The Mavrovic Companies

“Through boxing and winning,” Zeljko explains, “people saw that I could do whatever I set my mind to, relying on hard work, dedication, self-confidence and courage. People learned to trust me. Today, my customers, remembering my sport successes and sport philosophy, trust the quality of our products and impatiently wait for new ones.”

Zeljko originally wanted to start the first commercial organic grain farm in rural Croatia. He found an ideal site in the eastern part of the country, in the heart of the country’s small agriculture belt. The land belonged to a former national cooperative that had dissolved when the Communist regime fell in the early 1990s, and it lay fallow throughout the ensuing Serbo-Croatian war. The land’s designation as a “War Affected Area” allowed Mavrovic to access some special finance programs, and he emerged as a local leader in the area’s economic recovery process.

Two books guided Zeljko’s thinking in agriculture: Ecological Agriculture: The Agriculture of Tomorrow, by Darko Znaor, advocated a holistic approach to farming that included integrating pest management, land maintenance, field rotation, green manure, and other biodynamic approaches. The One Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming, by Masanobu Fukuoka, a Japanese microbiologist, advocated total adoption of natural farming techniques.

Zeljko talked to local farmers to learn the trade. He brought the land he acquired back into production, turned an old weed-riddled village school into the Eco-Center, and transformed a dilapidated equipment shed into his mill. Zeljko and his employees cleaned up the sites, revitalized the soil, and rebuilt the facilities, all with the goal of creating an integrated sustainable food system.

As far as Zeljko is concerned, his businesses will keep growing. “I may work hard to ensure the success of my companies’ projects on the level of management,” he says, “but my greatest love is staying on the farm and walking in the fields, watching the growth of plants.” He plans to apply for some bank loans to keep pace with the evolving agricultural and organic market in Croatia and the greater European community. “We are aware,” Zeljko says, “that the speed at which we adjust to meet the constantly changing and dynamic markets and business situations is crucial.”