Despite the turbulent last decade, the strongest FMCG brands in Slovenia—Alpsko, Radenska, Milka, Barcaffe, and Argeta—remain at the top of the list. Alpsko achieved the biggest leap, climbing from sixth place in 2016 to first.
Considering all the major changes in the last decade (the end of the crisis, a period of brief prosperity, Covid, the war in Ukraine, new customs wars, etc.), nothing truly shocking happened on the list. The top five strongest FMCG brands in Slovenia are: Alpsko, Radenska, Milka, Barcaffe, and Argeta. All five were among the top ten strongest ten years ago, with only a few changes in ranking.
The biggest jump was achieved by the brand Alpsko, which rose from 6th place in 2016 to the top spot. Radenska advanced from third place to second, while Milka dropped from second to third. Barcaffe is in 4th place and Argeta is in 5th. It should be emphasized that the top five brands on the list are very closely matched, so it is expected that the dominant brands will remain high in future measurements as well. MU, Barilla, and Nutella are new additions to the list, and Perutnina Ptuj also made a big jump, rising from 10th place to 6th. Cedevita was ranked 10th (For the 2016 report, click here).
After ten years, Valicon has once again started monitoring the strongest brands in the country and in the strongest markets of the SEE (South-Eastern Europe) region. The results are part of the wider VALICON TOP 25 strongest FMCG brands survey at the SEE regional level (Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina). The survey in Slovenia was conducted in the first quarter of 2025.
Brand strength serves as the main indicator of the research. Brand strength is calculated based on recognition, experience, usage, irreplaceability. A brand is defined as a consumer brand along with its extensions, which are used as products within categories. The strength is calculated across all respondents, and not just category users.
If seven out of ten brands on the list in 2016 were originally Slovenian, one Croatian, and two global, the picture ten years later is similar: six originally Slovenian, three global, and one Croatian. The impact of seasonality is definitely felt here; summer certainly gave a boost to all brands emphasizing refreshment at that time (the 2016 list was based on research conducted in September). The thoroughly revamped methodology anticipates more measurements in different seasons, which will neutralize the effect of seasonality.
The ranking is certainly also influenced by various trends that have intensified over the last ten years: high pressure and lower consumption of sugar and sweet products (where it is interesting that Nutella managed to place in the top ten, and Milka is also ranked highly), focus on functionality and a healthy lifestyle (e.g., the rise of the Radenska brand to 2nd place), and the premiumization of brands and the growth of private label market share, which varies by category.