Objective: in its business, each company is forced to choose a development strategy aimed at the goals and capabilities of the company, which further determines how to adapt to changing conditions, how to allocate resources, how to position in the market and determine the actions of operational parts of the company. A lot of research has so far been conducted on the topic of development strategies, growth and development strategies within a number of companies with the aim of enhancing their success and placement in the global market. The research topic of this postgraduate specialist paper is the analysis and comparison of different forms of development strategies and their implementation on the example of the main leaders in the coffee industry in the Republic of Croatia, three Croatian leading companies in coffee production: (1) Franck d.d., (2) Atlantic Grupa, (3) Anamarija Company d.o.o. Methodology: primary and secondary sources were used for research purposes. We used the in-depth interview method with a number of managers involved in the design and implementation of the strategy. Using the in-depth interview method, we engaged in a conversation that was free and unstructured, and thus we gained a deeper insight into our field of interest, as well as some of the answers to the questions asked. Results: The conducted research established that: Franck d.d. uses a horizontal direction of development with two directions of concentration or market penetration and expansion. Atlantic Grupa has applied the takeover and merger development strategy to achieve a competitive advantage in the coffee industry. Anamarija d.o.o. uses development strategies of product development, diversification, market penetration, with the aim of achieving a competitive advantage in the coffee industry. Conclusion: in today's demanding, competitive, dynamic and complex market, the analyzed companies in the coffee industry in Croatia maintain their leading positions by investing daily into production excellence, i.e., product quality, technological solutions, innovative concepts and products, as well asthe human factor.