Ms. Mina Rakićević, the director of Delikos d.o.o. speaks for Profit magazine.

1.Ms Rakićević, tell us something about yourself and the course of your career before you became the head of the family company DELIKOS D.O.O for the manufacture of delicacy products.

I was born in Belgrade in 1975. I grew up there and finished primary and secondary school, the 3^rd Belgrade High School. I acquired higher education in Great Britain. I completed my studies at the University of East Anglia in Great Britain and I was also a scholar at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). After I came back to Serbia in mid-2000, I started my professional career, first as a volunteer, then as an assistant and freelancer, and then I got a job at the Mreža Production Group, and later at the B92 TV station. In 2005, I was offered a position at the Publicis marketing agency, where I worked for 3 years and gained valuable experience in advertizing. In pursuit of new challenges, I went on to work for the Leo Burnett agency in 2008.

In 2009, my father Milomir Rajšić finished building a small meat processing factory on the slopes of the Kosmaj mountain and I decided to join him in making and boosting the Kosmajska delikatesna radionica brand in an effort to offer Serbia top quality cured pork and beef. We had all the preconditions to do that because the plant was built according to the latest industry trends.

Ever since I was young, I’ve enjoyed learning, especially from those more knowledgeable than me, exploring, and I have been aware of the fact that it takes years of patience and hard work to acquire real knowledge and skills. In addition to that, I have a 4-year-old son named Relja.

2.Although the reason you became the head of the family company and the circumstances in which you took over the company were not great, you have managed to successfully maintain the business and the main idea of the business implemented by your father. What motivated you to constantly develop your business, expand the market and improve the business conditions?

When my father suddenly passed away at the beginning of 2013, we had already been on the market for 3 years, we had found our market niche, we had our loyal customers and the potential to fully develop our small manufacture in the years ahead. Even though I was not prepared for the new situation and I had a 6-month-old baby, I had no doubts about what I was supposed to do, because, in that moment, letting down our employees, clients, suppliers and already loyal customers was not an option. Although a young company, we had a clear vision from the very beginning and we knew what we were aiming for, what we wanted to become and how we wanted the customers to see us. We are a family business. The company was created and founded by my father, my aunt Spomenka Zagorac manages the production, and now I manage business. The three of us, and now the two of us, shared the same values – honesty, commitment and love for the job we do, as well as the desire to make high quality products without compromise.

3.Under which brand name can Delikos products be found on the market and how are they different from other delicacy products? To which extent do you follow the contemporary trends in the global meat and meat product industry?

The Delikos plant in which our cured meat products are made and packaged under the brand name Kosmajska delikatesna radionica is located in the ecologically protected area of the Kosmaj mountain, near Tresija monastery, out of the reach of any kind of air pollution. The generous nature of Kosmaj and the fresh mountain air which dries the meat give our products a specific, rich taste and top quality.

We are dedicated to making top quality products and that is our only philosophy. With no artificial colors, flavors, flavor intensifiers, meat replacements, allergens or additives, made out of top quality pork and beef, with the addition of the finest spices, KOSMAJSKA DELIKATESNA RADIONICA products are unique in their taste and quality. Mildly smoked with cold smoke of selected beech sawdust, filtrated through water filters, the products are overseen by experts during the whole manufacturing process, from salting and spicing of the meat to its complete maturation, without shortening or hastening any process!

The source of our manufacture’s strength lies in the local nature. We follow the contemporary trends in global meat and meat product industry when it comes to technology in order for our products to comply with the following requirements: to be nutritious, healthy, delicious and of high quality. In order to achieve these goals and high quality standards in every production phase, from the selection of the finest spices and meat, to careful manufacture in ideal climate conditions in which the products mature, we introduced the Food safety management system ISO 22000:2005 in 2010, alongside the HACCP standard which we are required to have, and we are currently preparing for the FSSC 22000 standard certification.

Our products can be found in almost every major supermarket chain (Mercator (Roda and Idea), Delhaize (Maxi and Tempo), Univerexport, Aroma supermarkets, Veropoulos, Metro, DIS, Gomex), which proves that they too have trust in our business model and the quality of our products.

Try our products, you will not regret it!

4.We can find a wide selection of cured meat products from different manufacturers on the shelves. What is it that distinguishes the brand Kosmajska from the others, and what are the habits of the consumers in Serbia and in the region?

