In the centre of Zagreb (Ulica kralja Zvonimira 31), the Zagorci store was ceremoniously opened, offering its customers natural and healthy food from the fields and gardens of family farms in Hrvatsko Zagorje. This specialized store, or Zagorje štacun, has long been created as an idea and vision of its owner, Mladen Cesarac from Oroslavje, more precisely from Stubička Slatina, best known for the production of 100% pumpkin oil for which he won numerous awards and gold medals.
In addition to products from his own family farm, which include hot and cold-pressed pumpkin oil, pumpkin flour and seeds, and more recently sunflower and walnut oil, and dehydrated pumpkin soup, the shelves will also feature products from several local family farms. from Zagorje, such as OPG Vjeran Lež, Pčelarstva Marina and Josip Krog and OPG Bedek.
Spouses Nikolina and Vjeran Lež from Zabok presented their natural juices from apple and haskap fruits, which they grow organically. Haskap, better known as Mayberry or Siberian blueberry, says Lež, is native to Kamchatka, and the fruits are rich in potassium, iron and vitamin C, making them effective against anaemia and boosting immunity. Zagorje honey makers were also presented and awarded; Beekeeping Marina and Josip Krog, whose honey has been named the best acacia honey in Croatia several times, and there are also domestic products of the Bedek family farm, which offers several types of flour and oatmeal.
The goal of this project, says Mladen Cesarec, whose value and potential has been recognized and co-financed by the European Union, is their joint appearance on the market, ie to place all the best that Zagorje has - in Zagreb. The offer of home-made food from the fertile fields and gardens of Zagorje will be further enriched over time, especially when it comes to seasonal fruits and vegetables, and here most of the products customers will have the opportunity to taste.
In addition to retail and wholesale, the Zagorci store will supply restaurants and hotels, while companies can choose the appropriate gift packages for their business partners, and products will be delivered to the doorstep via the Wolt application. The newly opened health food store is carefully designed and decorated in a rustic style. The furniture is made of natural materials such as wood, and the space is decorated with many details reminiscent of scenes from rural life, and you can feel the real "Zagorje flair" in it as soon as you enter.
Photos: Marko Čolić