COMPANY PROFILE

Basic information

Mission

To provide support and service to its members and franchisees, act as a purchasing, service, and marketing centre for the COOP Jednota group, and represent cooperative interests in relation to state authorities, interest organizations, and business partners. Its goal is the sustainable retail sale of food and related services for customers and cooperative members. We want to build on the more than 150-year tradition of mutual food and credit cooperatives first established in 1845.

Sustainability

• Economic Sustainability = profitability
• Social Sustainability = fair relationships and mutually beneficial cooperation of all affected entities within the COOP Jednota group and with the external environment
• Environmental Sustainability = without negative impacts on the environment

Vision

COOP Jednota Slovensko seeks to ensure that the COOP Jednota group:

• is a sought-after, attractive, modern retailer with high-quality goods and services, focusing on high-quality domestic and local food;
• is a unique place that is part of improving customers’ quality of life;
• inspires customers towards a healthy lifestyle, environmental protection, and responsibility for it;
• is a responsible entity that improves the relevant community via its actions. COOP Jednota Slovensko wishes to create and provide member COOP Jednotas with tools and solutions for growth or maintenance of market share.

Strategic Priorities of COOP Jednota

• increase the economic strength and efficiency of the COOP Jednota group, increase the quality of processes and the quality of every point in the COOP Jednota group;
• support the economic sustainability of each entity in the COOP Jednota group over the long term;
• develop sustainability in terms of social and corporate responsibility;
• build environmental sustainability;
• strengthen customer loyalty;
• rationalize processes in the area of purchasing and selling goods and services;
• increase the value of the COOP Jednota brand;
• digitalize and implement multichannel presence;
• train professional and managerial staff;
• ensure the transfer of knowledge, experience, and best practices from abroad;
• reevaluate systemic acquisitions on the domestic or foreign market;
• reevaluate the openness of the system to external business entities;
• support in good faith constant open communication within the COOP Jednota group.

Basic Principles of Cooperation in COOP Jednota

• transparency
• openness
• fair relations
• knowing the customer
• knowing the stores and store practices

Shared Value Pillars with COOP Jednota

Satisfied Customers: The highest shared value of the entire COOP Jednota group is a satisfied customer. Customers will decide the future of the COOP Jednota group and the sustainability of the group’s development.

Sales Point: The most important place for the COOP Jednota group is the store. The key is ensuring continuous supply, optimizing the assortment with regard to individual retail chains, and continuing the modernization and development of the retail network with regard to the environment and sustainability.

Satisfied Employees: A creative, satisfied, responsible, and reliable employee is the basis for the success of fulfilling the goals and mission of the COOP Jednota group, as well as a guarantee of system integrity.

Member of a Consumer Cooperative: A consumer cooperative is a helping hand for its members, and its members are all a part of the COOP Jednota community and a guarantee of improving society.

COOP Jednota Group Performance and Market Position

In 2025, regional COOP Jednotas recorded continued growth and modernization of their activities in an environment of growing competition and volatile economic development. The COOP Jednota group maintained its position as the largest domestic retail network in Slovakia, successfully applying traditional values of cooperativism along with innovative business trends.

In 2025, the retail turnover of COOP Jednota Slovensko was 2.119 billion euros, an increase of 3.8 % compared to the previous year. This growth reflects stable consumer demand in the COOP Jednota network and follows improved business results after 2024, when turnover exceeded 2 billion euros for the first time.

The revenue of the COOP Jednota group in 2025 was 1.846 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of 4.5 %. The positive revenue trend is the result of retail network expansion, improved assortment availability for consumers, and more efficient process management of stores. Logistics centre revenues increased to 0.908 billion euros, a year-on-year growth of 5.9 %, and the logistics network stably supported the growing needs of distribution flows across Slovakia.

Total aggregate revenue of the COOP Jednota group for 2025 was 2.754 billion euros, confirming the group’s key role in the retail sector as a significant market player with a positive growth trend despite a weaker overall retail environment in the country.

The year 2025 in the COOP Jednota network was also characterized by significant investments in the retail network infrastructure and its modernization. COOP Jednota opened 17 new stores, and 68 operating units underwent reconstruction, continuing the expansion of a modern and flexible retail network.

