A small drive for premium products

Enjoying cured meat products, game, goose, prosciutto and tuna pate, vegetarian truffle spreads, under various brands, you probably have no idea that they are produced in a small food plant in Samobor.

To produce better than craftsmen who produce for themselves, their family and friends were the goals, and to gain knowledge and experience in one of the largest and strongest meat industries in the region – the way to achieve this goal. Dr Davor Škobić, the doctor of food technology and long-term technical director of Gavrilović in his most glorious days was expelled from Petrinja in 1991 and Gavrilović due to the occupation of Petrinja, founded Dr Škobić d.o.o. in Zagreb – a small food plant that moved its production to the town of Samobor in 2004.

Like any great story, the one is also started in the basement. Knowledge about meat and technological processes of meat production of father Davor, doctor of food technology, was of great importance for starting a family business, says son Goran, but all this without the support, dedication and economic knowledge of mother Štefica would not be possible. She is the one who transferred her perseverance and struggle, along with four children, to work, points out the proud son who, as he says, has carefully absorbed knowledge from them for the past 30 years, sometimes 16 hours a day.

Conquering the market oversaturated with meat products was not easy, even with an enviable knowledge of products, recipes, technology and high-quality production.

By increasing production for other brands and expanding the range to soups, vegetarian savoury and sweet products, premium ready meals as well as slowly strengthening its own brand, this food company has improved its market position and especially in this sensitive pandemic era.

The pandemic has led to increased awareness and concern for personal health, but also for others around them. There is more and more talk about preservatives, additives and other substances that make products more pleasing to the eye, tastier, but also of lower quality and even detrimental to our health. Nevertheless, the market is flooded with such products, because, let us not forget, we live in a world of consumerism and capitalism in which income has become more important than the quality of the product itself. For such producers, additives are an excellent substitute for meat and they often put up to 50% of water in the product.

Also, it is not uncommon for the industry to employ insufficiently professional technologists who do not have enough experience, for example, they do not know how to achieve durability or good product taste without additives. They are the real bait for additive dealers who will offer and sell various preparations at any cost.

If you do not want to be their victim, we advise you to look for quality products from transparent manufacturers in stores, and you will recognize them by the already well-known VeeMee QR code.

If you ask Mr Goran Škobić what it takes to create a good food product, in addition to knowledge and expertise, he will mention the quality of raw materials, technological processes and spices that are added to products.

Commitment to the product itself is very important because the fermentation of durable products (eg kvrgavi kulen) lasts 24 hours a day for 2 to 3 months.

Having a good raw material today is harder than ever. In the past, indigenous breeds of pigs were more accessible and represented, with longer fattening and more fat, and their food was very different from today.

Today, according to Mr Goran, vacuum fillers with dispensers and sprinklers, micro cutters… are used in production. Climate chambers have been developed in which it is possible to set the desired and controlled conditions of temperature, humidity, air flow, etc. In other words, maintaining the richness of food and producing a quality product is more difficult today than ever before.

Selected Dr Škobić products have a VeeMee QR code, so there is no better sign that they are one of the few who succeed in that.

In addition to traditional top meat products, they offer a great tuna and shrimp spread, pate with venison, top vegetarian products and vegetable soups, ready meals, products in cans, aluminium packaging and jars, under the brand Dr Škobić, but also under many other brands in Croatia, Slovenia, Austria and elsewhere in Western Europe.

Their flagship products are premium pâtés and Agram premium durable products made with traditional recipes, which are rarely used in industry, exclusively from domestic Croatian pigs, without nitrite salts and a line of premium game pâtés without additives, emulsifiers, artificial colours and flavour enhancers.

Their knowledge and experience allow them to create specific products for family farms, large and small food plants as well as trial production for international retail chains.

We are sure that we have already greatly aroused your curiosity and that when buying these products you will surely check who the manufacturer is. When you come across Dr Škobic, stop thinking, buy bread, and his products will do the rest. 🙂

Until the next reading,

Your VeeMee Advisor