This is a list of notable companies that were founded in Bulgaria, are headquartered in Bulgaria, or operate in Bulgaria as major subsidiaries of foreign groups. It includes Bulgarian-origin private and state-owned enterprises, former companies of historical importance, and large foreign-owned companies with substantial operations in the Bulgarian market. The companies listed below cover major parts of the Bulgarian economy, including energy, metals, defence manufacturing, banking, telecommunications, food and beverage production, software, transport, retail, publishing and tourism.
Bulgaria's largest companies by revenue are concentrated in fuels, energy, metals, utilities, retail and industrial production. Recent business rankings have identified companies such as LUKOIL Neftochim Burgas, Aurubis Bulgaria, LUKOIL Bulgaria, Axpo Bulgaria, BA Glass Bulgaria, Lidl Bulgaria, Kaufland Bulgaria, Astra Bioplant and Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant among the largest companies operating in the country. International rankings such as the Coface CEE Top 500 rank companies by turnover and exclude financial service providers such as banks and insurers, so major Bulgarian banks are included separately in the tables below where they are notable for the Bulgarian market.
For further information on the types of business entities in Bulgaria and their abbreviations, see "Business entities in Bulgaria".
Notable firms
The tables below separate companies of Bulgarian origin from foreign-owned companies operating in Bulgaria. The industry and sector categories broadly follow the Industry Classification Benchmark taxonomy. Companies that have ceased operations are included where they are historically notable and are marked as defunct.
Bulgarian-origin companies
Name Industry Sector Headquarters Founded Notes Air VIA Consumer services Airlines Sofia 1990 Charter airline; defunct Ariana Brewery Consumer goods Brewers Sofia 1884 Brewery; defunct 2004 Armimex Industrials Defense Sofia 1992 Arms and weaponry export; defunct 2003 Arsenal AD Industrials Defense Kazanlak 1878 Military equipment manufacturer and one of Bulgaria's largest industrial employers Asarel Medet Basic materials Nonferrous metals Panagyurishte 1964 Copper extraction and processing Astra Bioplant Consumer goods Food products Slivo Pole Municipality 2009 Producer of biodiesel, vegetable oils and related products; among the largest Bulgarian-origin companies by sales Astika Brewery Consumer goods Brewers Pazardzhik 1980 Brewery Balkanstroy Industrials Construction & materials Sofia 1994 Engineering and construction Balkantourist Consumer services Travel & tourism Sofia 1948 Travel services Balkanton Consumer services Record label Sofia 1952 Record label BH Air Consumer services Airlines Sofia 2001 Passenger air transport Bulgaria Air Consumer services Airlines Sofia 2002 National airline; passenger and freight air transport Bulgarian Air Charter Consumer services Airlines Sofia 2000 Charter airline Bulgarian Agricultural and Commercial Bank Financials Banks Sofia 1969 Former state bank; rejoined the central bank in 1971 Bulgarian Development Bank Financials Banks Sofia 1999 State-owned development and commercial bank Bulgarian Energy Holding Utilities Electricity and gas Sofia 2008 State-owned energy holding active through subsidiaries in electricity generation, transmission, gas supply, gas transmission, gas storage and coal mining Bulgarian National Bank Financials Banks Sofia 1879 Central bank of Bulgaria Bulgarian Posts Industrials Delivery services Sofia 1879 Postal and courier services Bulgarian State Railways Industrials Railroads Sofia 1885 State-owned passenger and freight rail transport Bulgargaz Utilities Gas utilities Sofia 1973 State-owned public supplier of natural gas; part of Bulgarian Energy Holding Bulgartabac Consumer goods Tobacco Sofia 1947 Tobacco holding company Cargoair Industrials Delivery services Sofia 2007 Cargo airline Central Cooperative Bank Financials Banks Sofia 1991 Universal commercial bank Centralna energoremontna baza Utilities Conventional electricity Sofia 1948 Maintenance of large electric power facilities Chimimport Conglomerates — Sofia 1947 Holding company with activities in chemicals, oil and gas, transport and financial services Corecom Consumer services Specialty retailers Sofia 1960 Hard-currency retail chain; defunct Dafna Group Consumer goods Tobacco Sofia 1990s Tobacco products and trading; listed among Bulgaria's largest companies by revenue in recent business rankings Economedia Consumer services Publishing Sofia 1993 Media and publishing Era Consumer services Publishing Sofia 1996 Publisher Eurofootball Consumer services Gambling Sofia 1990 Sports betting and bookmaking Eurohold Bulgaria Financials Specialty finance Sofia 1996 Holding company with activities in energy, insurance and financial services Fantastico Consumer services Food retailers & wholesalers Sofia 1991 Supermarket chain First Investment Bank Financials Banks Sofia 1993 Banking Girdap Financials Banks Ruse 1881 Private bank; defunct 1925 Haemimont Games Technology Software Sofia 1997 Video and computer game development Heli Air Services Consumer services Airlines Sofia 1990 Charter airline Hotel Rodina Consumer services Hotels Sofia 1979 Hotel Kintex Industrials Defense Sofia 1966 State-owned arms and weaponry exporter Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant Utilities Nuclear electricity Kozloduy 1974 Nuclear power generation; one of Bulgaria's largest companies by sales Kremikovtzi AD Basic materials Iron & steel Sofia 1963 Metal and steelworks; defunct Martankship Industrials Marine transportation Burgas 2005 Shipping and petroleum-product