As regards innovation, a significant role was played by the introduction of automated COOP Jednota 24/7 stores, and 23 new units were added in 2025, bringing their total number to 27, including four opened in 2024. This format brings customers significant flexibility and freedom when shopping, supports operational cost optimization, and strengthens store availability, even in smaller municipalities.

Investments realized in 2025 focused primarily on modernizing the retail network, technological renewal, and improving the customer environment in units, and exceeded 45.4 million euros. As part of structural changes in the sales network, the shift to higher business formats continued—6 stores transitioned to the Tempo SUPERMARKET format or higher, reflecting a focus on better assortment coverage and more choice for customers.

The macroeconomic environment of Slovakia in 2025 was characterized by a moderate growth in consumer prices, with average annual inflation of approximately 4 %. Prices increased in several categories, including food and non-alcoholic beverages, although month-on-month price decreases occurred in certain market segments in some months.

In response to macroeconomic pressures, COOP Jednota emphasized the optimization of purchasing prices and the support of efficient business models without significantly compromising the quality of its product range. The network also built on its long-term strategy of supporting the domestic production sector—cooperation with more than 1,300 Slovak suppliers and a high share of domestic food products in the assortment strengthen the regional economy and consumer trust in domestic production.

COOP Jednota also continued strengthening its digital and operational capacities, including the development of self-service facilities and digital solutions that increase customer comfort and unit efficiency.

The year 2025 confirmed that COOP Jednota is capable of adapting to dynamic market conditions, maintaining growing revenues, and investing in long-term development without losing its identity as a domestic cooperative network. The group continues to follow goals of sustainable growth, digitalization, and increasing customer value, and expects these trends to continue in the coming years.

Retail Chains

COOP Jednota has long been building its position as a reliable partner for customers throughout Slovakia. Its goal is to stay as close to people as possible and ensure the availability of food and daily needs, even in smaller towns and villages where other retailers do not open stores. As the largest and most extensive retail network in Slovakia, it operates through three sales formats: Tempo SUPERMARKET, SUPERMARKET, and POTRAVINY, totalling 1,935 stores that cover the entire country and also deliver to customer’s homes.

The POTRAVINY chain is the most widespread link in the COOP Jednota network in Slovakia. Thanks to its assortment and store size, it is adapted to the needs of customers in the countryside and smaller towns, where it plays a key role as regards daily shopping. In 2025, there were 1,204 stores in the POTRAVINY chain within the COOP Jednota system, confirming its significant position and broad representation across Slovak regions.

The SUPERMARKET format within the COOP Jednota network is intended for customers who prefer convenient and comprehensive shopping under one roof. It consists of 620 stores with a sales area from 200 m² to 500 m², across almost all of Slovakia.

The creation of the Tempo SUPERMARKET format within the COOP Jednota network was motivated by the goal of building a modern supermarket with a wide assortment of high-quality and fresh products, capable of satisfying even the most demanding customers. Stores with an area over 500 m² provide a comfortable shopping space and a comprehensive range of goods under one roof. In 2025, the COOP Jednota system operated 111 stores in this format.

Marketing Activities

In 2025, COOP Jednota’s marketing was focused on connecting the traditional values of a domestic chain with a Slovak heart (We are at home here – that’s what the heart means) with modern tools and communication formats. We continued to systematically build the position of leader and number one in selling Slovak food, focusing on four key image attributes: Slovakness and locality, freshness, modernity, and price advantage. We also linked marketing activities even more strongly to business goals—increasing the shopping basket value, average purchase, frequency of visits, and COOP Jednota’s “share of wallet” during key campaign periods.

An important milestone in 2025 was the 15th anniversary of the Shepherd and Apprentice (Bača a Honelník) advertising concept. On this occasion, we launched a complex, multi-level birthday celebration, instead of a classic campaign. The strategic goal was to transform a historical milestone into a relevant communication moment that would increase “brand love” and confirm COOP Jednota’s position as the most Slovak chain. Thanks to the horizontal architecture of the campaign, we reached a wide range of target groups—from the professional public and journalists to ordinary consumers.

