The Duvno region was once known for cattle breeding and the production of milk and cereals. The fact that it is one of the leading municipalities in the Federation of BiH in terms of milk production, prompted two young farmers from Tomislavgrad to open the first mini cheese factory.
Less than a year ago, Branimir and Berislav opened a mini cheese factory in Stipanići near Tomislavgrad. They started the business in the midst of a pandemic, although at that time many shut down their businesses. But they were not discouraged, because they have been engaged in agriculture for years and have dairy farms.
“Since we have been in agriculture for about ten years, Berislav even longer, we came up with the idea to use our milk and make some products,” said Branimir Vučelić, co-owner of the mini cheese factory “Eko Vran”.
They are currently producing fresh cheese.
“At the moment, our daily production on our farms is around two thousand liters, so we still cannot process or sell all of it, but a good part of it we sell and manage to place on the market,” said co-owner Berislav Šoljić.
The products are successfully distributed throughout Herzegovina.
They currently have five employees, but depending on market interest, they also plan to expand production and create new jobs.
“I’ve been working here from the beginning, we’re happy with the job, we’re just getting started, we have work to do, and we’re happy to have a job at the time of the pandemic when many people lost their jobs,” says Marijana Malekin, a technologist at this mini cheese factory.
The whole project was financed with their own funds.
The only help they received recently was from the State Office for Croats Abroad in the amount of 20,000 BAM. With these funds, they plan to expand the factory and start the production of new products, hard and salty cheese.
