Croatian meat business invests in expanding capacities

Among others, the project allowed Pivac Group, Vajda’s parent company, to construct a new meat processing facility, expand the cold storage capacity of the plant in Čakovec, and acquire new equipment for the firm’s facilities, the group said in a statement.

The official launch ceremony was held in the presence of a number of decision-makers, including Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture Tomislav Tolušić. 

Production to rise​

To procure raw materials for its facilities, Pivac Group operates two cattle farms, and cooperates with more than 80 pig breeders in the Croatian market. Speaking at the event, Alen Kajmović, the president of Vajda’s management board, said the latest expansion project would allow the company to increase its production activities. 

Vajda’s partners “in the area of Međimurje and Slavonia delivered 142,000 pigs to us last year and, by the end of this year, we plan to increase this figure to 200,000,”​ Kajmović said, as quoted in the statement.

“The priority of our business is to produce with the use of domestic raw materials, and reach self-sufficiency through our cooperation [with local pig breeders] without the need to import raw materials,” ​Kajmović said.

Set up in 1912, Vajda became part of Pivac Group in 2015. The firm’s product range consists of durable and semi-durable meat products, sausages, salami, and many other processed meat products, according to data from the holding.

In addition to Vajda, Pivac Group owns a further two meat industry players in Croatia, PPK Karlovac and Pivac Brothers. The group said its three subsidiaries ran facilities with more than 40,000 sq m of production surface in Vrgorac, Karlovac, and Čakovec.