How carnival turns krafna into big business

As February unfolds and carnival celebrations take hold across Croatia, the country’s appetite for doughnuts (krafna) reaches its annual peak.

Industry estimates suggest that more than 30 million doughnuts are produced for the Croatian market during this period, underlining the scale of a tradition that continues to grow year after year, Jutarnji list reported.

Once a simple sweet treat, the humble doughnut has increasingly evolved into a premium product.

Prices now range from around 50 cents to as much as €5 in some craft bakeries, reflecting a broader shift towards innovative fillings and higher-end offerings.

For leading bakery chain Pan-pek, carnival is the busiest time of the year. During the short festive window alone, the company sells around nine million doughnuts.

Production takes place in Zagreb at its Planinska facility, where a newly introduced production line has further strengthened capacity.

Across the carnival season, approximately 700 tonnes of raw materials are used. Despite rising input costs, Pan-pek has maintained last year’s retail prices and continues to offer promotional deals in the run-up to carnival, writes Jutarnji list.

Classic flavours remain dominant, with apricot jam filling the clear favourite among customers.

Meanwhile, Mlinar reports strong and rising demand. During the 2025 carnival season, it sold 1.1 million doughnuts and expects to reach around 1.8 million this year, potentially marking a 64 per cent increase compared to last year.

Standard varieties account for roughly 60 per cent of sales, while premium doughnuts now make up 40 per cent, signalling growing consumer interest in more inventive flavours.

The traditional fruit-filled doughnut remains the bestseller, followed by Nutella and pistachio varieties.

Premium options such as duo chocolate and raspberry-vanilla have also attracted loyal followings.

To meet demand, Mlinar uses around 13 tonnes of Nutella, seven tonnes of pistachio filling and several tonnes of other creams and jams during the season.

Despite continued increases in raw material costs, prices for core varieties have remained stable compared to last year.