History

Takovo a.d. Company is the legal successor to PIK Takovo d.p., established in 1959. In its long history, the company changed the form of its organisation.

Takovo was made out of a former candy factory, that had been established in 1922 to operate until 1941., when it stopped due to the bombing of the town. After the war the company continued to cooperate as a state-owned enterprise and, after 1959, it has operated under the name of  „TAKOVO”.  Since 1962, the company has operated as a combine with extended activities. 1962 was the turning point in the orientation of Takovo, when decision was reached for Takovo to develop as an industrial food producer, and not in the segment of primary agricultural production. Takovo attained a dominant market position in confectionery products’ market in 1972, after buying the licence and equipment for the production of the cocoa spread under the name of “Eurocrem”, which still dominates in this category of products, as regards the market shares in Serbia and neighbouring countries. It is exported to various global markets (Europe, America, Canada, Australia).

Takovo employed the biggest number of seasonal workers in Takovo region (which was of low educational structure at the time) with the biggest number of the hired workers being 4,200 in 1990.  The technological development, automatisation and modernisation of equipment reduced the number of seasonal workers to 3,600 ahead of the privatisation of the Company.

Takovo privatisation

Years of experience, wide range of products and popularity of its brands were sufficiently attractive for  Swisslion d.o.o. Novi Sad to acquire Takovo in a tender privatisation in 2004,  after which the Company became a part of the Swisslion-Takovo System. Following the privatisation, the Company experienced a renaissance of technological modernisation of organisation, as well as of the range of attractive products after the, following an investment of €128,000,000.00, which resulted in a bigger production, with 1,150 employees, enabling market competitiveness and domination in this business segment.

During 2004, the former Takovo was restructured  into several connected companies (Takovo a.d., Eurolion d.o.o., now Swisslion  d.o.o.  branch Beograd, Takovija d.o.o. and other).

The production range of Takovo a.d. Is based on the company’s knowledge, but also on the implementation of new technologies, development of employees and improvement resource base from the domestic market, resulting in high market share and expansion to new markets.

The Company’s prevailing activity is:

  • 1032 production of fruit and vegetable juices.

Mission and vision

Mission: To achieve long-term growth and development of the Company, with the fulfilment of the EU quality standards, meeting the customers’ expectations concerning quality and price, generate profit for owners and improve the labour conditions and growth of the standard of living of employees.

Vision: Taking a central position in the production of food in SEE Region, improving technology  and standards, creating healthy and quality products, in accordance with the consumers’ taste, along with the leader positioning of brands, further completion of activities, making firm market bonds on domestic and foreign markets, building humane relationship and social dialogue with the policy of continuous education and professional advancement.

Quality

  • Quality is adapted to special groups of consumers, defined by the SL Technology and the implementation of HACCP standards. The Company possesses its own laboratories. The expertise and experience of the employees in laboratories guarantee high degree of control of the used resources, production processes and finished products. The best indicator of the production program is the long-term confidence and satisfaction of customers.
  • Most modern equipment, investments in new technologies, education of employees.

Production range

  • ALCOHOL DRINKS – FRUIT RAKIA DRINKS
  • ALCOHOL DRINKS – STRONG
  • TAKOVO 100% FRUIT-CONTENT JUICES
  • TAKOVO  FRUIT NECTARS
  • TAKOVO MARMELADES, JAMS AND FRUIT-BASED PREPARATIONS
  • TAKOVO SOUPS AND CONCENTRATES
  • TAKOVO SPICES
  • TAKOVO PASTA
  • TAKOVO FINISHED MEALS
  • TAKOVO PREMIUM FINISHED MEALS (POLYPROPYLEN)
  • TAKOVO PATES AND CANNED MEAT
  • TAKOVO CANNED MEAT
  • FLIPPIES PROGRAM
  • POTATO CHIPS PROGRAM
  • SPECIAL RAKIA PROGRAM
  • CHILDREN’S FOOD PROGRAM

Number and age structure of employees (392 employees)

