Serbian cherry in McDonald's candies - Fruit preparations manufacturer Desing boosts capacity and expands plantations

Serbia is the sixth country in the world when it comes to cherry production and when the size of the country is compared to hectares of seeds then we are among the three first ranked.

A stake in the global production is 7%, with an average annual yield of 83.269 kg. When it comes to cherry export, Serbia is the second ranked in the world.

These are current results and the example of the Desing company which deals with production of fruit preparations for the industry of ice-cream, fruit, chocolate and caramel toppings, syrups for post-mix devices and fruit concentrates and drinks and beverages industry.

The results and innovation in the business contributed to Desing winning the 2014 Aurea Investment of the Year Award presented by our web portal.

Danka Kolarevic, deputy director at Desing, who received the award on behalf of the company, pointed out that the company believed in its production that they can shape a recognizable Serbian product and become a reliable partner in leading multinational companies in food industry.

- We want to be the first to find out how to make quality cherry products for the baking and ice-cream industries. With constant investments into our Knjazevac-based section and employment of the youth we supported local community development and after 22 years of work we set up our own Innovation center. This award is a proof that we are still young and curious but mature enough for a successful start of a big business. It will be a lot easier with Aurea to get closer to the market with our research results – Kolarevic said.

(SCC President Zeljko Sertic presents award to Danka Kolarevic)

Since it was established in 1992 as a small family company, Desing has been dealing with production and distribution of additives and it has been at the same time developing production program, The plant is located in Knjazevac, in fruit-growing region and as its turning point, Desing points out 2001 when they became a supplier of McDonald's Serbia restaurant chain.

- At Serbian market, in bakery industry, we have 45% market stake of fruit and cream fillings and we are the only supplier of pasta and syrup in ice-cream industry. We are one of three approved suppliers for McDonald’s in Europe.

They earned the trust other big companies as well - Frikom, Nestle Adriatic S, CSM, Puratos, Knjaz Milos, Medela, Bambi, Costa Coffee, Roggenart, Ice Cream Factory, etc.

- At this moment, with the Innovation Fund, we are working on the implementation of a project called Innovative Fruit Preparations In The Pilot Aseptic Plan. Within the research projects of EU Framework program 7 (FP7) together with the Faculty of Agriculture – the department for Food quality and safety management, we participate in the Aquavalens project- Protecting the health of Europeans by improving methods for the detection of pathogens in drinking water and water used in food preparation –Kolarevic says.

A collocutor reveals they are in the stage of signing the contract with Belgium multinational company on distribution to west markets and the placement to Croatia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and other countries has already been provided.

However, Desing pays most of its attention to cherry, the Oblacinska one.

- Cherry products were developed in the first cycle of the innovation process of sugar infusion into fruit; in 2013 they were placed both to Serbian and foreign market in bakery industry totaling 110 tons. In 2014, we agreed production of 210 tons for the European market. With furher development of the Innovation center, marketing and sales activities, in 2015 we are planning our annual cherry products turnover to reach EUR 750.000.

The company has 33 people, EUR 3 mil per year, credit and investment potential which is huge so Desing is planning to double capacities and profit which is contained in the business plan until 2017.

- We are planning to invest into capacity expansion and we will be very busy this year with that because we have to make strategy and define which markets have the biggest potential, which equipment we should use and how to make financial construction for these investments.

- It is important that farmers recognize us as a stable company and to see this region can develop.

She is proud of the fact they export final product.

- We would like that media do not report any more that Serbia does not have capacities for fruit processing – it would be more useful to promote companies which deal with this and this way change the conscious of people.

(ambitious investment plans)

Semi-canned cherry

Desing received the 2014 Aurea Award for innovative production of semi-candied cherry.

- The basic motif for developing this product is a decrease in sugar concentration from more than 70% (when it comes to canned fruits) to about 50%. As a result of this product development, this technology enabled better sensor product features. Compared to the canning process, where artificial colors are commonly used, in this technology there is no need for colors because the color stays in fruit.

These products are used in ice-cream, confectionary industries and HoReCa sector.

- Along with the development of the technology, with Serbian equipment producers, Desing developed technological equipment used in this kind of production. At the end, with conquest of technology and cooperation with scientific and expert institutions, in late 2013 Desing set up its Innovation center which comprises a pilot facility, research and development center and a modern lab.

Annual potential of Serbian market for cherry production

- U baking industry: 300 tons

- In ice-cream industry: 100 tons

- In dairy industry: 190 tons

- In the confectionary industry and HoReCa sector: 200 tons

Marija Kambic