The First Decade: 1955-1965.
Mlekara Subotica was founded on 4th March 1955 under the corporate name “Co-op Dairy – Independent Business Organisation”. It was a group of some twenty people, with a few milk-cans and a tandem, who had an ambitious task to supply the city of Subotica with milk and dairy products. At that time, Mlekara had only a steam boiler and equipment for ice.
In 1957, the first used trucks were bought, a batch pasteurizer with ribbed cooler and a separator pasteurizer, although pasteurized milk, fermented dairy drinks and cheese – caciocavallo, were packed manually. The first chemical analyses of milk quality, i.e. acidity and milk fat content, were also made at that time.
In May 1959, the Co-op Dairy became the Subotica Dairy - Mlekara Subotica.
1963. 1963 is the first milestone in the existence and operations of Mlekara. Glass bottles for milk and yogurt were introduced instead of cans. Agreements were signed with the Belgrade-based City Dairy and the Sarajevo Dairy. The cooperation with the Sarajevo Dairy was marked by production growth from 10.000 litres to 30.000 litres daily.
The Second Decade: 1966 – 1975.
1968. In 1968, Mlekara was awarded by the Yugoslav Oscar for plastic cup packaging of the soured cream.
New, so called "Dutch tanks” for caciocavallo production were purchased.
Mlekara moved to a new location on 23rd March 1972. It meant better conditions of work and an increase in the number of employees involving their better qualification structure.
The period from 1966 onwards was an age of modernisation. Mlekara was equipped with roller-type milk drying installation. New vehicles were bought, as well as a fuel oil driven steam boiler and a number of milk cooling devices.
In 1975, a new, 100.000 litres/day capacity spray drier was put into operation. At that time, the production range of Mlekara Subotica comprised: Sonja pasteurized milk, fermented milk drinks, cheeses, butter and powder milk.
The Third Decade: 1976-1985.
1978. In 1978, Mlekara procured a combined installation and another spray drier for processing milk, fruit and vegetables, thus ensuring the safe supply of end consumers with dairy products and of its buyers: companies from the confectionery industry and bakeries, as well as fodder producers.
The building of the new powder milk production plant was finished. Another roller was bought for drying milk for powder milk, as well as a two-stage evaporation plant, a compressor, then a new "freezing” water line, brand new vehicles and a whole range of minor investments was implemented.
In 1985, Mlekara Subotica celebrated three decades of its successful and continuous operation. The company processed 56 million litres of raw milk and other dairy products, and had 265 employees.
On the milky way of growth, Mlekara Subotica had developed into the largest dairies in Vojvodina, taking at the same time a significant market share in the processing industry on the level of the SFR of Yugoslaviaa.
The Fourth Decade: 1986-1995.
The period between 1986 and 1995 was marked by the building of the cheese plant, where quark and soft white cheese were produced. Mlekara Subotica introduced the technology of creamy cheese spreads.
The production of instant powder products started in 1989.
Mlekara Subotica had found its market niche by conquering Belgrade! Mlekara Subotica opened a representative office and a shop in Belgrade, and started the cooperation with C Market. Simultaneously, another representative office and shop were opened in Cuprija, together with the company Pomoravlje, and the company’s own branch office and shop in Nis.
Major investments in new “tetra rex” and “elopak” machines provided environmental-friendly packaging of short shelf life, fresh liquid products. The investment in the Aseptic A3 sterilising line, in the amount of about 2 million Swiss Francs enabled tetra-pak packaging of aseptic milk, chocolate milk and juices, and it provided a more serious presence in the centres of former Yugoslavia, since product shelf life was prolonged.
Significant funds were invested in primary production. In this period, about 1.800 calf heifers, 400 milking machines and about 100 cooling devices were purchased.
In 1995, the fourth decade of Mlekara’s activities was started solvently and free from any debt, with investments financed solely from the company’s own funds. In the years of the 1990s, when Serbian economy faced a large-scale economic crisis, Mlekara had always successfully met market demands.
The Fifth Decade: 1996 - 2005.
The activities of Mlekara were featured by the trend of growth in the field of raw milk reception and in technical-technological and marketing areas. From a simple co-op dairy, Mlekara had succeeded to develop into a factory, which is at present measured by European standards.
Mlekara Subotica had processed more than 1.3 billion litres of milk. The quantities processed today are one hundred times more than at the very beginning!
During 2003, the full automation of the FDP plant was finished, and it comprised a new equipment for milk standardisation, milk and fermented cream pasteurization and homogenisation, FDP production (yogurt, fermented milk, fermented cream, new probiotic and low-calorie drinks).
Jointly with the British Salford Investment Fund, which is the majority owner of Mlekara from November 2003, the investments into new technologies were continued. In the same year, the buy-up of about 60 million litres of milk was planned, hence the emphasis was given to the development of family farms.
At present, there are 72 family farms owned by Mlekara, and by the end of the year another 30 farms will be developed, where milk production can be measured by European standards. These efforts will ensure extra quality raw milk.
The laboratory equipped for microbiological and chemical control and for the control of the cows’ health safety has started to work recently. This lab is an additional link in the chain of internal quality control.
In 2005, Mlekara was certified to ISO 9001:2000. The HACCP system for controlled production has also been introduced in the company, and it will enable export to EU countries and the countries of the region.
The Sixth Decade: 2006 -
The implementation of the quality management standard initiated several strategically significant technical-technological and constructional investments, whereof the most important are the following:
- Reception and storing of raw milk
- Pasteurisation and storing of pasteurised milk
- Complete plant for FDP production
- Ultraclean machines for filling and packaging pasteurised milk and FDP
- Aseptic equipment for filling and packaging sterilised products
- Technological line for the ultrafiltration and filling of feta cheese
- Automatic cleaning of the technological equipment, CIP
- Premises for the operators’ wardrobes and catering
- Traffic roads within the dairy
- Fences and video surveillance of the whole dairy
- Business information system
- Technological line for filling and packaging consumer products in PET package
- Raw water treatment
- Trucks for raw milk transport with thermally insulated tanks and automatic sampling
- Truck for the distribution of final products with thermally insulated chambers and devices for keeping temperature below +8°C.
In 2008, the scope of BRC Standard was extended to the full production range (except for powder products), and the implementation of Environmental Management System ISO 14001:2005 Standard and ISO 17025 through which laboratories for raw milk and final product testing are prepared for accreditation, is underway.
HALAL standard has also been implemented, which defines the conditions for food producers aiming to export in the countries with mostly Muslim population.
The EU Commission control, which would confirm the decision of the Veterinary Inspection of the Republic of Serbia on approving Mlekara’s export to EU countries, scheduled for the first quarter of 2009, is another imperative to bring the production system and the overall operations to the required level.
Financial Statements
Under Article 5 of the Regulations on the contents and method of reporting by public companies and providing information on possessing shares with rights of voting (RS Official Gazette no. 100/06 and 116/06).
Convening Shareholders’ Assembly 2009
Statement on Operations I 2009
Statement on Operations II 2008
Annual Report on Operations
IExcerpt from the Financial Statement
Excerpt from the Consolidated Financial Statement
Report on Significant Event
Public Call and Offer for Shares Buyback
Statement on Operations I 2008
Annual Report on Operations 2008
Brands:
AB | Grekos | 5+ | ella | Vita Milk
Subotičko milk | Kremsi | Mladi sir
