The retail chain Aman announced a few days ago that it has become the new owner of DIS. They also added that, by acquiring DIS’s stores, they have become the largest domestic retail chain in Serbia. They employ more than 5,000 people and generate annual revenues exceeding €600 million.
To avoid any misunderstanding, the largest retail chain in the country remains the Belgian Delhaize – hence the emphasis on the term “domestic”.
While this transaction has been officially disclosed, business circles have been speculating for months that another ownership transformation could soon take place in the retail market.
According to several sources, Forbes Serbia has learned that the Alta Retail Company, owned by businessman Davor Macura, could soon become the new owner of Idea Marketi. It should be recalled that, until May 2025, Idea Marketi operated under the name Mercator-S and is owned by the Croatian Fortenova Group.
Such a transaction would merely confirm statements made by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić who, during the “return” of the Zrenjanin-based company Dijamant, said that this marked the beginning of bringing companies back into Serbian ownership – that is, into the hands of domestic firms.
How did Alta enter retail?
Davor Macura, a businessman whose business empire has expanded rapidly in recent years and whose bank has recorded the fastest growth on the market, has recently added another company to his portfolio. On 24 March this year, Alta Retail was registered in the business registry, with Macura as its sole founder and 100% owner.
Although it is officially registered as a holding company, Forbes Serbia reports that Macura will use it specifically to acquire Idea Marketi – thus entering Serbia’s retail sector.
In response to an enquiry from N1 asking whether the sale of Idea Marketi d.o.o. Belgrade is planned and whether potential buyers include companies within the MK Group or ALTA Group, Fortenova stated: “We cannot comment on market speculation or potential business plans through the media. If and when we have relevant information for public disclosure, we will inform the public in a timely manner.”
Alta Retail has neither confirmed nor denied its intention to acquire Idea Marketi.
Subject of the potential transaction
According to their website, Idea Marketi operates retail outlets in more than 80 towns and cities across Serbia. This includes 300 Idea stores, 33 Roda supermarkets, and two Mercator hypermarkets. The company employs more than 8,000 people.
According to its 2024 financial report, the company recorded a business loss of 378 million dinars, compared with a profit of 1.6 billion dinars the previous year.
Economist Dragovan Milićević told Forbes Serbia that the acquisition of DIS, as well as Alta Group’s entry into retail, will not bring significant changes to Serbia’s retail market. As he explains, “the cards in this market have already been dealt,” and no major shifts are expected.
“Aman and DIS, even when combined, still lack the size and capacity to significantly alter the retail market. On the other hand, since Alta Retail is not currently active in this market, a change of ownership in Idea Marketi will also have no impact. It would be different if the buyer were a company already present in the market with an existing share. However, that cannot happen due to the risk of prohibited market concentration. That is why there is no consolidation in that sense, as it would breach competition rules,” Milićević explains.
He adds that the merger of Aman and DIS might lead to slight price reductions, but these would only be minor adjustments.
(Forbes Serbia, 14.04.2026)