  • They are grouped in teams of highly-educated experts and qualified workers in the segment of management and administration as well as production processes. Organisation and operations of Takovo a.d. are in the function of the rationalisation of workplaces.
  • The age structure of employees is not very favourable at the moment, yet, intensive efforts are being invested to receive younger employees in order to improve the HR and qualification structure.
  • One of key conditions for the forming of an efficient and functional organisation of labour, with the goal to achieve the planned production, sales and realisation, with the continuous control of the established procedures securing quality products, is the systemic care and the organisation of continuous advancement of employees. Apart from the quality selection when hiring employees, the quality of human resources mainly depends on additional education and continuous training, enabling obtaining new knowledge and skills and contributing to a higher level of their professional competence.

Assessment of the market share of the Company and its main competitors

The program of Takovo Company with its range, own distilleries and primary processing of fruit, has been securing the Company0s top position for decades in this branch. The problems facing the Company are almost identical as those facing its competitors. The market share depends on the rate of profit achieved through sales activities. Takovo is satisfied with its market stake, which can be increased, though we stick to payable market stakes. We surely wouldn’t enter a market contest to win an individual leading position if the production range enabled us to make a mix that guarantees maximum revenues. All competitors operate within individual categories: juices, alcohol drinks, soups, spices and pasta, finished meals, while Takovo operates in all of the stated categories, with a strong position in all of the above categories and with a leading overall position, without any competitors, since there are no other companies of a similar structure.

Dominant factors affecting the market

  • Very competitive market with a huge number of stakeholders, from highly dominant to marginal ones, including both domestic and foreign bidders;
  • Unfavourable position of agricultural producers, poor yield this year, export of the non-processed agricultural products,
  • Uncontrolled import of goods of similar programs;
  • Slow collection of payments, liquidity crisis in trade sector;
  • General growth of prices in input sector, drop of the citizens’ standard of living, slow circulation of goods;
  • Currency fluctuations;
  • Inexistence of an offer of favourable loans for seasonal procurement of fruits;
  • Expensive and slow administration (fees, customs expenses, high taxes on salaries)

Market development projection

  • Orientation on a healthy and quality product (specific consumer target groups);
  • Investments in preservation of the existing brand;
  • Production for companies within the SWISSLION-TAKOVO System;
  • Marketing activities for the introduction of a new production program of finished meals (recognisability, product awareness, repeated shopping, information on product’s differential advantages, penetration prices, promotions, ads, development of distribution network, opening of own retail and wholesale facilities within the System).

Organisation of sales in domestic market

Takovo Company sells its products in domestic market through following buyers:

RDT SWISSLION“ d.o.o Novi Sad is a company specialised in trade and organised within the Swisslion-Takovo System.

Its activity is defined through following sales types:

Wholesale, involving small and medium buyers;

Retail operations including the sale of goods through a specialised retail network of the facilities of the type of Slatka kuća, SL Marketi and Cash&Carry facilities. Complete sales is conducted through three distribution centres:   DC Novi Sad, DC Belgrade, DC Gornji Milanovac

KA buyers: “Idea“ d.o.o. Belgrade, Mercator  S d.o.o., Novi Sad, Delhaize Serbia d.o.o. Belgrade, Metro C&C d.o.o. Belgrade, „Univerexport d.o.o. Novi Sad, Dis d.o.o. Krnjevo

Ratio of domestic and international sales

  • domestic sales 64%
  • international sales 36%

Organisation of sales in foreign market

The export of Takovo Company is primarily oriented to CEFTA countries, which take 95% of the overall export.

Other markets

Beside the above stated European markets, the goods are exported also to Swiss (Biorevolution Kloten and Kreis), Lomas  (Slovenia), Globus (France), Dimpex (Sweden).

When it comes to the U.S. Market, there are four importers: AB Company Lincolnwood; Grand Prix New York; Božić’s Imports Chicago; Krinos Foods New York.

Market of Australia is also worth mentioning, where three importers are present: Golub’s Grocery Prestons, Centro Trade PTY Dandenong;  Ras Trade Dandenong