December the 28th, 2021 - The very popular Lika Skripavac cheese is set to expand not only its offer but also it's sales network following special recognition given to it by the European Union (EU) in the form of a much-sought-after label.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marta Duic writes, the much loved Lika Skripavac cheese has been awarded the European Union's label of protected geographical indication, the European Commission (EC) published in the Official Journal of the European Union on Tuesday.

As stated, the method of production of this special Croatian cheese, which became the 32nd Croatian product to boast EU protection, has been passed down from generation to generation and preserved to this day, and its crunchy properties, after which it got its name, occurs due to high fat and protein in the milk resulting from a specific diet the cows eat.

From the heart of Lika all the way down to Dubrovnik...

Native Lika products, including the Lika Skripavac cheese, are the basis of Vedrine's cheese business, which offers quite the variety of produce from Croatia's green heart.

This small family cheese factory is run by two married couples in the village of Brezik below Vaganski vrh on Velebit, and their plant processes about 180,000 kilograms of milk annually, and has more than 20 products in its range.

They recently opened a store in the town of Samobor, and at the beginning of next year they will open their seventh point of sale, in the Crnomerec district of Zagreb. In Samobor, consumers were introduced to some of the novelties Vedrine has on offer - small fruit yogurts, boiled cheese with garlic and butter in four variants, natural and salty, and butters with garlic and chives, which are set to reach the market in the spring.

In addition to their points of sale at markets in Zagreb and Zadar, this cheese factory also cooperates with specialised stores in Zagreb, Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik.

"Before the coronavirus pandemic struck, we sold our products at the Samobor market, Samobor is an interesting market and people here really like domestic production. We haven’t hired anyone new, I do all of the work, but with the new location we’re opening we’ve hired one person. We have established cooperation with the Better Tomorrow Association of Persons with Disabilities by selling their pasta, as well, and we're looking for more small producers to work with,'' said Ana Todoric from Vedrine.

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December 21, 2021 - The Ministry of Agriculture reported on Tuesday that the Lika škripavac has become the 32nd Croatian product with a protected name in the European Union (EU), which guarantees consumers the purchase of an authentic product.

Turističke Priče reports that the Lika škripavac has been awarded the European protected geographical indication, which the European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Thus, Lički škripavac is entered in the register of protected designations of origin and protected geographical indications and protected throughout the European Union. The EU trademark, like the geographical indication on the packaging, guarantees consumers the purchase of an authentic product.

The process of protection of the name Lički škripavac began in December 2017, when the Association of Small Cheesemakers of Lika-Senj County "Lički škripavac" submitted a request to the Ministry of Agriculture to protect the geographical indication called "Lički škripavac".

Lika škripavac is a soft, fatty cheese with a cylindrical or square shape. It is milky-white on the surface without crust and closed in cross-section or with a small number of mechanical openings created by the retention of whey during cheese shaping. Its taste is milky-sweet and moderately salty, and the consistency is characteristically gummy and squeaks during consumption. The production method of Lika škripavac has been passed down from generation to generation and has been preserved to this day, and the squeaking property, after which this cheese got its name, is due to the high content of milk fat and protein in milk.

The production of Lika škripavac is allowed only in the geographical area of ​​Lika from the milk of cows raised in that area. The production area is located in three administrative regions, mostly in Lika-Senj County, and to a lesser extent in Zadar and Karlovac Counties.

The Republic of Croatia now has 32 agricultural and food products whose name is registered in the European Union as a protected designation of origin or a protected geographical indication. In addition to the currently registered name "Lički škripavac", the product names registered so far are: Krk prosciutto, Extra virgin olive oil Cres, Neretva mandarin, Ogulin sauerkraut / Ogulin sauerkraut, Baranja kulen, Lika potatoes, Istrian prosciutto / Istrian prosciutto, Drniški prosciutto, Drniški prosciutto, Poljički soparnik / Poljički zeljanik / Poljički uljenjak, Zagorje turkey, Krk olive oil, Korčula olive oil, Pag lamb, Šolta olive oil, Varaždin cabbage, Slavonian kulen / Slavonian kulin, Međimurje meat 'from tiblica, Slavonian honey Istria, Paška sol, Zagorski mlinci, Paški sir, Bjelovarski kvargl, Brački varenik, Varaždinski klipič, Malostonska kamenica, Rudarska greblica.

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