The year 2025 brought a significant strengthening of the private label segment. A key project was the successful launch of the new brand TOMU VER, whose main goal was to introduce products focused on the health and wellbeing of customers with specific nutritional needs and food intolerances.

In 2025, we expanded the communication mix with new faces and formats focused on relevant content and inspiration. Zuzana Vačková and Dávid Géczi communicated unconventional recipes and the practical use of COOP Jednota’s assortment, bringing modern yet “domestic” and unconventional recipe formats. Another important feature was “Local Stories of Freshness,” within which COOP Jednota presented stories of local suppliers, growers, and producers.

As regards image campaigns in 2025, we built on COOP Jednota’s long-term positioning as a brand that is a natural part of the life of Slovak households. A key activity was the “We are at home here” campaign with the band IMT Smile, which worked emotionally with the motif of home, community, and a sense of belonging to the place where people live, shop, and meet. The campaign strengthened COOP Jednota’s association with locality, tradition, trust, and long-term presence in the regions.

Regarding the store format, we paid particular attention to the Tempo SUPERMARKET format, which we profiled in communication as a place for advantageous family shopping. The goal was to strengthen the perception of this format as an ideal choice for a larger purchase with an emphasis on a wide selection, favourable prices, and a comfortable and modern shopping environment.

Activation tools played a key role in 2025 in fulfilling business goals. Short-term loyalty programs, consumer contests, and campaigns focused on sales support were designed to increase the shopping basket value, number of purchases at defined levels, and the total number of transactions during the campaigns. These activities directly supported retail turnover and strengthened customer loyalty.

Private Label

COOP Jednota has long been bringing private label products to its customers, which have been on the market for more than 25 years. In 2025, the private label portfolio included a total of 818 products. The COOP Jednota system regularly participates with its private labels in professional and consumer surveys and competitions. In 2025, private label products received several awards in prestigious domestic and international competitions, specifically the following products: COOP Gluten-free biscuits 120g - Tomu Ver, COOP Lactose-free butter 82 % 250g - Tomu Ver, COOP Lactose-free whipping cream 30 % 200ml - Tomu Ver, COOP Protein bread 250g - Tomu Ver, COOP Gluten-free peanut wafer 35g - Tomu Ver, COOP Muesli with fruit 500g - Tradičná kvalita, COOP Hlášková soup 51g - Tradičná kvalita.

Private label foods are divided into 9 categories, with the new category Tomu Ver added in 2025.

Dobrá cena: Dobrá cena was the first private label of COOP Jednota. It was our first private label brand in the COOP Jednota system and was launched in 1999. It includes a wide range of basic foods and products at the most favourable prices. In 2025, this brand was represented by 109 fast-moving consumer goods, including milk, yogurts, and flour.

Mamičkine dobroty: The category consists of Slovak products made from local ingredients. In 2025, this category included 82 products. The packaging is designed with a folklore lace pattern.

Tradičná kvalita: Most foods under the Tradičná kvalita private label come from Slovak suppliers. This category covers the most goods. By the end of 2025, there were 371 of them. The category has the highest share of total private label sales. In 2025, a limited edition of Tradičná kvalita products called “funny catchphrases” (vtipné hlášky) was introduced.

Tomu Ver: This is a new brand focused on special nutrition products, such as gluten-free, lactose-free, or DIA products, as well as healthy and functional foods. The goal of this brand is to offer products meeting various dietary needs and in line with customers’ lifestyles.

Premium: The COOP Premium brand was launched in 2000 for demanding customers. This category offers the highest quality food and is available in Slovakia and in the Czech Republic and Hungary under the international purchasing alliance COOP EURO. The premium product portfolio consists of 97 products.

Junior: The Junior brand is focused on children and offers products adapted to their age and tastes. The assortment includes curd desserts, ready-made baby food, small treats, and products ideal for school snacks.

Zelovoc: The Zelovoc brand offers quality fruit and vegetables with an emphasis on seasonality and locality. We prefer small growers from Slovak regions, which guarantees freshness and rapid delivery directly to our shelves.

In addition to private labels in the food assortment, we also have private labels in our portfolio for the household, personal hygiene, and drugstore segments.

