Milk-Agro likes to cooperate with regional suppliers. This supports Slovak producers and allows us to offer our customers a wider range of interesting and tasty products. One of the suppliers, Mr. Vendelín Holubčík, answered several questions for us.
How did you get into the production of steamed cheeses?
It is a family tradition. Both my sisters, sister-in-law, and others from the extended family were involved. I come from the Orava region, and there it was passed down from generation to generation...
I started my own production in 1997–1998. In accordance with the relevant state standards, we arranged the "papers," built the production facility, and purchased the necessary technology. The beginnings were challenging; the first packages of our cheese strings were in microten bags with a 7-day guarantee. But even then, they sold. Gradually, we grew and improved production.
Intensive cooperation with Milk-Agro began...
...two years ago. I tried various cheese suppliers for my production before, but the cheese from this company suits me best. I process Sabinov dairy curd cheese. Currently, I have no other supplier, not only because Sabinov is nearby but also because their curd cheese proved reliable, and the overall cooperation is excellent. So my products are 100% made from Sabinov curd cheese.
It is logical that you sell them in the Milk-Agro store network...
Milk-Agro stores helped me fine-tune the taste of the products. I personally delivered cheese strings and talked about them with saleswomen. I gained a lot of information directly "from the field" about customer expectations. Whether they want more or less salt, how much seasoning, and so on. This feedback is very valuable to me. Because I produce not for myself but for customers and want them to like it. I personally visited more than a hundred Milk-Agro stores; it was tiring but worth it. Without their valuable advice, I would not have refined my products' taste so well...
Now you are starting distribution through their wholesale warehouse...
I welcomed this option; it saves me on logistics, and my cooperation with Milk-Agro is reaching a higher level. Also regarding quantity.
What assortment do you supply there?
These are un-smoked cheese strings, a stick with seasoning, and smoked cheese strings. In packages of 100 or 250 grams. The stick with seasoning turned out so well that I consider it the tastiest of our products.
Do you still produce in the traditional way?
Yes, it is traditional production; the cheese is heated in hot water, heated to 72 degrees, stirred and pulled. Some stir mechanically, but then it is not clear when the optimal pulling time is. With manual production, I see it, and the cheese does not clump. Traditional production mainly means we do not add any stabilizers or preservatives; it is a pure product of cheese, salt, and spices, no chemicals. Therefore, the warranty is not three months but 30 days.
For such a tasty product, longer is not needed... Thank you for the interview.
