Croatian-American Robert Vlasic of Vlasic Pickles Passes Away at 96
May 23, 2022 - Few Croats know about Robert Vlasic. Even fewer know that the American "king of pickles" passed away on May 8 at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, at the age of 96.
The son of Josip Vlašić, a Croatian immigrant, made his fortune in the pickle industry in America. He was the owner of 'Vlasic Pickles', one of the largest American pickle brands. Vlasic was also remembered as part of American pop culture in the 70s, writes Jutarnji.hr.
The 'Vlasic Pickles logo, a recognizable stork with a butterfly bow, glasses, and a postal hat, holding a pickle like a cigar, was an indispensable part of American television commercials in the 70s and 80s. As the story goes, one 1978 pickles commercial is credited with spreading the myth that “pregnant women crave pickles”. Vlasic is said to have been an entrepreneurial and marketing genius who introduced witty and humorous advertisements to the American advertising industry. He also published the book "101 jokes about Bob Vlasic's cucumbers".
Vlasic Family
"We decided that pickles were fun food," he once explained to the Detroit Free Press. "That we don't want to take ourselves or our business too seriously."
For the Vlašić family, it all began in 1912 when Franjo Vlašić, Robert's grandfather, arrived in America from his native Livno, on the islet of Ellis Island in New York. Upon his arrival, Grandpa Franjo got a job in the auto industry in Detroit, where he worked for two dollars a day and saved to bring his family, son Josip and wife Marija, to America. He succeeded two years later and soon started a milk delivery business. He also involved his son Josip, who eventually expanded his father's business.
When Robert Joseph Vlasic was born on March 9, 1926, in Detroit, the Vlašićs already had two companies, one for dairy products (Vlasic Dairy Company) and the other for the distribution of pickles and sauerkraut. After graduating from school, Robert Vlasic joined the Army and Navy, and after graduating from the University of Michigan, he started working for his father's pickle distribution company. This was not ambitious enough for him, so in addition to transportation, he started his own production. In the early 1950s, he bought a sauerkraut factory in Imlay City, about an hour north of Detroit, and procured machines to produce and package pickles. He signed contracts with cucumber and cabbage growers.
When he took over as director of the company from his father in the 60s, 'Vlasic Pickles' was already the strongest brand of pickles in the United States. His acquaintances attributed Robert's success to his managerial style. He allegedly demanded regular reports from his managers, but those reports had to be summarized on one page of paper. "Give me good news quickly," he often said, "but bad news even faster."
By the end of the 1970s, Vlasic Foods outperformed competitors such as H.J. Heinz Co., producers of ketchup and mayonnaise. Vlasic then concluded that to further develop the company, it would have to become part of a larger corporation. The company was then sold by Campbell Soup Co. for about $35 million in 1978 and he joined Campbell’s Board of Directors, of which he was president from 1988 to 1993.
Robert retired in 1993 but remained active in the community. He was known for philanthropy and mostly donated to the Catholic Church and educational institutions such as the Cranbrook Learning Center in Bloomfield Hills.
Vlasic is survived by his five sons, 17 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. Vlasic Foods is now part of Conagra Brands Inc., and his son Bill Vlasic is active in the company.
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HŽ Zagreb-Pula Train Needs 22 Hours and 43 Minutes to Travel 267 km?
My 23, 2022 - Croatian train travel has never been applauded for its efficiency, especially when one HŽ Zagreb-Pula train needs almost 23 hours to travel 267 kilometers.
A screenshot from the official Croatian Railways (HŽ) website has recently been spread on social networks, showing just how long it will take HŽ passengers to travel from the central railway station in Zagreb to Pula, reports Index.hr.
The distance from the central railway station in Zagreb to Pula, according to Google Maps, is 267 kilometers.
Since HŽ does not have direct trains on the Zagreb-Pula route, the official HŽ Passenger Transport website offers several travel options - one with three transfers and one option with two transfers.
The shortest HŽ ride from Zagreb to Pula takes just under 9 hours
If you take Croatian Railways to get from Zagreb to Pula today, however, you will ride for at least 8 hours and 48 minutes. According to the schedule, the train departs at 1:12 pm and will arrive in Pula at 10 pm after two transfers. The price for one passenger in one direction is 73 kuna and 10 lipa.
