There are few products that are connected to one place sostrongly as Livno cheese with Livno. The tradition of this delicacy dates back to the end of the 19th century, and Livno Dairy today is the oldest, largest, and most awarded Cheese Producer in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The foundation of such longevity and recognition is the exclusive use of locally sourced ingredients. Livno cheese has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), meaning it can only be produced in Livno, and milk, although it can come from the neighboring areas, must be domestic.
“We do not import milk. We produce it from locally sourced ingredients and are currently cooperating with around 200 contracted producers, most of whom are small and medium-sized producers, which is a trend across Europe.
“This is why we need to preserve the domestic dairy herd, keep the contractors and stable purchasing, because without local milk there is no product under which Livno is recognized – Čamber emphasized, adding that the Livno Dairy has taken a part of the crisis burden by promoting producers who remained even without purchasing the milk.
Top Results and the Development of the Gastro-Tourism
Despite the demanding circumstances, the dairy has achieved record production and business results. The plant employs around 65 workers, processes about 12 million liters of milk annually, and produces approximately 1.2 million kilograms of dairy products.
The most important markets for these products are Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, but they are exported to 15 European countries and the US market.
Livno Dairy produces Livno cheese in several varieties, ranging from classical to smoked cheese and pepper cheese, while also offering other dairy products such as butter and kaymak (clotted cream).
With production, tourism is becoming an increasingly important part of the story, as Livno attracts more and more visitors interested in local gastronomy. Livno Dairy offers visits and tastings and welcomes several thousand visitors from all over the world annually.
“People are amazed by our products and often recommend them to others. Tourism is an important generator of demand as visitors want to try local products and bring part of Livno with them,” Čamber concluded.
International Awards and Recognitions
It is precisely this uncompromising quality of domestic raw materials and traditions that attracts tourists and has been receiving official recognition on the global stage for years.
Over 20 international recognitions won in the last five years confirm its role as the leader. The director of the Livno Dairy emphasized that these awards are important to him as they serve as an independent recognition of the quality of the product from regular production.
“Cheese for competitions is not prepared separately; we take it from regular production and send it to evaluation. The recognitions are important to us for this reason. Because they confirm the quality of the products that reach our buyers daily, Čamber explained.
He especially singled out the recognition from the International Taste Institute in Brussels, where Livno Dairy products have won the highest ratings for five consecutive years.
“Over 200 experts in gastronomy assess those products. They assess the taste, smell, texture, and visuals, without knowing the origin, brand, or the name of the product they are assessing. The recognition is important to us for this exact reason,” Čamber said.
The jury members are renowned experts from various global gastronomic associations, including those affiliated with Michelin and other well-known organizations.
Livno Dairy is also a winner of the Crystal Taste Award recognition, which is awarded to products that achieve the highest ranks three years in a row, meaning three stars.
Along with recognitions from Brussels, Čamber singles out the gold medal for the smoked Livno Cheese won at the World Cheese Awards in Switzerland, one of the most well-known global cheese competitions.
“World Cheese Awards is one of the most well-known global cheese competitions, and the recognition is especially important because cheese is assessed according to a category, meaning that the products of the same category are compared,” Čamber explained.