Perun: The Perun category consists of products focused on household care. It is one of our most recent private labels, and has been on the market for four years. The category consists of 23 goods.

Biova: The Biova category is focused on cosmetic products and personal hygiene products. It consists of 23 products.

Every product from COOP Jednota’s private label product range undergoes strict controls in accredited laboratories to meet the highest standards of quality and safety. On the packaging, customers will find the “COOP Quality Guarantee” logo, a guarantee that they are receiving the best the market has to offer.

Loyalty Program, Loyalty Card, Digitalization, Mob.app

The COOP Jednota Klub loyalty program has been undergoing systematic innovations and digital transformation aimed at bringing customers more convenient, clearer, and personalized services. The mobile application, connected to the customer account, brings users all the key information about the loyalty card and purchases in a clear and intuitive form. In the past period, we localized the application into several language versions, making it accessible to an even wider circle of customers. Another novelty in the mobile application is reaching out to and informing customers about central and marketing activities, and contests just for mobile application users, which are sent via push notifications.

The mobile application has also become a tool that allows customers with verified identity to enter 24/7 stores. New functionalities aimed at expanding user options were also implemented: display of the balance on gift cards, store filter by availability of parking and charging stations.

In 2025, we implemented several successful campaigns via the application based on coupon mechanics and contests, in which users could obtain instant gifts, vouchers, or progress to the final draw for valuable prizes. Gamification became a popular element in implementing campaigns in 2025. Among the most successful activities linked to the COOP Jednota Klub mobile application, in which the gamification element was used, was the “App users win twice” (Appkáči vyhrávajú 2x) campaign, which took place during the Easter period. In the September campaign “Kolesománia,” a wheel of fortune was used.

For the first time in 2025, we launched the “Advent Calendar” campaign, which was connected to the 15th anniversary of the Shepherd and Apprentice concept and it met with great success.

The share of purchases realized using a loyalty card reached 53.3 % of the total retail turnover in 2025. As of 31.12.2025, we had more than 1,105,754 loyalty card holders.

Jednota Magazine

The publishing of the cooperative magazine is a long tradition in the consumer cooperative system. Jednota magazine, launched in 2003 and a successor to its predecessors—Družstevný obzor and Družstevné noviny—became a key communication tool with our customers. For over two decades, it has strengthened the bond between consumers and the strongest domestic retail chain.

COOP Jednota’s status as the largest Slovak food retailer with a dominant representation of domestic production remained the central communication theme of the magazine during 2025. On 32 monthly pages, it brought readers a balanced mix of information about system successes, marketing and foundation activities, sustainability, and corporate responsibility. An important pillar of content remains the emphasis on “Slovakness”, which stems naturally from our system’s values. The leisure section focused primarily on women, and offered practical advice, popular recipes from the Unconventional Recipes project, health counselling, and interviews with personalities. Thanks to its 23-year history, the magazine has built a stable reader base for whom it is a symbol of reliability and loyalty to the Slovak brand and it is available for free in stores.

New Technologies in COOP Jednota Stores

Since 2013, we have been introducing technological innovations to selected stores in the COOP Jednota system that simplify the work of store staff, and contribute to environmental protection and facilitate customer shopping.

Technical innovations in the COOP Jednota network include: electronic price tags, Totems, LCD TVs in the service counter and fruit and vegetable departments, self-service checkouts, music marketing, online shop, and mobile shopping.

LCD TV: In 2025, LCD televisions were installed in Tempo SM and SUPERMARKET I format stores as a replacement for original LED price tags. LCD TVs are mainly located in the fruit and vegetable department and at the service counter. During 2026, their complete replacement will occur in all SUPERMARKET II and III operations.

TOTEMS (Signage): In 2025, digital totems (signage) were installed in Tempo SM format stores with the aim of strengthening the marketing support of the COOP Jednota network and systematically eliminating marketing noise on the sales floor. For Tempo SM I and II format stores, devices with a 55” diagonal were installed, while for Tempo SM III format stores, devices with a 43” diagonal were chosen.