The longest ride takes an incredible 22 hours and 43 minutes
However, if you decide to leave about an hour later, or at 2:22 pm, you will arrive in Pula only tomorrow after 22 hours and 43 minutes of traveling and three transfers.
The travel length, in other terms, is not much better: Only two options offer a travel length of fewer than 9 hours, and there are travel options that take 12 hours and 15 minutes, 19 hours and 45 minutes, 18 hours and 33 minutes, and 15 hours and 19 minutes.
Now, anyone choosing to drive this 267 km route can make it from Zagreb to Pula in just over 3 hours. Croatia Airlines even has non-stop and connecting flights from Zagreb to Pula that'll get you there even quicker (though at a much higher price).
Those of us in Croatia already know that Croatian Railways is unlikely anyone's go-to for traveling around Croatia, especially with so many bus options and the Bla Bla ride-sharing evolution. And if you need further proof of Croatian travel failures - just check out this two-day Slavonian train adventure traveling just 83 km away!
For more, check out our travel section.
Varaždin Secures Croatian First League Promotion for 2022/23 Season
May 23, 2022 - Varaždin secures their Croatian First League promotion after beating Dugopolje 2:1 on Sunday!
One round before the end of the Croatian Second League (HNL), Varaždin secured their return to the highest rank of Croatian football. Thanks to a 2:1 victory against Dugopolje, Varaždin escaped second-placed Rudeš with unattainable four points with one round to go.
In a wonderful atmosphere in front of more than 5,000 fans, Varaždin took 3 points and secured their spot in the Croatian First League next season.
In the 15th minute, Varaždin took the lead thanks to a phenomenal goal scored by Itsuki Urata. The Japanese left-back received the ball and hit the bottom left corner from more than 30 meters out. It was a goal that will surely be included in the narrow competition for the best goal of this Second League this season.
The start of the second half saw Varaždin increase its advantage. Namely, in the 55th minute, Fran Brodić found the back of the net, who had previously missed four great opportunities in the match. Then, in the 66th minute, Urata made a mistake, and Ćubelić took advantage of his clumsiness to bring the score to 2:1.
Dugopolje did not give up, but several changes led to a drop in the game's intensity. Before the end of the match, Varaždin again had two great opportunities in the 83rd and 88th minutes, and the ball moved from one end of the penalty area to the other, and no one managed to shoot on target.
At the end of the match, excited fans rushed onto the pitch and celebrated with Varaždin for winning the Second HNL title and promotion to the First HNL.
Dugopolje will fight for its status in the Second League until the very end. Namely, five clubs are dropping out of the Second HNL since the league will be reduced to 12 clubs next season, and there will undoubtedly be other Dinamo and Osijek teams included. Furthermore, it is already known that Sesvete and Opatija will be relegated, and we will find out the remaining passengers for the Third HNL on Saturday, May 28, when the last round is scheduled.
Source: Gol.hr
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45 British Airways Split Flights Announced in June!
May 23, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 45 British Airways Split flights will operate next month, with daily operations in June between Heathrow and Split Airport!
Oneworld alliance member British Airways recently reduced the number of weekly rotations to Zagreb in July, justifying the move by lower demand and a shortage of crew and aircraft, but also increased the number of weekly flights to Split starting next month, reports Croatian Aviation.
In June, British Airways will operate 45 return flights between the two London airports and Split Airport, and from May 28, one aircraft will spend the night on Saturday in Resnik.
Namely, Saturday's arrival of the plane from Heathrow to Split is scheduled after 11 pm, with an early departure from Split back to London the next day, which is certainly positive news for the airport and some of the hotels nearby where the crew will spend the night.
British Airways will operate daily between Heathrow and Split in June, and two flights a day are available on certain days of the week, especially Saturdays and Sundays.
In addition to the Heathrow route, British Airways will operate a regular seasonal route between London City Airport and Split this summer, and according to the latest announcements, this route should operate from June 17, three times a week, every Monday, Thursday, and Friday.
More than 15,000 seats are available on the line between Heathrow and Split in June alone, as well as an additional 1,100 additional seats to London City Airport. This is excellent news for Split Airport which is already expecting one of its busiest summer seasons after taking the title of the busiest airport in Croatia in 2021!
British Airways also operates to Zagreb and Dubrovnik, and the fourth destination in Croatia will soon be Pula Airport.
