nir-vana innovation network

The Kosovar company located in village Siga in the suburbs of Peja city is specialized in organic production of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants. Its main activity since 2015 is the production and marketing of the non-wood forestry products (NWFP) including spices and medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs).
The company is the only organic processing company in the area to provide the local community with organically grown and processing products.
Their main herbs are: Salvia offcinalis L., Primula veris L., Helichrysum italicum - (Roth) G. Don, Juniperus communis L., Vaccinium myrtillus L. Lavandula angustifolia Mill, Origanum vulgare L., Matricaria recutita L., Vaccinium myrtillus L., etc.
Their essencial oil civers more than 13 varieties: Salvia offcinalis – herb, Helichrysum italicum – flower, Satureja montana – herb, Vitex agnus castus – flower, Juniperus communis – berry, Mentha pulegi
Origanum vulgare – herb, Achillea millefolium -flower,Thymus vulgaris – leaves,Laurus nobilis – leaves,
Lavandula – flower, Thymus capitatus – leaves, Juniperus oxicedrus – berry,Thymus serpyllum – herb
Melissa lemon balm – leaves, etc.
The company possesses modern equipment for processing of products in line with international standards and an excellent infrastructure including a 3,000 m2 facility building, modern driers with a drying surface 200 m2 as well as cooling chambers with a surface of 200 m2.
The drying process in performed in a static hot air oven with the capacity to contain up to 1500 kg of fresh herbs. The oven was designed and built specifically for medicinal herbs and ensures, through automatic security checks and digital thermostats, a constant temperature and the right level of humidity.
The herbs are lain on perforated screens to provide a continuous passage of hot air and permit the constant and effective dehydration of the vegetable mass.
The process lasts between 24 and 48 hours in a temperature of around 40°C, depending on the species and quantity being dried.
A correct drying process is fundamental to obtaining a high quality product. Some important elements to consider are a uniform color of the dried material, the integrity of the product and the absence of mold or bacterial loads.
After drying, they pack the product in pallet crates or big polypropylene bags for use in cooking and store them in a suitably dry and well ventilated location.
The products can be ordered in various sized packs: in paper or polypropylene sacks and in amounts ranging from 1kg to 400kg per species.
This company owns the equipment and the recipes, produces the raw materials and final products, in order to be delivered to the final user.
The Kosovar company already cooperate with international processing companies from Netherlands, Germany, Austria, America and Switzerland, but they are looking to expand their market through a long term partnership agreement which can be fruitful for both companies.
They are looking for a distribution partner especially in European countries.

Advantages & innovations

• The Kosovar company is a certified organic for: primary production, processing and exporter through Albinspekt Organic Standard Equivalent to EEC regulation 834\2007. • They have done the development and effective implementation of Food Safety Management System in accordance with requirements of standard: ISO 22000:2005, through EQSC European Quality and Safety Control. • They offer the nation’s largest line of botanical products certified Kosher by Hager Kashrus Committee. • The Kosovar company is experienced in the organic production of aromatic herbs and chilies; (the herbs are not pesticide treated); • The production chain is fully controlled, from cultivating to exporting (full tractability); • In their laboratory, they process, select and transform the dried herbs, scrupulously following all the parameters set by the HACCP system, using sophisticated machines that ensure their customers get a high quality product.

Stage of development

Already on the market

Partner sought

The company is looking for reliable and long term partner in field of distribution. The potential partner should be reliable to be active as distributor to distribute their products abroad, with extensive logistic and distributive network all over the country in order for the products to reach the final costumers.