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Martina Pernar Škunca
Episode · #715

POSLOVNI ĐIR Martina Pernar Škunca

Guest Martina Pernar ŠkuncaHosted by Ojdana KoharevićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Being a producer in Croatia, especially in the food industry, is not an easy path. High costs, significant labor, steep taxes, and a shortage of workers create a challenging environment. Yet, some products defy these odds, not just surviving but thriving on a global stage. Martina Pernar Škunca, president of the Association of Pag Cheese Producers and marketing manager at Paška sirana, navigates this landscape by championing one of Croatia's most recognized and awarded products: Pag cheese. She discusses the intricate balance of preserving a unique regional heritage while operating a modern business, and the constant effort required to protect its authenticity. Her perspective reveals how a product deeply rooted in tradition can become a powerful identifier for an entire island and a nation. This conversation explores the long-term value of safeguarding local identity and unique products against economic pressures, and the often-overlooked advantages of life in a seemingly isolated community.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Martina Pernar Škunca notes that being a producer in Croatia is "not at all easy," citing high costs, taxes, and labor shortages in agriculture and food production. A truly exceptional product, however, can make these challenges more manageable, as its inherent quality simplifies promotion and builds global recognition.
02
Pag cheese has earned numerous medals at prestigious international competitions like the World Cheese Awards, establishing itself as one of Croatia's most awarded products. When a product consistently achieves such high accolades, its reputation becomes its most powerful marketing tool, placing its origin on the global map.
03
The Association of Pag Cheese Producers, with its three dairies and ten family farms, secured Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status in 2019. This legal protection prevents counterfeiting and ensures that only cheese made on Pag from Pag sheep milk can bear the name, safeguarding its authenticity for future generations.
04
Production of sheep milk on Pag has fallen by 20% in the last year, a trend driven by older generations retiring and younger people not continuing the family tradition. The long-term viability of unique heritage products depends not just on market demand, but critically on preserving the primary production base and attracting new generations to traditional livelihoods.
05
Martina Pernar Škunca emphasizes that "we can't all live from tourism" and calls for government support to make sheep farming and cheesemaking attractive professions for young people. Over-reliance on a single industry, even a dominant one like tourism, risks eroding a region's unique identity and its foundational economic activities.
06
Despite the perceived isolation of island life, Martina Pernar Škunca argues that it offers a "much better and higher quality of life," providing greater opportunities for work-life balance. The absence of urban commutes, for example, frees up significant time, allowing island residents to accomplish more in a day than their city counterparts.
07
Martina Pernar Škunca, like many of her friends, returned to Pag to build a family life after studying in larger cities. The assumption that opportunity is always found elsewhere often shifts with age, revealing that the quality of life, community, and balance offered by one's origin can become the most compelling draw.
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