Podravka - Company With A Heart!

• Podravka’s vision and mission
• Policies
  • Corporate policy
  • Quality Policy
  • Customer and consumer satisfaction policy
• Company History
• Company management
  • Members of the Management Board
  • Supervisory Board
• Company profile
  • About the Company
  • Employees
  • Key financial indicators
  • Products
• Podravka around the world
  • Croatia
  • Slovenia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Macedonia
  • Germany
  • Czech Republic
  • Slovakia
  • Poland
  • Hungary
  • Serbia
  • Montenegro
  • Ukraine
  • Romania
  • Latvia
  • Africa and the Near East
  • Russian Federation
  • Australia
  • North America
  • South America
• Management system
• Awards and Honours

Company History

From a fruit and vegetable processing business to the largest food company in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe.

1934

The brothers Marijan and Matija Wolf, entrepreneurs from Koprivnica, open a business for processing fruit, the precursor of Podravka.

1947

The Wolf brothers’ business passes into state ownership, and Podravka acquires the name it still carries today.

1949

Production of preserves begins.

1952

New products appear – candied fruit, desserts, fruit syrups, mustard, ketchup, fruit wines, dried vegetables, sterilised beans and peas, tinned meats.

1957

Podravka’s soups enter the market.

1958

Production of classic chicken and beef soup begins. The rooster on Podravka’s chicken soup becomes a symbol for good homemade soups in packets, which cook up in just five minutes and are a great help to the busy homemaker. 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 40 countries on all continents, is 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 Čokolina begins, followed later by children’s food in other flavours, all with the little bear called Lino as their trademark.

1970

Bottling plant in Lipik becomes part of Podravka. Water was then known as "Natural sparkling water", while the name "Lipički studenac" it was given in 1973. The first written proof of mineral water and 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 begins.

1997

A strong wave of modernisation and investment, valued at EUR 130 million, 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.

1998

Mineral water gets the name "Studenac" and it retains it to this day.

1999

A new Belupo pharmaceuticals complex opens in Koprivnica, producing human pharmaceuticals. Full integration of business activities via a modern SAP R/3 computer system.

2000

A new Vegeta plant opens in Koprivnica, as well as a factory producing Vegeta, soups and dehydrated products in Poland.

2000

Pure spring water Studena was launched to the market.

2001

Podravka becomes the exclusive distributor for Kraš in the Hungarian market. Podravka’s Vegeta obtains an ISO 9001:2000 certificate for its quality management system.

2002

The ISO 9001:2000 quality management system expands to include Podravka Foods, Lino, Dolcela and Kviki. Podravka assumes ownership of the Poreć-based firm Ital-Ice, a producer of quality ice cream and sweets and a distributor of frozen foods. An agreement between Podravka and Nestlé World Trade Corporation is signed, covering sales, logistics and distribution for individual Nestlé Group products. Podravka also becomes the owner of the Czech firm Lagris.

2003

In cooperation with the Faculty of Economics in Zagreb, Podravka launches POMAK – the Podravka Academy of Management. Podravka becomes the distributor for a range of tinned fish products from Zadar’s Adria d.d. A new Podravka Foods factory opens in the Danica industrial zone.

2004

"Vegeta has received the "Superbrand Polska" award in Poland. The award was awarded to Podravka by the "Brand Council" for being one of the strongest brands in the Polish market. For the first time a competition was announced for the "Prof. Zlata Bartl" Foundation to stimulate the creative and innovative work of undergraduate and postgraduate students."

2005

Euromoney, one of the most influential European financial magazines, presented Podravka with the 2005 Award for Excellence. Vegeta, Podravka's best known brand, wins another valuable foreign recognition award - Superbrand 2005 in Russia.

2006

• Vegeta awarded “Superbrand” in Russia
• Studena ATP Umag – according to the 3-year Contract between Podravka and Istraturist,  tennis tournament to be held in the next 3 years under the name ATP STUDENA Croatia Open Umag
• Podravka HRK bonds issued amounting to 375 million kunas
• Vegeta liquid stock launched to Australian market
• Best industrial share award
• Koprivnička tiskarnica sold
• Podravka becomes 1st Croatian member of International Business Leaders Forum
• New Baby Food Factory starts being built
• B&Ž wins golden reward in New York for Podravka's Annual Report
• EVA brand purchased in October 2006
• Čokolino all-rounder project started in cooperation with Sportske novosti

2007

• Podravka purchased Polish brands Warzywko and Perfecta
• Superbrand Croatia awarded to Podraka brands: Podravka, Vegeta, Čokolino, Fini-Mini
• Podravka purchased Lero brand
• Humanitarian action between Studena and UNICEF brings HRK 806,191
• Čokolino all-rounder final competition held and the contract signed with Sportske novosti on cooperation on the same project until 2010
• Cooperation between Podravka and Microsoft in 18 countries
• B&Ž wins a reward for Podravka's Annual Report at festivals in Germany and USA