The persistent use of meat sourced from Croatian farms in the production of cured and meat products for Histris from Poreč has proven to be the best business decision. And the only possible one, believes Ivica Milotić, the owner and director of Histris, who has emphasized the importance of domestic raw materials since the beginning of production, despite the fact that it is significantly more expensive than imported meat. Looking back and studying global trends, he is completely confident that he made the right decision.
This is confirmed by numerous awards from domestic and international specialized fairs, with the latest recognitions arriving in January from the International Institute for Taste of Food and Beverages in Brussels. Thus, at Histris’s first participation in the prestigious certification of taste and quality of food and beverages, nine of Histris’s cured meat products were awarded ‘Superior Taste Award’ stars. This is one of the most recognized global acknowledgments of top quality taste, and the highest possible rating of three stars was awarded to Histris’s Istrian sausage.
Awards upon awards
The wild boar sausage, deer sausage, deer salami with truffles, and Istrian pancetta were rated with two stars, while the wild boar salami with truffles, boškarin salami, Istrian sausage with truffles, and Istrian ombolo (žlomprt or zarebnjak – the meaty part of the pork chop) received one star. For this recognition, Milotić explains, companies from 130 countries compete with thousands of products.
– Only the best are certified, and these are products that successfully pass blind tests by a jury composed of around 200 top chefs and sommeliers, who pay special attention to the taste, aroma, texture, and appearance of the products. Additionally, last year, in a competition of 124 samples at the evaluation of salamis and sausages as part of the International Fair ‘With Sausage in the EU’, Histris’s deer salami with truffles was declared the champion of the fair.
Our three main product groups are fresh meat and meat preparations, semi-dry cured meats, and dry cured meats. We cut and package fresh meat for stores, and the semi-dry product set includes hams, sausages, kranjska, and hot dogs. Among the dry cured meat products, we offer traditional Istrian products such as pancetta, Istrian sausage with rosemary and truffles, and boškarin salami. We also produce salamis and sausages from game, which we have been making with truffles for the past year. The most sought-after are, of course, traditional Istrian products: Istrian sausage, pancetta, ombolo, Istrian sausage with truffles, and game meat products – Milotić states.
He emphasizes that all raw materials in Histris’s production carry the label ‘Meat from Croatian Farms’, and thanks to the private hunting ground that Histris leases near Ogulin and the purchase of game from local hunting societies, the production of salamis and sausages from game has been enabled. According to Milotić, the combination of forest treasures has proven to be a product of high quality.
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Only domestic
– Production follows the sales plan and differentiates between the processing period of domestic meat and game meat due to the hunting season. We strive to be consistent with tradition and use ingredients characteristic of the region in which we produce, while maintaining authenticity and originality. Domestic customers lean towards such products, as many generations of Istrians have grown up with them, while we offer foreigners a completely new taste experience, directly introducing them to our culture. By combining several Istrian brands, such as Istrian sausage with the esteemed and globally recognized truffle, we add value to the product. We purchase fresh meat in Croatia from partners who raise livestock, and we also source raw materials from Croatian producers. In cooperation with local and regional authorities, we work on protecting authenticity. Histris products can be purchased in almost all major domestic retail chains, specialty delicatessens, and we are present in Italy, Austria, Slovenia, and Germany – said Milotić.
The preparation of game products differs from that of domestic animals in that game meat is significantly less fatty, Milotić explains. This means that it dries faster and is tougher after drying due to the lack of fat, which is why, he said, 50 percent of pork meat is added to game products.
The taste of Croatian forests
– Salamis from deer and wild boar with truffles are unique products on the Croatian market, also premium products due to limited production and limited natural resources. The hunting season is strictly controlled, and nature has aligned itself for this delicacy: the hunting of deer is possible from mid-August to mid-February, which coincides with the hunting season for Istrian truffles. For these salamis, only meat from open hunting grounds is used. The reconciliation of usability and respect for natural principles makes the product rich in proteins and low in fat content, so the specific taste of the depths of Croatian forests dominates the flavor symphony. The Istrian sausage, on the other hand, is made from ground pork and firm fatty tissue, with the addition of spices such as salt, pepper, and Istrian malvasia in which garlic is boiled. To ensure the product is of high quality, we must certainly have a valuable team of people who will make that product. In a modern production facility of 1,100 square meters located in Sveti Petar u Šumi, 50 employees currently work – emphasizes Milotić.
His business journey has led him from retail to production. After twenty years of operating a retail business with 16 stores, in 2014 he launched the retail chain Istrian Supermarkets. However, wanting to offer quality meat products to the market, a year later he opened the Histris meat processing plant with the help of a bank loan. Initially located in Poreč, the plant was soon moved to the renovated premises of the former meat processor Puris in Sveti Petar u Šumi. In 2019, Istrian Supermarkets was taken over by the retail chain Studenac, Milotić notes, and then Histris became an independent company that expanded its market beyond its own retail chain, increased production volume, and invested within the plant.
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