Žalec, 06 April (STA) - The Celje-based dairy Mlekarna Celeia increased its sales last year by 9% to more than EUR 60m, while net profit was level at some EUR 500,000, the director of the cooperative-owned company Marjan Jakob told the press in Žalec on Friday.
According to him, the company purchases raw milk from around 1,100 suppliers associated in a total of 17 cooperatives, and all milk brought to Celeia on daily basis is of Slovenian origin.
Last year's purchase of milk was record-high, at more than 100 million litres, which is 1% more than in 2016, Jakob told the press as part of an annual meeting with Celeia's largest suppliers.
Celeia also saw new records in dairy products, having processed six million litres of milk more than in 2016. Production was up in all product categories, with production of yoghurt increasing the most (by 5%).
Sales on the Slovenian market were up by 14% to EUR 45.7m (76% of total sales), while sales on foreign markets went up by 9% to EUR 14.4m.
Celeia sells its products in eleven countries, with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy and Germany being its biggest foreign markets.
"We are not completely happy with the profit, which was almost level compared to the year before, especially given the need to develop and modernise production," said Jakob, adding that EUR 1.5m had been spent on investments in 2017.
He expects additional pressures to lower prices this year, which will require from Celeia to manage costs. The company nevertheless expects to increase sales further in 2018 to EUR 63.5m.
The company currently employs 220 people, with the number increasing last year by 10%. There is a need for additional workers but the problem is that there is not enough adequate staff on the labour market.
Jakob hopes that the authorities will allow Celeia to employ workers from the former Yugoslav countries, which represent the company's biggest export market.
He added that the sale of a 26% stake in Celeia held by KD Kapital and Alta Media was just about to be concluded, with partners from agricultural cooperatives having the pre-emptive right to buy.
The buyers are awaiting consent from the competition watchdog, which is expected this month, after which Celeia would become a true farmer dairy company with a 99.7% stake owned by cooperatives, Jakob said.