logistics; among Bulgaria's largest companies by sales Maxeurope Consumer goods Recreational products Plovdiv 1996 Bicycles Microinvest Technology Software Sofia 1984 Commercial and accounting software Multigroup Conglomerates — Sofia 1989 Former conglomerate active in trade, industry, tourism and financial services; defunct Navibulgar Industrials Marine transportation Varna 1892 Shipping company NEK EAD Utilities Conventional electricity Sofia 1991 Electricity generation, supply and trading; part of Bulgarian Energy Holding Nimero Technology Software Sofia 2009 Information technology Ontotext Technology Software Sofia 2000 Semantic technology and software development Overgas Utilities Gas utilities Sofia 1991 Natural gas distribution and supply Petrol AD Oil & gas Fuel distribution Sofia 1932 Oil and fuel distribution Prosveta Publishing House Consumer services Publishing Sofia 1945 Publishing Saksa Oil & gas Fuel trading Stara Zagora 1990s Fuel and energy product trading; among Bulgaria's largest companies by sales Sopharma Health care Pharmaceuticals Sofia 1933 Pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution Sucreries Raffineries Bulgares Consumer goods Food products Sofia 1897 Sugar refinery; defunct 1916 Technomarket Consumer services Consumer electronics Sofia 1992 Consumer electronics retail TEREM Industrials Defense Sofia 1963 State-owned arms and military equipment repair and manufacture Texim Bank Financials Banks Sofia 1992 Private bank Varna shipyard Industrials Shipbuilding Varna 1907 Shipyard Vivacom Telecommunications Fixed line telecommunications Sofia 1992 Telecommunications operator originally established from the Bulgarian Telecommunications Company; now foreign-owned Vitta Foods Consumer goods Food products Svilengrad 2006 Frozen food and pastries VRZ Karlovo Industrials Commercial vehicles & trucks Karlovo 1964 Railway cars and equipment
Foreign-owned companies operating in Bulgaria
Name Foreign parent or origin Industry Sector Headquarters in Bulgaria Founded or entered Bulgaria Notes Aurubis Bulgaria Aurubis AG; Germany Basic materials Nonferrous metals Pirdop 1958 Copper smelting and processing; produces copper anodes, copper cathodes, sulfuric acid and iron silicate; formerly Cumerio Med Axpo Bulgaria Axpo; Switzerland Utilities Energy trading Sofia 2006 Regional gas and power trading hub operating in Central and Eastern European markets BA Glass Bulgaria BA Glass; Portugal Industrials Containers & packaging Sofia 2017 Glass packaging production for the food and beverage industries; operates Bulgarian plants in Sofia and Plovdiv Billa Bulgaria REWE Group; Austria/Germany Consumer services Food retailers & wholesalers Sofia 2000 Supermarket chain and major Bulgarian employer Blizoo A1 Telekom Austria Group; Austria Telecommunications Fixed line telecommunications Sofia 2010 Cable operator; later integrated into A1 Bulgaria Bulgarian Postbank Eurobank; Greece Financials Banks Sofia 1991 Universal bank operating under the Postbank brand Carlsberg Bulgaria Carlsberg Group; Denmark Consumer goods Brewers Shumen 2002 Brewery group operating beer brands in Bulgaria Diema United Group; Netherlands/Serbia Consumer services Broadcasting & entertainment Sofia 1999 Television channel group; part of Nova Broadcasting Group DSK Bank OTP Bank; Hungary Financials Banks Sofia 1951 Retail and corporate bank; part of OTP Group DZI KBC Group; Belgium Financials Insurance Sofia 1946 Insurance company; part of KBC Group Egmont Bulgaria Egmont Group; Denmark Consumer services Publishing Sofia 1991 Publisher HVB Bank Biochim UniCredit Group; Italy Financials Banks Sofia 1986 Bank; merged into UniCredit Bulbank; defunct 2007 Kamenitza Molson Coors; United States/Canada Consumer goods Brewers Plovdiv 1881 Brewery Kaufland Bulgaria Schwarz Gruppe; Germany Consumer services Food retailers & wholesalers Sofia 2006 Hypermarket chain and one of Bulgaria's largest private employers Kino Nova United Group; Netherlands/Serbia Consumer services Broadcasting & entertainment Sofia 2011 Movie television channel; part of Nova Broadcasting Group Lidl Bulgaria Schwarz Gruppe; Germany Consumer services Food retailers & wholesalers Sofia 2010 Discount supermarket chain; part of Germany's Schwarz Group LUKOIL Bulgaria Lukoil; Russia Oil & gas Fuel distribution Sofia 1998 Fuel retail and wholesale; operates a large service-station network in Bulgaria LUKOIL Neftochim Burgas Lukoil; Russia Oil & gas Refining & petrochemicals Burgas 1961 Oil refinery and petrochemical producer; among the largest companies in Bulgaria by revenue MKB Unionbank BayernLB; Germany Financials Banks Sofia 1991 Retail and commercial bank; later acquired and merged A1 Bulgaria A1 Telekom Austria Group; Austria Telecommunications Mobile telecommunications Sofia 1994 Mobile, fixed-line, internet and television services; formerly Mtel and Mobiltel Pirinsko Pivo Carlsberg Group; Denmark Consumer goods Brewers Blagoevgrad 1969 Brewery brand operated by Carlsberg Bulgaria Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria Raiffeisen Bank International; Austria Financials Banks Sofia 1994 Universal bank; acquired by KBC Group and merged into United Bulgarian Bank Yettel Bulgaria e& PPF Telecom Group; United Arab Emirates/Czech Republic Telecommunications Mobile telecommunications Sofia 2001 Mobile and fixed telecommunications operator; operated as Telenor Bulgaria until March 2022 UniCredit Bulbank UniCredit Group; Italy Financials Banks Sofia 1964 Bank and financial services United Bulgarian Bank KBC Group; Belgium Financials Banks Sofia 1992 Commercial bank; one of Bulgaria's largest banks and employers
See also Economy of Bulgaria List of banks in Bulgaria
References