For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.
Zagreb Pride Ride to Take Place on 25 June
ZAGREB, 22 May 2022 - The third Zagreb Pride Ride will take place on 25 June to raise awareness of discrimination and violence against LGBTIQ persons, the Proud Zagreb initiative announced earlier this week, adding that they will not stop fighting for their rights until they achieve full equality.
"As populism and nationalism flourish globally, threatening freedom of choice, our identities join us together into a community in which solidarity is inherent," Proud Zagreb said on the occasion of International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, observed on 17 May.
They said they wanted all members of the LGBTIQ community to know that they were not alone and that their identities were the source of their power.
Despite the efforts by activists and organisations focusing on the protection of the human and civil rights of LGBTIQ persons, only modest progress, if any at all, has been made, said Proud Zagreb member Azra Ayyash.
She warned that LGBTIQ persons were subjected to violence on a daily basis, citing discriminatory messages in the media and on social networks as well as physical attacks.
Ayyash said that last year attacks had been reported in Zagreb, Rijeka, Kaštel Sućurac and Split but that the actual situation was much worse, in particular in small communities where people fear that their complaints might trigger even worse consequences.
For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.
Milanović Says Ukraine is Not Only Crisis That Deserves Attention
ZAGREB, 22 May 2022 - Addressing the opening of a World Health Assembly session in Geneva on Sunday, President Zoran Milanović said he was following the attacks at hospitals and healthcare institutions in Ukraine with great sorrow and dismay, however, he added, this was not the only crisis that deserved global attention.
This year’s session of the Health Assembly focuses on the theme of "Health for Peace, Peace for Health" and will run from the 22-28 May at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. The war in Ukraine and the COVID-19 pandemic are also the topics on the agenda of the ongoing gathering.
Commenting on the theme of the meeting, President Milanović said that it evoked memories of the shelling of hospitals, healthcare institutions and ambulances and suffering of civilians during the 1991-1995 Homeland War in Croatia.
"At that time even children's hospitals were not safe havens", he recalled.
"Today it is with great sorrow and dismay that Croatia is following the attacks against hospitals and healthcare institutions in Ukraine. However, this is not the only crisis that the world is facing", he added.
"The developments in Ukraine are perhaps in the greatest focus of interest, however, there are many other conflicts occurring on the global level which may also deserve our equal support and attention", said Milanović.
He called for stronger and more inclusive healthcare architecture and for bracing for future threats to public health.
The Croatian president said that the COVID-19 pandemic had exposed great weaknesses in the global health management.
On Sunday morning, Milanović met with the World Health Organisation director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and expressed support for his reelection to this post.
Also on Sunday, Ghebreyesus bestowed the WHO Director-General's Health Leaders Award on Milanović's wife, Sanja Musić Milanović, a doctor, for her long-standing promotion of health. The ceremony was held before the third edition of the event called Walk the Talk in Geneva.
For more, check out our politics section.
Croatia Marking 30th Anniversary of Admission to United Nations
ZAGREB, 22 May 2022 - The ministry of foreign and European affairs on Sunday issued a statement to mark the 30th anniversary of Croatia's membership in the World Organisation, underscoring that its entry into the UN was a crown of the process of international recognition of Croatia.
Croatia was admitted to the United Nations on 22 May 1992. By hoisting its flag outside the UN building on 22 May 1992, with then Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali attending, Croatia was admitted to the organisation together with Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The statement issued by the ministry points out that during the first years of the membership "the priority of Croatia's diplomatic efforts in the UN was to ensure the cessation of the Great Serbian aggression as soon as possible."
Also the priority was given to the recognition and the defence of the internationally recognised borders of the Republic of Croatia, the care for hundred of thousands of internally displaced persons in Croatia and refugees arriving from Bosnia and Herzegovina and to the peaceful reintegration of the occupied areas which had been under control of the Serb rebels.
After its admission to the UN, Croatia affirmed itself on the global political scenes through its active participation in many bodies of the UN.
Croatia has been a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, and also a member of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Human Rights Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and other bodies and commissions.
The statement highlights a significant contribution of Croatian troops, police officers and diplomats in the UN-run peace missions.
Croatia sits on ECOSOC in the 2022-2024 period, for the second time.
