force to continue to expand their business, reports HRTurizam.

This Croatian chain of burgers, currently in Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, and Zadar, already has an impressive 13 locations. Now, the beloved burger spot will think outside the Croatian market and beyond our borders - this time, going into Europe.

Thus, Submarine has just opened its first branch office in the Romanian capital, announcing a significant expansion planned for 2022, both in Romania and other European countries, and a major expansion in Croatia. 

The first branch in Romania was opened on the principle of dark kitchens, i.e., a model of a virtual restaurant from which you can order through delivery services. The pandemic has introduced new habits and ways of consuming food, so the concepts of dark kitchens are becoming increasingly popular globally.

Further expansion in Romania, but also markets across Europe, is planned through physical restaurants because Submarine is known for its top and world-renowned burgers and unique interiors that always exude a great atmosphere.

"We are very pleased that, after this year's boost by Financial Times, we have begun to expand to foreign markets. Romania is our first market, and in 2022 we plan to open several more branches in Romania, and at the same time, continue to expand to other markets in Europe. We have an exceptional job ahead of us, but it is also a great challenge to keep the quality of food and brand in markets that we still do not know enough about," said Dragoljub Božović, founder and CEO of Submarine.

"This expansion only shows our readiness to grow as a company and develop in line with our expectations," says Aleksandar Lazinica, founder and co-owner of Submarine, adding that their seven years of experience in the Croatian market have taught them how to position themselves in the markets they plan to conquer. "I am glad that we have become the first Croatian company in the hospitality and food sector to expand into the European market and that all our branches are not franchises but remain in our ownership. You can expect a lot more from Submarine, we have a lot more to do, and more will be heard about us. Our goal is that in every major European city, you can eat a Submarine burger when you leave," adds Aleksandar Lazinica.

Submarine is also active through their socially responsible program (CSR) and especially the cooperation with the Red Noses Clown Doctors Association; they have their online radio - Submarine live, and for their 7th birthday, they presented the first burger beer in Croatia, created in collaboration with The Garden Brewery.

As already mentioned, Submarine is the only Croatian burger brand included in the list of the 50 best burgers in the world and the only Croatian non-technological company to be on this year's list of the 1000 fastest growing companies published by the Financial Times.

Submarine Burgers also cooperates with local family farms in Croatia, and their burgers are 100% domestic. 

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March the 5th, 2021 - The Croatian Submarine company has been spotted by the Financial Times and its impressive reach of sixteen million people around the world.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the Financial Times (FT) a leading and highly respected publication which deals with all things related to politics and finance and has been around for more than 130 years now, has turned the spotlight on no less than the Croatian Submarine.

"In the autumn of 2020, we were contacted by the London office of the Financial Times. They requested documentation related to our business, for the purpose of possible inclusion in the prestigious list of the fastest growing European companies. From the very beginning, the Croatian Submarine company´s approach has been complementary in some segments to the business of technology companies. We´re really flattered by the fact that we, as a company from the non-technology industry, have ended up side by side with tech companies. This is a recognition for the entire company and the entire Submarine team. The imperative has always been the satisfaction of our employees because without it there can be no successful company,¨ said Aleksandar Lazinica, founder and co-owner of the Croatian Submarine company.

A place on the Financial Times list cannot be purchased for any money, and the entire business has been analysed in detail over the past five years. To be considered for the list at all, the company had to have an annual revenue of a minimum of 100,000 euros and then at least 1.5 million euros back in 2019. Consequently, the company had to record growth above 35.5 percent. By comparison, Submarine achieved total growth of 221.4 percent, its company revenue in 2019 stood at a staggering 4.5 million euros, and had 77 employees.

In the year when the coronavirus spread across the world, the Croatian Submarine company exceeded the annual revenue they acheived in 2019 by an impressive 30 percent and it will be interesting to observe the order on that same list for 2021, writes N1. Of course, these are just a few of the strict criteria that companies had to meet, and with its results, Submarine became the only non-technological company from the Republic of Croatia to be listed, ranking as the 720th fastest growing company according to the Financial Times.

This is not the only recognition for the team behind Submarine. It is worth recalling that back in 2019 they entered the list of 50 places in which you can eat the best burger in the world according to the readers of the Big 7 Travel portal, which has a community of 1.5 million readers.

"We totally adjusted the way in which we do business way back at the very beginning of the pandemic. Agility and adaptation to new business conditions is the key to any company's success. Investing in knowledge, new technologies and strengthening the management team has borne fruit. We´re extremely proud of this recognition and I once again would like to congratulate all members of the Submarine team!¨ concluded Dragoljub Bozovic, the founder and CEO of Submarine.

Despite the ongoing pandemic and all of the economic knock-on effects which accompany it, the Croatian Submarine company opened two new restaurants. In 2021, they plan to open five more throughout Croatia, thus fulfilling their mission to provide pleasure and the enjoyment of organic burgers throughout the country.

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