Aydovski Incom wants to become a regional food development centre

Ice cream production continues to grow year after year, according to Incom Group, which operates two food companies specializing in ice cream and chocolate, along with three non-food enterprises. Each of these businesses functions independently and autonomously, explained Andrej Slokar, a representative of the group. The company integrates new technologies into its operations, with machinery developed through their own expertise. By 2030, they aim to eliminate all manual labor entirely, leading to a workforce composed predominantly of highly educated young employees. Currently, the group employs around 1,300 people, including hired workers. Slokar stated that the group plans to double its gross revenue by 2030, which currently stands at €260 million. Last year, the company generated over €10 million in profit, which has been reinvested into new ventures. Matija Šinigoj, head of commerce at Incom, noted that the company achieved €182 million in net sales from product sales last year and expects to end this year with approximately €196 million. Sales of both ice cream and chocolate have increased. Ice cream production has grown by four percent, while chocolate production has doubled. In Slovenia, the company sells only about five percent of its total output, with the majority of sales directed towards Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Šinigoj mentioned that growth in the U.S. market has slightly slowed, but the company is planning to increase sales in European Romance language countries and nations within the Visegrád Group. Among future investments, Slokar highlighted the installation of a new ice cream production line this year. In the near future, the company plans a major investment in research and development laboratories within the Biotehnopolis complex, which the Ajdovščina municipality is developing near the local airport. The first step will involve purchasing a larger plot of land, on which necessary facilities will be built in the coming years. At a press conference, the company introduced a new ice cream product, which is notable for being packaged in paper, as the company aims to care for sustainability and the environment. New products are expected to follow, given that the company's development team currently consists of more than 60 specialists. In the coming years, the company intends to further invest primarily in knowledge and expertise.