Electronic Price Tags: The COOP Jednota system has been using electronic price tags since 2013 as part of systematic modernization of the sales network and digitalization of internal processes. Since the end of 2025, electronic price tags have been used in 290 stores, confirming the company’s long-term commitment to invest in innovative and efficient solutions.

Self-service Checkouts: Self-service checkouts reduce waiting times in the checkout zone and allow employees to focus more on service and customer advice. This system brings higher flexibility to operation management and supports a modern and comfortable shopping experience. It also contributes to more efficient labour distribution and optimization of operational processes. At COOP Jednota stores, self-service checkouts have been used since 2015 as part of modernizing and streamlining the shopping process. At the end of 2025, these devices were deployed in 101 stores.

Music Marketing: Music marketing is part of the modern shopping environment in COOP Jednota stores and was introduced into the system in 2014. By the end of 2025, the project had been successfully implemented in 37 stores, with all store formats in the network involved. In addition to music, the system also allows effective announcement of promotional offers or important information for customers.

Electric Charging Stations: Charging stations allow customers to conveniently recharge their vehicles while shopping, thereby increasing the comfort of the store visit. The stations also contribute to the company’s environmental responsibility and to supporting the development of infrastructure for electric transport in Slovakia. Currently, 19 such stations are in operation.

Ecology: COOP Jednota places great emphasis on environmental responsibility and the sustainable development of its store network. As part of measures aimed at saving energy and reducing emissions, 249 stores have installed photovoltaic panels, partially meeting the energy needs of operations with their own renewable energy. Additionally, nine stores are equipped with a “green roof” system, contributing to improving the microclimate, reducing the heat load of buildings, and supporting biodiversity in the urban environment.

24/7: In 2024, 4 stores were opened in 24/7 mode. In 2025, an additional 23 stores were opened in various areas of Slovakia from Orava to eastern Slovakia. Stores are located in cities on housing estates, in shopping centres, or smaller areas and tourist areas. Stores operated in 24/7 mode are included in all chains according to the size of the shop, namely in the POTRAVINY, SUPERMARKET, and Tempo SM chain. The largest has a sales area of over 700 m², the smallest shop measures 145 m². All stores are operated in a hybrid mode, meaning there are staff in the store during the day, and in the evening hours, they switch the store to unattended mode. Entry to stores is allowed only to registered customers older than 18 years, via a loyalty card or mobile application.

Customer Services in COOP Jednota Stores

We also provide various additional services to customers at our operations, such as COOPkasa, cash-back, mobile credit recharging, and utilizing discounts from the loyalty program. In connection with the pandemic, interest in payment by card and electronic meal cards rose, which are gradually replacing paper meal vouchers. Thanks to the COOPkasa service, customers can pay various types of invoices at the checkout (for mobile operators, energy, local fees), for which they would otherwise need to visit other places or wait for the next working day.

Gift Card: In 2025, a gift card in three nominal values was added to the product range in the COOP Jednota network: € 20, € 50 and € 100. It can be used in all stores in the COOP Jednota system.

Environmental Policy

COOP Jednota focuses on ensuring its customers’ needs with an emphasis on minimizing environmental impacts. This ensures separate collection of used and non-functional fluorescent lamps and batteries in its stores.

In 2025, 30,104 kg of used batteries were collected in COOP Jednota stores, an increase of approximately 20 % compared to 2024. 22,344 used and non-functional fluorescent lamps were collected, corresponding to a weight of 905.2 kg. Compared to the previous year, this is an increase of 1.6 %.

The COOP Jednota network continually invests in new technological and energy equipment friendly to nature, for example, new refrigeration units using a CO₂ refrigerant, and also into closed units that can save more than 20 % of electricity. By increasing the number of electronic price tags and LED price tags at COOP Jednota stores, paper and toner consumption is reduced, which are categorised as hazardous waste in the waste category.

Stores are replacing classic fluorescent lamps with LED lights, which have 2 to 3 times higher efficiency of light output compared to conventional light sources and lower electricity consumption. COOP Jednota also strives to minimize the carbon footprint and energy consumption in its stores by optimizing energy management. Since 2020, measuring systems from Slovanet a.s. and Orange Slovensko a.s. have been introduced at stores, which measure temperature and humidity. By the end of 2025, they were installed in 519 operations of Tempo SM and SUPERMARKET formats and will be installed at additional stores.

