Our own development teams are an organizational tradition and Podravka’s competitive advantage.
Podravka conducts applied research independently or in collaboration with the scientific community and innovative partners. The main focus is directed towards the development of new and innovative products within Podravka’s categories and brands, for the benefit of health and improving the quality of life of end consumers.
Podravka purposefully conducts applied research in the field of sustainable packaging, innovative and sustainable ingredients as alternatives to fats, salt, and sugar. In addition, advanced production solutions are being explored that contribute to achieving the company’s strategic goals and policies, as well as sustainable business operations.
Podravka’s development teams of engineers, technologists, nutritionists, and sensory analysts develop products within various food categories: meal additives and soups, baby food, sweet and savory spreads, sauces, desserts and aids for dessert preparation, bread and bakery products, flour, rice, pasta, meat and fish products, snacks, ready meals, and side dishes.
In line with trends, since 2020 they have been developing new products without animal protein and vegan products.
For the development of new products, from idea to industrial processing, Podravka follows prescribed as well as internal high standards of quality and health safety of raw materials, products, packaging, and environmental protection.
In these processes, Podravka has its own development laboratories: a sensory laboratory, a pilot laboratory, laboratories for quality control and health safety, a laboratory for testing packaging quality, and a special team of experts for regulatory support.
Organoleptic quality is key to product acceptability. In the digitalized sensory laboratory, trained sensory panelists and consumers evaluate products during the product development process and control in the processing process.
Since 2008, Podravka has had a unique pilot laboratory in the region, equipped with semi-industrial devices for the preparation and processing of ingredients, production of fruit and vegetables, baby food, spreads and sauces, meat and fish canned products, systems for testing and monitoring shelf life, instruments for rheological measurements, semi-automatic packaging devices, storage and administrative space.
Health-safe and high-quality products have been of the utmost importance to Podravka since its beginnings. This is achieved through quality planning already in the product development phase, followed by control, i.e. analytical measurement during the processing process, in both internal and external accredited laboratories, while the entire process is supervised by state inspection and certification bodies.
Podravka’s own laboratories are networked through SAP’s quality management module (QM module), and the accuracy and reliability of laboratory results are continuously verified through international interlaboratory programs and employee training.
