Podravka
Encyclopedia
Podravka is a food company based in Koprivnica
, Croatia
. It produces the rather well-known product Vegeta
, amongst thousands of other products in its diverse catalogue.
Podravka brand
s:
Podravka is also known for its various pickled vegetables and Ajvar
relish.
Podravka's origins are traced to the 1934 family business for fruit processing of the Wolf brothers in Koprivnica which was nationalised in 1947.
The bottling plant in Lipik becomes part of Podravka. Then, water was known as "Natural sparkling water", while the name "Lipički studenac", was given in 1973. The first written proof of mineral water in its usage appears in 1708 when there were four springs of mineral water.
, were involved in a set of suspicious financial transactions for which they were arrested in 2009 and 2010.
The controversy resurfaced in late 2010 as part of the infamous Wikileaks cables.
Koprivnica
Koprivnica is a city in northern Croatia. It is the capital of the Koprivnica-Križevci county. In 2011 the city administrative area had a total population of 30,872, with 23,896 in the city itself.-Population:...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. It produces the rather well-known product Vegeta
Vegeta (food)
Vegeta is a condiment which is a mixture of spices and various vegetables invented in 1959 by a Bosnian Croat scientist Zlata Bartl, and has become a product sold worldwide....
, amongst thousands of other products in its diverse catalogue.
Podravka brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
s:
- VegetaVegeta (food)Vegeta is a condiment which is a mixture of spices and various vegetables invented in 1959 by a Bosnian Croat scientist Zlata Bartl, and has become a product sold worldwide....
and Warzywko - original condiment - Studena and Studenac - bottled water
- Eva - sardines
- Tallianetta - pasta meals
- Vital Fini-Mini - small soups
- Fant - half redy-to-serve meals
- Belsad - marmelades and james
- Sms - oils
- Provita - cereals
- Čokolino and Lino - food for small children
- Dolcela - cremes
- Lero - juices
- Kviki - salted snacks
Podravka is also known for its various pickled vegetables and Ajvar
Ajvar
Ajvar and aijvar is relish, made principally from red bell peppers, with eggplant, garlic and chili pepper. Ajvar originates in the Serbian cuisine, and was therefore long known as "Serbian salad" or "Serbian vegetable caviar"...
relish.
History
- 1949 - Production of preserves begins (fine marmalade).
- 1952 - New products appear - candy fruit, desserts, fruit syrups, mustard, ketchup, fruit wines, dried vegetables, sterilised beans and peas, tinned meat..
- 1957 - Podravka soups enter the market.
- 1958 - Production of classic chicken and beef soup begins. The rooster on Podravka's chicken soup becomes a symbol of a good homemade soups in bags, whichc cook up in just five minutes and are a great help for the busy housewife. This same year chicken and beef soup are presented for the first time at the Zagreb Trade Fair.
- 1959 - Vegeta, a universal food complement which is sold today in more than 40 countries on all continents, has been launched on the market.
- 1964 - Ten new instant soups appear on the market.
- 1967 - First cooperative arrangements with foreign partners. Vegeta sets out for the wider world -first exports to Hungary and Russia.
- 1970 - Production of Čokolino begins, followed later by children's food in other flavours, all with a little bear called Lino as their trademark.
The bottling plant in Lipik becomes part of Podravka. Then, water was known as "Natural sparkling water", while the name "Lipički studenac", was given in 1973. The first written proof of mineral water in its usage appears in 1708 when there were four springs of mineral water.
- 1972 - Production of medicines begins in Ludbreg near Koprivnica.
- 1973 - Podravka's meat factory - today called Danica Meats d.o.o. -is built as part of the industrial zone in Danica.
- 1974 - "Little Secrets of Great Chefs" is broadcast on television for the first time.
- 1981 - Belupo, a pharmaceuticals and cosmetics factory, is built as part of the Danica industrial zone in Koprivnica
- 1993 - Podravka is privatised and registered as a joint-stock company.
- 1996 - The process of restructuring Podravka for profitable growth has begun.
- 1997 - A strong wave of modernisation and investment, 130 million EUR worth, including the construction of three new factories and the introduction of a new, integrated commercial IT system.
- 1998 - Podravka d.d. shares begin trading in the 1st quotation of the Zagreb Stock Exchange. Mineral water gets the name of "Studenac" and it has kept it so far to this day.
- 1999 - A new Belupo pharmaceuticals complex opens in Koprivnica, producing human pharmaceuticals. A full integration of business activities via a modern SAP R/3 computer system.
- 2000 - A new Vegeta plant opens in Koprivnica as well as the plant of Vegeta, soups and powder products in Poland. A pure spring water Studena appears on the market.
- 2001 - Podravka becomes the exclusive distributor of Kraš for the Hungarian market. Podravka' Vegeta gains the certificate for the System of Quality Management ISO 9001:2000.
- 2002 - The Quality Management System ISO 9001:2000 has been enlarged to the Podravka Food, LIno, Dolcela and Kviki. Podravka has taken over a Poreč firm Ital-Ice, a producer of quality ice cream, desserts, and a distributor of frozen food. A contract has been signed between Podravka and Nestlé World Trade Corporation of selling, logistics and distributing some products of the Nestlle Group. Podravka has taken over a Czech firm Lagris.
- 2003 - In collaboration with the Zagreb Faculty of Economics and Business Management, Podravka founds POMAK - Podravka's Management Academy. Podravka becomes the distributor of a range of products of the tinned fish firm Adria d. d. from Zadar. In the industrial zone Danica a new plant of Podravka prepared food has been opened.i
- 2004 - Vegeta in Poland was given an award called "Superbrand Polska" . "The Brands Committee" gave it to it as one of the biggest brands on the Polish market. For the first time, the contest of the Foundation "Prof. Zlata BartlZlata BartlZlata Bartl , was a Bosnian Croat scientist and is the creator of Vegeta....
" appears which encourages the creative and innovative work of undergraduate and postgraduate students. - 2005 - Euromoney, one of the most influential business and finance magazines, gave Podravka an Award for Business Excellence. Vegeta, the most famous Podravka Brand, is the recipient of yet another valuable international acknowledgement - Superbrand 2005 in Russia.
- 2006 - According to the Three-year contract between Podravka and Istraturist, a Tennis Tournament in Umag will be taking place in the following three years as ATP STUDENA Croatia Open Umag. In 2006 the brand Eva was purchased, and by the Vegeta brand two new products were launched on the market - "Vegeta pikant", and liquid Vegeta on the Australian Market.. A new children food plant starts being built, and Podravka became the first Croatian member of International Business Forum (IBLF). In cooperation with the sports newspapers Sportske novosti, the Čokolino All rounder has begun.
Controversy
Former Podravka CEO Zdravko Šestak and several others, including Damir PolančecDamir Polančec
Damir Polančec is a Croatian politician. Polančec served as the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship in the Croatian Government of Ivo Sanader and later Jadranka Kosor between 2003 and 2009.On October 30, 2009, Polančec resigned citing a need to avoid damaging...
, were involved in a set of suspicious financial transactions for which they were arrested in 2009 and 2010.
The controversy resurfaced in late 2010 as part of the infamous Wikileaks cables.