Company

Frequently asked questions

Does Podravka take care of the environment during production?

Environment protection is one of Podravka's priorities and it is applied on the principles of sustainable development and cleaner production. All of the activities have to be in compliance with current national regulations observing environment protection as well as regulations of the countries where the company operates. In case own legal provisions do not exist, international standards apply. Specific actions conducted are based on the Environment Protection Action Plan subject to continued improvement.

Podravka is obliged to a rational use of energy and raw material resources, waste management as well as constant prevention of negative effects on the environment, production, products and services.

The Group operates according to the principles of the Environment Protection Policy in its own community. Podravka is committed to provide the public with all information regarding environment protection and to educate and motivate employees for its continued improvement.

Environment protection as such presents an overall solution for Podravka:

Waste water treatment
Waste management in the widest sense
Disposal of hazardous material
Air emissions
Keeping pollutant records
Managing raw materials finished products and packaging which for any reason do not comply
Cooperation in the selection of "clean technologies" and being consistent with environmental standards during the phase of plant design and reconstruction
Drainage and repair of sewage systems
Lab control – authorised laboratories.

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History

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

1934.	The brothers Marijan and Matija Wolf, entrepreneurs form Koprivnica, open a business for fruit processing, the predecessor of Podravka.
1947.	The Wolf brothers' business passes into state ownership, and Podravka gains the name it still carries today
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 aippears in 1708 when there werer 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, intergrated 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 activites 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 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 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.
2007.	In 2007 Podravka buys 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.