Croatia is taking active part in the implementation of many initiatives and reform processes launched by the UN, including the initiative for responsible use of the right to veto, aimed at holding the five permanent Council members accountable for their use of veto, and the Responsibility to Protection concept.
Croatia gives firm support to multilateralism as a form of global cooperation and finds that the present-day challenges require joint approach and concerted effort..
The ministry says that the 30th anniversary of the UN membership will be marked at a conference on 30 years of Croatia's international recognition, scheduled for 29 May.
For more, check out our politics section.
Hajduk's Marko Livaja Named Top Scorer of 2021/22 HT First League
May 22, 2022 - Hajduk striker Marko Livaja is the top scorer of the 2021/22 HT First League competition season.
Hajduk's #10 scored a total of 28 goals in 34 championship appearances. The Croatian striker also added seven assists to his performance. Marko found himself in Hajduk's starting lineup 33 times, came off the bench once, and played the entire game 27 times. He played 2987 minutes in the championship this season.
He scored at least one goal against each of the teams competing in the HT First League. He scored six times against Istra 1961, five times against Rijeka, four times against Hrvatski Dragovoljac, three times against Gorica and Lokomotiva, twice against Dinamo, Šibenik and Slaven Belupo, and once against Osijek.
Recently, Marko Livaja entered the history of the Club, breaking the record from the 1934/1935 season, when the legendary Leo Lemešić scored 26 championship goals in one season. Lemešić is the second-top scorer in the history of the club behind Frane Matošić.
"Marko, congratulations once again on your outstanding achievements this season!" said Hajduk on their official website.
The top scorer in the HNL launched his professional career at Inter and continued in Atalanta, FC Rubin Kazan, Empoli, Las Palmas, AEK, and now Hajduk. His 26th goal against Istra in the 35th round was also the 100th goal of his career.
Hajduk finished the 2021/22 HT First League in second place with 72 points. While they fell short of the title this year, they still have a chance to win a trophy this season in the Croatian Cup final against Rijeka on Thursday, May 26. Hajduk and Rijeka will meet at Poljud at 19:00. The last Croatian Cup title Hajduk won was in 2013. They lost to Dinamo in their last Cup final in 2018.
Dinamo won the Croatian Cup last season, while Rijeka was the winner in the two seasons prior.
To read more about sports in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Croatia's Coronavirus Update: 205 New Cases, 5 Deaths
ZAGREB, 22 May 2022 - In the last 24 hours, there have been 205 new cases of the infection with coronavirus and the disease has taken five more lives, according to the data presented by Croatia's COVID-19 crisis management team on Sunday.
There are currently 3,106 active cases of COVID-19, and 264 patients diagnosed with this diseases are receiving hospital treatment, of whom five are placed on ventilatrs.
Also, 1,536 Croatians are self-isolating.
Since the first registered case of this infectious disease in Croatia on 25 February 2020, over 1.13 million cases have been registered. Currently the COVID-related death toll stands at 15,966.
So far, there have been 1,115,160 recoveries, including 534 in the last 24 hours.
To date, 59.51% of the total population, or 70.78% of adults, have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Company Invests €6.6m in Microalgae Production in Croatia
ZAGREB, 22 May 2022 - The company called Phyox, specialised in production of microalgae, substances rich in minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids, has invested 6.6 million euros in a microalgae production project in the city of Novska, the Večernji List daily reported on Sunday.
The project will enable the commercial production of microalgae for the pharmaceutical industry.
The project has already gone through the stages of laboratory tests and trial production and the production of microalgae for commercial purposes is expected to start soon.
There are plans to produce 40 tonnes annually.
According to the information on the web site of this company owned by four Croatian and German partners, "Phyox d.d. was created by combining the competences, experience and resources of its founders who after many years of technology development, decided to implement their microalgae production project in Croatia."
"Microalgae (Phytoplankton) are microorganisms that produce oxygen (Oxygenium) through photosynthesis, which is how the name Phyox was created."
Microalgae are with over two billion years of existence considered to be the oldest living cellular organisms on Earth.
The Večernji List daily quoted the company's senior executives Franjo Orešković and Bernd Hermann as saying that the project was well accepted by the local authorities in Novska, during the mayorship of Marin Piletić.
Therefore, the company decided to set up the project in the industrial zone of Novska, 90 kilometres east of Zagreb.
Phyox is focused on the production of microalgae suitable for use in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.
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