As Novac/Jozo Vrdoljak writes on the 5th of June, 2020, Croatian fish farmers are worth their weight in gold, and Cromaris, which operates as part of the Adris Group, has received recognition for the top quality of its products - the Superior Taste Award.
The aforementioned award is the most prestigious award in this food segment in the world, and has been being awarded by the International Taste Institute in Brussels since 2005. Cromaris is the winner of the Superior Taste Award 2020 for all three of its registered products: sea bass, sea bream and meagre.
The products are evaluated by the method of blind testing based on appearance, smell, texture and taste, and the judges selected from the most prestigious European culinary associations are not aware of the brand or origin of the tested product. Cromaris sea bass received a maximum of three gold stars this year for its exceptional taste and became the only product from the fresh fish category to win the Crystal award. For its exceptional taste, both gilthead sea bream and meagre were rated as excellent, meaning that Croatia's very own Cromaris is the only winner of the award for sea bass, gilthead sea bream and meagre among Mediterranean white fish producers.
''Top product quality is our imperative. We offer our consumers only fish with impeccable freshness and a superior nutritional composition and taste, which was recognised by the expert jury this year as well. Today, Cromaris is recognised on the market as a leader in quality, which, along with consumer trust and numerous certificates, is further confirmed by such recognitions,'' said Goran Markulin, CEO of Cromaris.
Cromaris is certified according to ISO standards 9001, 14001, 22000 and IFS Food for quality, environmental management and food safety. It also holds GlobalG.A.P certifications among other things. In addition, Cromaris believes in organic production, which is a growing trend across the world and is in line with the growing health awareness.
Organic sea bass and gilthead sea bream are grown with the application of very strict ecological standards, as evidenced by their certificates for organic production: the European eco-certificate, Bio Siegel, Agriculture Biologique and Naturland. Cromaris is also the holder of the ASC certificate, the most demanding certificate in the industry, which confirms the sustainability of its production, the regulation of environmental impact, social relations in the company and the like.
Today, Cromaris is the fastest growing and most export-oriented company. Cromaris fish is present in all major European markets, and the share of exports accounts for more than 80 percent of sales. The main export market is Italy.
Adris has invested more than a billion kuna in the development of the company since its founding back in 2009, resulting in a strong growth of all business indicators. The company grew an average of 22 percent per year, and sales increased almost tenfold with numerous technological and production innovations.
In 2019, Cromaris achieved sales of 9,557 tonnes of fresh fish, marking a significant increase of eight percent. The total amount of products sold comes to 8,761 tonnes and is seven percent higher than it was last year. Volume sales in export markets increased by seven percent, most of them in the Italian and Austrian markets.
In line with the growth of quantities and prices in 2019, sales revenue increased by eight percent. Revenues from the sale of various products, primarily freshly cleaned and packaged fish, increased by 23 percent. High value-added products currently account for 44 percent of Cromaris' total sales, up five percentage points from the previous year.
Despite the global economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, Cromaris notes that they are doing well. In the first quarter of this year, it achieved sales of 1,830 tonnes, which is just three percent less than in the first three months of last year. The majority of its revenues continue to be generated by exports.
Cromaris delivered fish to Italy on a daily basis throughout the coronavirus epidemic, which was very demanding and almost unthinkable for many. It is now working on preparing new projects for new recyclable and sustainable packaging, expanding its range, organic farming and reorganising the processing process to maintain high growth rates.
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