The shelves in local supermarkets look more and more like those in the wealthiest countries, where there is a wide selection of products for each consumer. Here in Delikos we know that the competition, which we absolutely respect, is strong in this segment of business, but we believe that we have already gained the trust of our loyal consumers who can recognize a high quality product. Our products are of superior quality, with no artificial colors, flavor enhancers, meat substitutes or allergens, made of top quality pork and beef, and seasoned with the finest spices. Our products are made at the Kosmaj mountain, far from any pollutants, using the most advanced technology, without shortening or hastening any production process.

As far as consumer habits are concerned, I must admit that the price of products is still the most significant factor influencing the choice of the product, but this trend is evidently shifting towards a larger consumption of higher quality products, even the more expensive ones. We expect an acceleration of this trend in the period to come, primarily due to the fact that consumers are better educated about the food they buy, but also because of the expected improvement of the living standard in the medium term.

5.How do you see the meat product market in Serbia and in the region in the course of the next 5 years?

As is the case with other similar markets, I expect consolidation in the standard segment with a smaller number of players that will, considering the economies of scale, have control over the largest part of the market. Apart from the big players, I believe that additional room will be made for relatively small, boutique/family manufactures, including Delikos, that are going to target a specific consumer group within certain market niches by offering unique products and having special business models.

6.What is your view of the position of domestic products compared to the imported ones, and what is the current position of domestic manufacturers?

Domestic manufacturers are certainly not in a better position, and are often in a subordinate position compared to the importing competition. This is, to a certain extent, due to the fact that the importing competition is often a part of a large business system that already has well established mechanisms of collaboration with supermarket chains and a more substantial promotional capacity. The domestic market is completely liberalized, and so there is no difference between domestic and foreign consumers, yet, regardless of what some research shows, ethnocentrism, or the consumers’ preference towards buying domestic products is not dominant here, as it is in other countries. This is partially due to the low purchasing power and the fact that price is the key factor when choosing a product, but we believe that this is about to change. We also expect to get the support of state institutions and consumer associations in order to improve product standardization and quality assessment, which will result in the price to quality ratio becoming the key factor when selecting a product, instead of just the price. We fully support recent investments in agriculture, the development of slaughterhouse capacities, and especially the support given to entrepreneurs with regard to more favorable financing conditions, which should lead to a decrease in the price of domestic products and an increase in the competitiveness of domestic manufacture. However, this is a process and results should be expected in the medium term.

7.What are your long-term, primary, and strategic goals and expectations for the next period?

Over the past 3 years, Delikos has had very high growth rate of sales (30% on average, and 20% in 2016), which proves that our main goal, which is to make our products recognizable among a wider consumer group, has been reached. However, new challenges lay ahead, and they are related chiefly to maintaining a sustainable growth rate of sales with the goal of reaching the maximum capacity (we are currently at around 50%), further development of our brand and gaining the loyalty of consumers.

8.You are this year’s winner of the “Success Flower” Award (“Cvet uspeha za ženu zmaja”) given by the Association of Business Women in Serbia, a special reward for the family entrepreneurship. What does such a significant award mean to you?

This nomination, followed by the Special recognition for family entrepreneurship, primarily because it was unexpected and presented to me by the Association of Business Women in Serbia, is really important because it confirms that all the effort, love and dedication that I have invested in developing the business after my father’s death were not in vain, as well as the fact that this is recognized and valued. Delikos is mainly a female-dominated company and women are a crucial element of our business philosophy. Women work at Delikos, they are our partners, and, most importantly, women are our best and most loyal consumers. Being a woman and one of the winners of the “Success Flower” Award given by the Association of Business Women in Serbia, among such strong competition, is a great honor that gives me a boost to carry on and not give up on our goal, which is to make our boutique manufacture and brand, Kosmajska delikatesna radionica, recognizable for its high quality cured meat products and service.

9.What do you do to relieve everyday stress? What is your life motto?

I’ve been working on myself a lot every day for years and I try not to get stressed out too much because it is both unhealthy and pointless. I’ve realized that there is no point in being upset about things and situations which I am unable to do anything about or have no control over. Getting upset about something I have control over is useless because those problems need to be tackled and dealt with in the best way possible at the given moment. Instead of focusing on the problems, which are inevitable, I try to focus on finding solutions. I am an optimist, I learn from the lessons life has given me and I try to find something good and positive in everything. Despite the misfortunes that surround us, I believe such attitude makes life easier. My family is my oasis of love, peace and happiness and that’s where I regain my energy.

My life motto is believing in myself and never giving up.