An Event for the Ages: Release of Family Business Slovenia 2020

The 7th book in the series puts 10 new stars on the EY map of family enterprises

Every year since 2014, EY Slovenia selects 10 stories to highlight the excellence of Slovenian family enterprises and their importance for Slovenian economy. We are especially glad to present this years book, Family Business Slovenia 2020, which stands as a chronicle of a year that whose effects will be felt far into the future. In the stories we collected, one common thread in the resillience of family enterprises resilience during this period that has been and still is marked by the Coronacrisis.

We learned about Slovenia’s state-of-the-art production of agricultural machinery and followed the development of a large-scale fruit and vegetable producer, advancing through superior quality and significant investment in protection against adverse weather, thus ensuring sustainable supply. We discovered an extremely well-organized dairy farm, with products of the highest quality and outstanding marketing, which accomplished a decisive and rapid transition to successful online retailing in response to the crisis. We were impressed by the enthusiasm of two brothers who deliver crates of fruit to companies and homes, and inspired by a wine-grower and merchant who said that the crisis helped him to better understand the importance of online sales. 

Good wine is closely connected to top cuisine, and even though hospitality is one of the industries most affected by the pandemic, it is also crucial for the future of Slovenian tourism, where amazing experiences complement marvelous flavors and high-quality ingredients. However, good homemade frozen or freshly prepared meals, based on original recipes and prepared with local technology are no less delicious, and have proven to be an excellent solution during this period. When good food is combined with cultural heritage, certain aspects of which can be found in folk music, we can really talk about a well-rounded experience.

We celebrated the publication of the book with a delightful webinar, which ended with the Sašo Avsenik, member of the third generation of the Avsenik Family, who said that business, and life in general, are like the buttons on the accordion: black and white. We believe we can all agree with that. Let’s focus on having more white days than black!