Elixir Food is one of Serbia’s largest processors and exporters of frozen fruits and vegetables. Its composition includes three factories located in Serbia’s most important fruit growing areas, which are known for the production of the best fruits and vegetables, thanks to their geographical position and favourable climatic conditions
We discussed this company, which prepares almost all of its capacity for intended export, with Vera Popović, Commercial Sector Director at Elixir Food d.o.o.
What are the production capacities of Elixir Food’s cold storage facilities in Šabac, Ivanjica and Bajina Bašta?
– Elixir Food has a total processing and storage capacity of 18,500 tonnes of frozen fruits and vegetables, with a daily capacity of 550 tonnes.
The cold storage facility in Šabac is the largest and has a capacity of 10,500 tonnes or a daily freezing capacity of 250 tonnes. The facilities in Bajina Bašta and Ivanjica have a smaller capacity – 4,000 tonnes of processing and storage and a daily capacity of 150 tonnes. Elixir Food achieved 80 per cent of its sales revenue on foreign markets. We achieved this thanks to state-of-the-art technology, professional and well-trained staff, and by working in accordance with the highest world standards. This is the only way to ensure a high level of product quality.
Which types of fruit and vegetables do you process?
– Our cold storage facilities are exclusively used to process fruits and vegetables from Serbia, sourced from the vicinity of Šabac, Ivanjica and Bajina Bašta. That’s a well-known fruit growing region with very healthy and unpolluted soil. We process raspberries, apricots, plums, blackberries, strawberries and cherries, while as of this year we’ve also started processing peaches and apples. When it comes to vegetables, our cold storage facilities are used to freeze bell peppers, cauliflower and broccoli.
All of our suppliers – growers of fruits and vegetables – are proven and long-term collaborators. The quality of their products is imperative. Thanks to continuous investments in production processes and product quality, Elixir Food manages to achieve competitiveness and conquer even the world’s most developed markets.
All of our suppliers – growers of fruits and vegetables – are proven and long-term collaborators
Foreign markets are very demanding when it comes to standards related to food exports. What standards did you have to formally satisfy?
– Last year alone we realised exports to 26 countries. In order to respond to all market demands, with the aim of achieving the full satisfaction of all stakeholders, our company’s policy is based on ensuring the highest level of quality and safety of products and services.
Elixir Food has introduced and implements the quality management system and implementation concept of the BRC food safety system covering the area of fruit and vegetable sales, processing and freezing.
Checks of the quality of the system have confirmed that all requirements have been met for the analysis and control of potential hazards, global standards for food safety and international standards for food quality and safety. In addition to these standards, Elixir Food also possesses a certificate confirming that our food can be consumed by members of the Jewish religious community. The certificates and standards we possess include BRC, IFS, GLOBAL GAP, KOSHER, ORGANIC and BSCI. Our goal is to protect people, goods and the environment, to work humanely in the community and operate responsibly, while our resources are innovation and investment. Our CSR activities are aimed at helping vulnerable sections of the population, supporting professional and child sports, promoting a healthy lifestyle, supporting scientific research activities and cultural institutions, and strengthening partnership relations with the local and regional communities in which we operate.