Forty-five years of ABC fresh cream cheese tradition
05. June 2025.ABC fresh cream cheese is one of Croatia’s best-known dairy products – one that generations of consumers have grown up with. Its original recipe, based on locally sourced milk from the farms of Belje, Vupik, as well as contract farmers, was first introduced to the market in 1980 and has remained unchanged to this day. With its simple recipe and just three ingredients, the product was named ABC to reflect its essence: a straightforward, homemade-style product with no preservatives or additives.
The 45th anniversary of ABC cheese was marked at the dairy products plant in Beli Manastir, attended by Davor Doko, President of the Management Board of Podravka Agri and member of Podravka’s Management Board, and Damir Leko, President of the Management Board of Belje, together with the employees who produce ABC fresh cream cheese every day.
Davor Doko highlighted ABC cheese as an example of the successful value-added processing of domestic agricultural production, noting: “On our own farms, we secure the milk needed to produce the ABC range of fresh cream cheeses and our entire dairy programme. Our major advantage is the continuity of domestic milk production, which we turn into top-quality dairy products. Everyone in the production chain contributes to this – from preparing high-quality animal feed and the day-to-day care of more than 6,000 cows on our farms and on our partner farms, to producing the final products and placing them on the market. The secret of ABC’s success has always been its simplicity. With only three ingredients, we create a premium dairy product for all generations, and we export 56% of our total annual production to 26 markets worldwide.”
Belje Dairy Products Plant is the only dairy in Croatia with its own milk production on company farms, enabling full “from field to table” traceability and ensuring consistently high product quality for 45 years. ABC fresh cream cheese is made from just three ingredients: milk, cream and a small amount of sea salt. Since 2006, the entire line has undergone intensive development. Alongside ABC Classic, made according to the original recipe, the range includes flavours such as Ham, Kulen, Chives, Tuna and Chilli, as well as two newest flavours: Mediterranean and Truffles. Each flavour is made with carefully selected ingredients – tuna pieces, sliced kulen, chopped ham, finely cut chives, chilli paste with pepper pieces, olives and sun-dried tomatoes, and a blend of black and white Istrian truffles – to deliver an authentic taste experience.
ABC fresh cream cheese is the market leader in Croatia in the dairy and cheese spread segment and it is widely recognised and enjoyed across the region. Known for its quality and taste, it’s a go-to choice for sandwiches of all kinds – and increasingly a favourite ingredient in creative dishes, adding a distinctive aroma and a rich, creamy flavour.
From the very beginning, the goal was to create a special, unique product from locally sourced milk – a creamy, spreadable cheese that would delight consumers with its taste and texture. Among the many international awards and recognitions ABC cheese has received over the past 45 years, two stand out in particular: the Crystal Taste Award presented by the International Taste & Quality Institute in Brussels, and third place at the World Championship Cheese Contest, the world’s largest cheese competition held in the United States. In addition, ABC cheese holds the Best Buy Award, the Superbrands title, and the “Croatian Quality” label.