COOP EURO

The international purchasing alliance COOP EURO, a.s. was established in 2000 and brings together three non-competing Central European retail systems:

• COOP Jednota Slovensko, s.d. (SK)
• COOP Centrum Družstvo (CZ)
• COOP Hungary Zrt. (HU)

COOP EURO is a modern European company that provides unique opportunities for integrated business and complementary activities used by national COOP headquarters. The significance of the company lies in a strong business partnership, the exchange of business know-how, and comprehensive knowledge of the combined market and regional specifics.

The company operates in three significant Central European markets with its own brand, COOP Premium. This brand offers consumers premium quality and complements the private labels of the alliance’s national members. The goal of continually building and developing the COOP Premium private label is to offer its shareholders and consumers a strong and modern retail brand. This product line satisfies the needs of customers with the highest quality demands. The products are characterized by a favourable price compared to premium brands and high quality. At the end of 2025, a total of 129 products were included in this category.

COOP Jednota Group Employees

Information on the Number of Employees: COOP Jednota Slovensko, spotrebné družstvo, had a total of 75 employees as of December 31, 2024, of whom nearly 60 % were women. The total number of employees in the COOP Jednota system, including logistics centres, was almost 14,000 as of December 31, 2024, with women making up 85 %. Of the total number of employees in consumer cooperatives, more than 11,400 employees worked in operating units as of December 31, 2024.

The strategy for human resources management and development is built on strict adherence to the principle of equal opportunities. Nearly 50 % of women are employed in the management of consumer cooperatives.

Employee Education and Development 2024

Employee education and development are among the key areas of human resources management and development. Investments in this area were almost 450,000 eur in 2024.

In 2024, we continued to actively link business and human resources development through regional projects as well as through a nationwide project focused on the professional behaviour of employees in stores.

Within development programs such as Adaptive Leadership, COOP Academy of Inspector Work, COOP Mentoring, and others, we supported managerial skills and competencies with an emphasis on strengthening leadership, managerial integrity, and professionalism. In terms of the number of training days, managerial training represented almost 40 % of education. The remaining educational activities focused on professional development at all management levels. We focus on supporting existing professional skills and acquiring new ones, with the aim of optimizing or improving internal processes while responsibly fulfilling established legislative and internal standards. A group of internal trainers completed professional development and lecturing workshops and shared their knowledge and acquired work skills in the areas of merchandising, category management, and food safety during intensive training sessions. During the education and development of store managers and deputies, we continued with a proven model in which we consider juniority and seniority in terms of the employees’ previous experience, as individual needs and development requirements are more effectively addressed in target groups created this way. In addition to the quality of training content, we focus on creating opportunities for sharing successful solutions – “best practice” – and mutual work inspiration. As part of education and development, we rely on digitalization and the active use of the EDUMIO internal online platform and the SEDUO external platform.

System of Advantages and Benefits

A variable system of advantages and benefits is available to employees of the COOP Jednota system. Its basis is an adequate professional background, which includes relevant work tools, a pleasant working environment corresponding to relevant standards, and ensuring professional and personal development for employees.

Individual advantages and benefits are specific to each member cooperative and represent a significant part of employee care.

Code of Ethics of the COOP Jednota Group

The Code of Ethics is a key document that set out uniform ethical rules and standards of behaviour for employees, officials, bodies, and individual consumer cooperatives of the COOP Jednota group in mutual relationships as well as in external relations. It defines ethical values and principles that members of the COOP Jednota group recognize and commit to fulfilling. To support ethical rules, individual consumer cooperatives have appointed ethics confidants who are responsible for resolving situations related to ethics and ethical behaviour in areas defined by the Code of Ethics. By implementing the rules of the COOP Jednota system’s Code of Ethics, we want to strengthen the professionalism of work performance so that we support the trust of customers shopping in the COOP Jednota retail system.

