TURIZAM 385 A.Madir, Z.Ćevid

Guest A.Madir, Z.ĆevidHosted by Sanja PlješaMay 3, 2026

A.Madir, Z.Ćevid

About this episode

What you'll hear in this conversation

Croatian prosciutto is a protected delicacy, but its status on the global stage is complex. While demand within Croatia is double the current production, the market is also flooded with millions of units from larger European producers. How does a unique, high-quality product, deeply tied to its regional origin, compete and thrive in such an environment? Ante Madir, executive director of the Croatian Prosciutto Cluster, and Zoran Čevit, an award-winning Drniš prosciutto producer and owner of Drniške delicije Maran, discuss the strategic decisions, market realities, and day-to-day work required to build and sustain a high-quality, protected food product. This conversation explores the intricacies of certification, the challenges of market recognition, and the practicalities of supporting an industry through a dedicated cluster.

Insights from the conversation

What to take from this episode

Madir explains that certified prosciuttos carry protected European quality labels, which are crucial for defending against mass-produced imports. Certification is more than a quality seal; it is a legal and commercial shield, guarding local producers and consumers against high-volume, lower-cost imports that would otherwise overwhelm the market.

The specific type of geographic protection dictates the entire supply chain. For Istarski Pršut, all raw materials must originate in Croatia, while other prosciuttos with a Geographical Indication can source from neighboring countries. This choice between stricter local sourcing and broader regional sourcing impacts both market strategy and the definition of local identity.

Asked about the secret to his champion prosciutto, Zoran Čevit replies: 'No big secrets. Just dedicated work and production according to professional rules.' Madir adds that all certified entries at the recent event received gold medals. When a product category is protected and defined by strict standards, the path to market leadership isn't about proprietary secrets, but about consistent, disciplined execution of established best practices.

The Croatian Prosciutto Cluster started with 25 members but now has 18, as some producers left because they didn't pursue certification. A professional cluster gains its strength not by maximizing membership, but by enforcing strict, non-negotiable standards. Allowing members to self-select out based on those standards ensures a coherent, high-quality collective.

The cluster now 'lives exclusively from its members' fees and donations and sponsorships' from industry partners, after government support for clusters ceased in 2014. When public funding for industry organizations disappears, the organization's survival depends on its ability to demonstrate direct, tangible value to its members and commercial partners, fostering a self-sustaining ecosystem.

Madir notes that EU marketing funds often prohibit naming specific companies, meaning they can promote 'Drniš prosciutto' but not 'Drniške delicije Maran.' Publicly funded marketing campaigns often prioritize generic category promotion over individual brand recognition. This forces producers to weigh the benefits of collective visibility against the need for specific brand building.

Current Croatian prosciutto production is between 350,000 and 400,000 pieces annually, but domestic demand is double that amount. A significant domestic demand deficit for a protected product signals a clear market opportunity for local producers, but also a vulnerability to imports if production capacity isn't expanded to meet it.

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