September 11, 2021 - While baklava is not a traditional Croatian type of pastry, a pair of investors from the UK opened the biggest baklava factory in the EU in Croatia.

The company called New Bakery has been making baklava in Croatia for a while now, and they are one of the biggest producers of the Turkish-origin pastry in the world. Yesterday, as Igor Rahmetović reports for the Croatian Radiotelevision, a new site was opened in Donji Stupnik, which is a Zagreb suburb. It is the highest-producing site in the EU, with the most high-tech equipment in the field and numerous certificates of exellence, as well as halal and kosher certificates.

The company has been producing baklava in Croatia for the past 7 years. However, the older production site in Velika Gorica was not able to produce enough baklava to satisfy the ever-growing market of people with sweet tooth, so an additional investment has been made to increase the production. To date, the investors Constantine Azar and Mehmet Yasar Halim, both from London, invested over 5 million Euro into the baklava production in Croatia.

The New Bakery company produces over 500 tonnes of baklava per year, which translates to over 25 million individual baklava. Almost all of the baklava produced by them in Croatia will continue to be exported. Their products can be found in all the biggest supermarket chains in the world. Constantine Azar explained that the reason why they chose Croatia to base their operation is the excellent location, ports and the fact that there are enough workers (who know how to make baklava!) to work in their factory. Currently, there are 60 people working in the baklava factory in Donji Stupnik, but it was announced yesterday that they plan to employ 30 additional workers by the end of next year.

My mother always stops into this little pastry shop to stock up on mandulat, a Dalmatian turrón like concoction made of almonds, sugar, honey, and egg white, between wafers.

My mother has been going here ever since childhood and she vividly remembers that good behavior meant a stop into Tradicija for some goodies, mainly for menažerija, a marzipan duck filled with cookies and coconut flakes. Today these are the most popular items for kids as grandparents treat their grandkids with this yellow delights.

I popped into the little shop on Bosanska 2 this afternoon and asked a little about the business. The lady behind the counter, who has been working there for 5 years, told me she has been working there the shortest; most were reaching above 20 years of service. She was so proud to show and tell me about all the cakes and cookies they had in store and encouraged me to come in the mornings when the display is even more full. The same family has been running this since its opening in 1937; now onto the second generation.

Through the grapevine, I heard they make the best krempita (mille feuille with vanilla custard in the middle) in town; no packet custard, this stuff is made from scratch and after having a flavor of this fluffy sensation; I’ll have to agree. The richness of the custard was so apparent and every ingredient of this original recipe could be picked out.

Tradicija is a great place to stop if you want to get an idea of what desserts Croatians eat and make at home; and take some mandulat with you back home as a souvenir. 

Address: Bosanska 2, Split