Higher-Level Collective Agreement

The Higher-Level Collective Agreement (HLCA) applies to 26 selected consumer cooperatives and logistics centres that are members of the Employer Organization of the COOP Jednota Group. In 2024, an HLCA was signed with the Trade Union of Workers in Trade and Tourism for the period 2022–2025. This agreement reflects the current and expected economic development in Slovakia, with the aim of maintaining social harmony and preventing social tension. The HLCA sets out minimum rules for correct social dialogue and determines the wage, social, and labour law entitlements of employees, as well as other entitlements provided by employers.

The HLCA serves as the basis for concluding corporate collective agreements between individual members of the Employer Organization of the COOP Jednota Group and the relevant trade union organizations. Most COOP Jednota operations and logistics centres have negotiated more favourable conditions in their corporate collective agreements than those set out in the HLCA.

The fulfilment of the HLCA is regularly reviewed at least once a year. From the perspective of assessing the principles of social peace, it can be stated that there is long-term correct cooperation between employers and trade union organizations at COOP Jednotas and logistics centres of the COOP Jednota group.

Awards in 2025

Superbrands 2025: In an independent evaluation of the most successful brands on the Slovak market, COOP Jednota retained its position in 2025 and received the “superbrand” award for the twelfth time. The title is awarded by a professional jury to a brand that reflects the strength and uniqueness of the brand, the ability to innovate, move forward, and inspire others. The goal of the Superbrands program is to bring exceptionally strong brands on the Slovak market to the attention of consumers and the professional public.

TOP Company of the Youth 2024: In 2025, COOP Jednota again received the title TOP Company of the Youth. This is a survey regularly organized by Junior Chamber International – Slovakia. COOP Jednota won first place in the retail chains – food products category. The survey was held for the 22nd time at 20 professional faculties of universities across all regions of the Slovak Republic. 1,500 university students responded to our survey. The goal of the survey is to obtain an independent view of young people on the performance, activities, image, and economic success of companies operating in the Slovak Republic. The main survey question was: “Which company or brand in the respective business sector is a synonym for success, a good reputation, as well as quality products or services for you?”

Mastercard Merchant of the Year 2024 – Retail Innovator: In the Mastercard Merchant of the Year 2024 competition, COOP Jednota received an award in the Retail Innovator category for the pioneering concept of automated COOP Jednota 24/7 stores, confirming its position as a leader in innovation on the Slovak market. The 24/7 store model brings customers a modern way of shopping without time restrictions while increasing the availability of services even in smaller municipalities.

Best Employer of the Year 2024: The COOP Jednota system ranked in the TOP 5 best employers in Slovakia in the Best Employer 2024 survey, specifically in the trade and services category. The goal of the Best Employer survey is to provide a real perspective from candidates and potential employees in Slovakia on how they perceive companies, their benefits, and their image.

Consumer Choice – Best New Product 2025: In 2025, COOP Jednota also won the Consumer Choice – Best New Product 2025 award in seven different categories for its high-quality private label products in this prestigious consumer competition. The most successful were products from the new TOMU VER alternative food brand, which is intended for customers with specific dietary needs, such as gluten or lactose intolerance, and those interested in healthier nutrition. The award is granted based on the evaluation of consumers who assess various factors such as quality, taste, packaging, functionality, and how the given product fits into their lifestyle.

List of awarded COOP Jednota products

• Winner in the Gluten-free Wafers category: Peanut wafer of the TOMU VER brand
• Winner in the Gluten-free Biscuits category: Corn biscuits of the TOMU VER brand
• Winner in the Cereals category: Muesli with red fruit of the TRADIČNÁ KVALITA brand
• Winner in the Butter category: Lactose-free butter 82 % of the TOMU VER brand
• Winner in the Soups category: Catchphrase soup (Hlášková polievka) of the TRADIČNÁ KVALITA brand
• Winner in the Savory Pastries category: Protein bread of the TOMU VER brand
• Winner in the Special Creams and Toppings category: Lactose-free whipping cream 30 % of the TOMU VER brand

COOP Jednota Foundation

The foundation was established in 2001 with the aim of supporting public benefit areas. Its activities build on the traditional values of cooperativism, which primarily include mutual aid and the development of local communities. The foundation’s activities stand on three key pillars: togetherness and solidarity, culture and traditions, and health. Its mission is to support healthcare, help the sick and health-disadvantaged persons, develop local and regional initiatives, as well as contribute to education, sports, and cultural life. It is funded by a share of the paid tax from individuals and legal entities and from direct donations from its supporters.

