USAID

In the small village of Hadjukovo, near Subotica, Ivan Percic’s health food company Suncokret (Sunflower) is quietly churning out award winning organic products. Back in 1976, Ivan had opted for a vegetarian diet, which he later transitioned into a full-on macrobiotic nutritional regime. Unfortunately, a distinct lack of pure, organic oils on the domestic market restricted his options. Knowing that others like him also had little in the way of dietary choices, Ivan decided to build a business based on the premise of healthy eating.

“In 1989, realizing that cold pressed oils, a key ingredient to a healthy diet, could not be found on the home market, I decided to found my own company to produce cold pressed oils. We purchased a hundred year old press and began pumpkin, sunflower and dark sesame oil production in a traditional way, thus preserving all the seed’s nutrients,” recalls Mr. Percic.

After a few years, the company expanded production to over twenty different kinds of edible, medicinal and cosmetic oils. As the business evolved, Suncokret started producing butters and seed bars, and today they boast over 50 products, while still honouring their motto, “Quality comes first.”

As awareness of environmental protection and the benefits of an organic diet grew, demand for organic products also increased, especially in Western Europe. Realizing the potential of this market and confident that his high quality products could stand up to the strongest competition, Ivan Percic focused on exports. Despite his determination, it was not an easy plan to carry out. At the time, Serbia did not have a law on organic products certification, which significantly hampered exports of organic foods.

However, Suncokret managed to get certificates of origin and quality for its products and Ivan began researching foreign markets in order to identify opportunities and find buyers. Understanding the importance of the right presentation and public image, Mr. Percic focused on improving the visual identity of his company and products. Together with USAID Agribusiness marketing experts, he revamped his marketing materials (catalogues, brochures, a presentational DVD…) and changed the packaging and labelling of his products—making them more visually appealing for foreign customers.

In addition, through a series of specialized USAID trainings, Percic learned how to better market and promote his products at international fairs, how to more effectively engage clients and, most importantly, how to close deals.