Company

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In 1934 the Koprivnica entrepreneurs, the brothers Marija i Matija Wolf, founded the workhop for food processing which, in 1947 turns into public ownership and gets the name Podravka which it has today.

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History

Welcome to the short review of Podravka history. We also prepared large format of these photographs which can be found in the section: Media - From the old times.

1934	Brothers Marijan and Matija Wolf, entrepreneurs from Koprivnica, open a fruit processing plant, the predecessor of Podravka.
1947	The Wolf brothers' business becomes state ownership, and Podravka gets the name it maintains to this day.
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 packet soup, that is ready in just five minutes and is a great aid for the busy housewife. That same year chicken and beef soup are presented for the first time at the Zagreb Trade Fair.
1959	Vegeta, all-purpose food seasoning, 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 into the world - first exports to Hungary and Russia.
1970	Production of Čokolino begins, followed later by baby food in other flavours, all with a little bear called Lino as their trademark. The bottling plant in Lipik becomes part of Podravka. At the time water was known as "Natural sparkling water", while the name "Lipički studenac" it gets 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 Meat industry d.o.o. - is built as part of the industrial zone in Danica.
1974	"Little Secrets of Great Chiefs of Cuisine" 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, worth 130 million EUR, including the construction of three new factories and the introduction of a new, integrated commercial IT system.
1998	Podravka d.d. shares start trading in the 1st quotation of the Zagreb Stock Exchange. Mineral water gets the name "Studenac" and maintains it till this day. "Studena" introduced to Croatian market as a non-sprinkeld mineral water.
1999	A natural spring water "Studena" appears on the market. A new Belupo pharmaceuticals complex opens in Koprivnica, for producing of human pharmaceuticals. A full integration of business activities via a modern SAP R/3 computer system.
2000	A new Vegeta plant opens in Koprivnica and another for Vegeta, soups and powder products in Poland.
2001	Podravka becomes the exclusive distributor of Kraš for the Hungarian market. Podravka Vegeta receives Quality Management System ISO 9001:2000 certificate.
2002	ISO 9001:2000 Quality Management System expanded to Podravka Food, Lino, Dolcela and Kviki. Podravka takes over a Poreč company 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 for sales, logistics and distribution of some Nestlle Group products. Podravka takes over a Czech company Lagris.
2003	In collaboration with the Zagreb Faculty of Economics and Business, Podravka founds POMAK - Podravka's Management Academy. Podravka becomes the distributor for a range of tinned fish by Adria d. d. company from Zadar. In the industrial zone Danica a new plant of Podravka ready-made food was opened.
2004	Vegeta in Poland receives an award "Superbrand Polska" . "The Brands Committee" awarded it to one of the biggest brands on the Polish market. For the first time, the contest of the Foundation "Prof. Zlata Bartl" appears which encourages the creative and innovative work of undergraduate and postgraduate students.
2005	Euromoney, one of the most influential business and finance magasines, 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 under the Vegeta brand two new products were launched to the market - "Vegeta pikant", and liquid Vegeta on the Australian market. A new baby 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 project begins.
2007	In 2007 Podravka purchases Polish brands Warzywko and Perfekta, and Croatian Lero. The competition Čokolino All-rounder was finished and a contract with Sportske novosti has been signed on cooperation on the same project till 2010. Podravka has enlarged its successful cooperation with Microsoft to 18 countries of the world, while Belupo launched a new web site, "Be fit". The year 2007 marks the 50. birthday of Podravka Soups.
2008	The first Croatian spring water studena., arrived to Croatian stores in new visual identity after thorough rebranding. studena. functional waters were also presented, new product category on Croatian market, enriched with active natural extracts and aromas, vitamins and minerals. New packaging of studena. received Cropak award for the best packaging in the category of Croatian product/series for the year 2008. Podravka products confirmed their supreme quality by winning also prestigious international awards: Podravka Beef goulash - Superior Taste Award 2008, brands Podravka, Čokolino and Vegeta were Superbrands in B&H.
2009	New warehouse and distribution center was opened in Dugopolje, the first in the row of distribution centers that the leading food processing company intends to build in Croatia. It was also a great anniversary: 50^th anniversary of Podravka's most renowned brand - Vegeta. Compliant to the golden number of its existence, was produced, and a special episode of "Little secrets of great chiefs of cuisine" was also filmed. The supreme quality of Podravka's Plum Jam and Sardines in olive oil, recognized among consumers, was also confirmed by the experts who awarded them the Superior Taste Award 2009.
2010	Among numerous awards for their quality, Podravka's products added the Superior Taste Award 2010, for the following products: Studenac - rated with maximum three stars and placed in the category of products with supreme taste and quality; other awarded products: Ajvar mild, Lino lada, Doughnut mix, Corn bread mix and Bread mix with seeds. Among many valuable awards, Podravka received another, this time in the soups category - the soups received „Trusted Brand 2010" award.