During the 24 years of its existence, the foundation has helped many individuals and organizations across Slovakia. The total amount of aid given has exceeded 6 million euros.

Healthcare and Social Assistance

The COOP Jednota Foundation has long worked on improving the quality of healthcare across Slovakia, primarily through the purchase of modern medical devices for hospitals and medical facilities. In 2025, it contributed to improving the treatment of patients in ten medical facilities by donating over 90,000 euros. The following were supported: Trnava Faculty Hospital, Nitra Faculty Hospital, Liptov Hospital with Polyclinic of MUDr. Ivan Stodola in Liptovský Mikuláš, 1st Internal Clinic of the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine of CU and Martin University Hospital, Brezno Hospital with Polyclinic, Upper Orava Hospital with Polyclinic in Trstená, Žilina Faculty Hospital with Polyclinic, J. A. Reiman Faculty Hospital in Prešov, General Outpatient Clinic for Adults in Lubeník – MUDr. Ján Magura, and the East Slovak Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Within social assistance, the foundation provided financial contributions to 45 applicants from all over Slovakia in 2025 – predominantly families with seriously ill children and people suffering from serious illnesses. The total assistance provided was more than 32,000 euros.

Local Community Support Program

People and their initiatives are also at the centre of attention in this program. Its goal is to encourage residents to actively participate in the development of their surroundings and implement smaller projects such as community gardens, gazebos, shelters, playgrounds, green planting, or activities supporting Slovak traditions. More than 1,550 applications were submitted to the 9th year of the program. Regional commissions selected 78 of the most interesting projects from them. The winning 26 projects in individual municipalities and towns were subsequently decided on by the residents themselves via voting. The winning ideas were supported with almost 156,000 euros. Thanks to these funds, during the year the following projects were supported: sports area in Šumiac, playground for teenagers in Šalgočka, quarantine zone for dogs in the Levice shelter, community and educational centre in Malatiná, and green planting in Nemšová aimed at attracting bees and butterflies. Over the past eight years, hundreds of beautiful projects have been created across Slovakia thanks to the COOP Jednota Foundation, its long-term partners (Budiš, a. s., Unilever Slovensko, s. r. o., Mondelez Slovakia s.r.o., COOP Jednota Slovensko, spotrebné družstvo), and the engagement of residents. Their total cost exceeded 1.3 million euros.

Goals for 2026

• Maintain market position and market share within the Slovak food retail sector
• Develop and modernize the domestic retail network, improve service quality, and enhance customer experience
• Develop the private label portfolio and build private label credibility through quality, availability, safety, and price advantage
• Increase the loyalty of our customers and reach out to younger target groups
• Implement and develop PR activities emphasizing the key attributes of the largest domestic retail network in terms of Slovak origin, freshness, regionality, tradition, price strategy, and sustainability
• Ensure growth in turnover and overall performance within the COOP Jednota group
• Continue cost optimization and searching for room for improvement within the COOP Jednota system
• Ensure the protection of the COOP Jednota system’s interests by flexibly responding to upcoming legislation, as well as via active cooperation with the Republican Union of Employers, the Slovak Trade Alliance, and the Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SOPK)
• Continue to provide flexible professional legal assistance and counselling for COOP Jednota system entities, focused on corporate matters, contractual agenda, and the implementation of new legislation into business practice
• Continue negotiations with competent state representatives in the interest of promoting state support for retail operations in rural areas as part of addressing so-called “food deserts”
• Increase data quality and reliability within the COOP Jednota group
• Prepare the COOP Jednota system for the introduction of electronic invoicing
• Digitalization and automation of processes via AI
• Development of analytics and reporting for better decision-making
• Development of key information systems and digital solutions, ensuring uniform and up-to-date product information
• Talent development and improving the recruitment and onboarding process for employees
• Support for digital skills and the implementation of AI into processes for better strategic decision-making
• Support for the employer brand with an emphasis on key values