Anyone who has tried Hedona’s chocolate delicacies knows that it is a top-quality product. This sweet story about the successful first social enterprise comes from Križevci, and it all started in 2013 when the Križevci Association of Persons with Disabilities established Hedona as part of the ‘Chocolateria Cris’ project – the Križevci chocolate shop.
The past business year was successful for this social enterprise focused on chocolate and chocolate praline production, achieving higher revenue than in 2016. In addition to good business results, a novelty is the opening of a chocolate bar, regularly packed with guests enjoying various hot chocolate options from Hedona’s chocolate shop. With this opening, Hedona employed five more people, including two persons with disabilities.
Last year, Križevci supported the chocolate shop with 70,000 kuna through social entrepreneurship incentives. Besides financial support, Križevci promotes Hedona’s products in other ways.
– We support the work of our chocolate shop Hedona. The City of Križevci buys their chocolates for protocol gifts, which often end up in the hands of numerous domestic and foreign guests, thus spreading and promoting the story of Križevci chocolate further. In addition, we supported the founders of Hedona last year with 70,000 kuna through social entrepreneurship incentives. I believe that other mayors support such projects because, in addition to creating a tourist brand, the most important quality of the chocolate shop is that it employs persons with disabilities and contributes to the appreciation of diversity, said Mario Rajn, the Mayor of the City of Križevci, for Lider.
Foto: Hedona
Hedona’s chocolates contain raw materials sourced from Belgium and Italy, which are then transformed into a true chocolate fantasy by the diligent employees of Hedona.
– Production is based on quality recipes from our expert technologists who guide our employees to achieve top products. The raw materials are Italian and Belgian since there are no domestic suppliers in Croatia. Our workers regularly attend seminars and training provided by our raw material suppliers, so we are constantly in step with new technologies and innovations, said Matija Trninić, the sales and marketing manager at Hedona.
Currently, eighteen people are employed at the company, more than half of whom are persons with disabilities. The plan of the social enterprise Hedona, which is currently being implemented, is to become the first integrative workshop.
– We are in the process of making our company the first integrative workshop in Croatia. The goal of such a workshop is to employ persons with disabilities who have been determined by the center’s findings and opinions to be unable to find employment in the open labor market, and as such, it must employ at least 40 percent of persons with disabilities. This will facilitate the implementation of projects, and we plan to relocate to a new facility as soon as finances are approved, which is expected within the next two years, Trninić said.
I believe that other mayors support such projects because, in addition to creating a tourist brand, the most important quality of the chocolate shop is that it employs persons with disabilities and contributes to the appreciation of diversity, said Mario Rajn, the Mayor of the City of Križevci.
Hedona’s production facility is currently located in the premises of a former barracks owned by the ‘Ivan Seljanec’ secondary school, which is under the jurisdiction of the Koprivnica-Križevci County. Hedona has been granted free space, and the company only covers rental costs. Regarding the market, Hedona is present not only in retail locations in Križevci and Zagreb but also in restaurants and many well-known hotels across Croatia.
– Our goal is to expand sales in the hotel sector because our high-quality products are designed for such a market. It is important to note that our regular clients include the Office of the President and the City of Križevci and the Koprivnica-Križevci County, which have recognized our quality. We also do a lot of business with various companies that order chocolates in their personalized editions for corporate gifts, including well-known banks, state and private firms, Trninić said.
The title of the best seller in Križevci, awarded to him by the locals, belongs to Josip Pejčić. In the very center of the city at Hedona’s sales point, Josip got the opportunity to work as a salesperson.
– I have been working at Hedona for five years, and this job has changed my life. This was my only opportunity for work, and I am very happy about it. My wish is to move from this little house where I currently sell chocolate to a larger space, where we could offer customers even more of Hedona’s products.
Josip Pejčić, employee at Hedona
The social enterprise Hedona intends to employ all unemployed persons with disabilities in Križevci. By reinvesting profits to create new jobs and establish lasting values, which are satisfied and motivated employees who produce quality chocolate.
