GBB Concept plans five new franchised clinics

GBB Concept, a private outpatient clinic operator with locations in Split and Zagreb, has announced plans to expand through franchising and open five new clinics in Croatia over three years. Rijeka is among the locations under consideration. The plan was outlined in an interview with director and owner Gianino Budimir Bekan, published on 30 September 2026 in the promotional section of Croatian newspaper Novi list.

From two existing locations to a franchise network

GBB Concept intends to structure its next phase of growth differently from its operations to date. According to the published interview, the experience of running clinics in Split and Zagreb simultaneously was one of the key reasons behind the decision to pursue further expansion through franchising.

This is the main development for Croatia’s franchise sector: an established healthcare provider is announcing a move to franchising for future growth. The two existing locations provide the starting point for the project, while the five additional clinics represent a target, not locations already open or under contract.

Novi list presents the project as Croatia’s first healthcare franchise. That description should be read as a claim made in promotional material, rather than an independently verified assessment of all healthcare franchise models in Croatia. The more significant news is the specific proposal: an intention to develop a network of clinics under the existing brand, backed by a three-year expansion plan for the Croatian market.

The published extract provides no information about franchisees already selected. The announcement should therefore not be taken to mean that the new network is operational or that all business arrangements for the planned expansion have been agreed.

Rijeka among the preferred locations, with no confirmed opening date

The headline of the Novi list article gives particular prominence to expansion into Rijeka. In the available interview, however, Rijeka is listed among several cities and areas of interest for new clinics. Budimir Bekan names Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rijeka, Karlovac, Varaždin, Osijek and eastern Zagreb.

He explains that patients have been asking for years when GBB Concept will open clinics in these locations. This is the stated reason for considering them for expansion, but the published material provides neither figures for such enquiries nor a separate assessment of demand in each city.

It is important to distinguish a list of preferred locations from an opening schedule. There are more potential destinations than the five planned new clinics, and the available extract does not specify the final selection or the order of openings. Nor does it provide an address, opening date or the name of a future franchise partner for Rijeka.

Budimir Bekan emphasises the intention to expand into areas where GBB Concept does not currently operate, so that new locations do not compete with existing ones. The list also includes eastern Zagreb, however, even though the business already has a clinic in the city. The available text does not explain the territorial boundaries of future franchises or how individual partners’ territories would be protected.

Croatian expansion comes before international ambitions

Alongside the five new clinics planned in Croatia over three years, the owner sets out longer-term goals. After the domestic phase, he envisages a further ten locations in Europe over a period of three to five years, with a ten-year ambition of reaching around 50 clinics worldwide.

All these figures are plans outlined in the interview. They do not reflect the network’s current size, confirmed investment or signed contracts. The available material does not identify the European countries targeted for openings or any specific international partners.

Distinguishing between these timeframes helps clarify the scope of the announcement. The nearest-term target concerns Croatia, while European and global expansion remain longer-term ambitions. Progress will therefore be best measured through future confirmation and opening of individual Croatian locations, rather than simply by the total number of clinics cited in the long-term plan.

What prospective partners should check

The announcement sets out the broad direction of development, but the available extract does not include the franchise’s commercial terms. It gives no details of the initial investment, franchise fees, partner selection criteria or support that GBB Concept would provide.

Interested entrepreneurs should raise these questions directly with the company. Alongside the financial terms, it would be useful to seek clarification on the division of responsibilities, day-to-day operations, staffing requirements and the standards a future clinic would need to meet. These questions are not a description of published terms for this model, but a practical framework for assessing it.

Practical takeaway: GBB Concept has announced a specific target for franchise expansion in Croatia, but Rijeka and the other named locations remain part of a plan for now. Before committing to a partnership, prospective franchisees should request written terms and confirmation of the status of their preferred location.