We would like you to introduce yourselves to our audience - who makes up Organela?
Organela is made up of a team of young people ready to show and prove that we can and must cooperate with nature, rather than fight and conquer it. We are characterized by a wide range of interests and professions, a constant desire for learning and progress, exploration, and pushing boundaries.
When exactly did that moment happen when you said to each other, "We're starting Organela"? What is the mission and vision of Organela?
Organela officially emerged in July 2018 as a result of the acquaintance and friendship between two friends, Pavle Djordjevic (29) and Predrag Milovanovic (29). Even as a student at the Faculty of Agriculture, Pavle wanted to one day own a farm, and in 2017, his family helped him in that endeavor. On the other hand, Predrag, characterized by numerous entrepreneurial ventures, wanted to create a new brand and business, so he decided to elevate the idea of a farm together with Pavle to a new, higher level. Thus, Organela was born, and from the very beginning, Pavle’s college colleague Milos Jovic (28) joined them, and later Predrag’s college colleague Teodora Tasic (27) joined as well. Recently, the Organela team welcomed another member, professional cook Marija Pavicevic (27). Alongside Organela, there are also many friends, acquaintances, and collaborators who selflessly help in the work and realization of ideas.
Our mission is to create organic products in complete transparency, adhering to the highest standards and in harmony with nature, and to market them to end customers.
Our vision is for Organela to achieve and maintain a leading position in the field of organic food, enabling people to eat quality food every day while building lasting values together.
Young people often lack the patience to build their own business; they want everything now and immediately. How did your development process look, what challenges and obstacles did you face, who helped you, how did you educate yourselves? What lessons have you learned along the way? Did you have support from your surroundings?
Since the founding of Organela until now, we have perhaps not traveled such a long journey if we measure it in years, but it has been enormous and significant if we measure it in the number of projects we have successfully realized, awards we have won, the number of friends and partners we have gained, as well as the significant number of loyal customers who support and trust us. We strive and work hard every day to be better than we were yesterday, to learn something new and apply it in our work each day. This is what is recognized over time and creates a difference.
Our team, in addition to working and being present on the farm almost daily, is always on the move, seeking new knowledge, experiences, and contacts throughout our country, as well as in the region and the world.
What does a typical workday look like for you today - do you have a schedule and a plan of responsibilities? When do you wake up, what do you do first, what is the easiest thing for you to do, and what is the hardest?
Every day is a new story, a new adventure, and a challenge. Sometimes we wake up and work in the countryside, sometimes we are in the city, all depending on the planned obligations for that day. There are enough of us on the team, so someone is always present on the farm while others are on the move and dealing with other aspects of the business.
We strive to think long-term every day, thus improving our short-term decision-making. We create a priority list and the order of tasks, always keeping the end result in mind, namely what the potential consequences of completing or not completing a certain task are. There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always time to do what is most important. We motivate each other to take action and seek the good in every situation. We focus on solutions rather than problems, striving to be optimistic and constructive.
In which part of Serbia are Organela’s products created today? What do you cultivate?
The headquarters of Organela is in a lovely alley near Valjevska Kamenica, immersed in untouched nature. Our offer consists of fresh organic fruits, vegetables, and other finished products that result from our work. Our absolute hits include nettle soup, organic strawberry spread, and a spread we called Zen, which was created from a nearly forgotten recipe from a village. Our current focus is on completely unprocessed organic strawberries, which we have planted on an area of almost 1 hectare. We are also preparing a new product – 100% juice from completely unprocessed organic strawberries, with no added sugar or other ingredients.
The doors of Organela are always open for anyone who wishes to visit us and see the transparency and quality of our work and products. Interested individuals can also come and pick, taste, and take our products home, or they can help us in our work if they wish.
You offer customers nettle soup; why nettles specifically, and how is the picking going? What makes your soup special?
Nettles are traditionally present in Serbian cuisine due to their numerous healing properties; however, they are becoming increasingly difficult to find in cities. We recognized the potential to bring them back to the market and make them accessible to people once again. Even if they find them at a market, people are often unsure of where they came from. The reason nettles are ordered from us lately is that their origin is known, and people can see the environment in which they grow – in clean nature, far from pollution. Picking nettles takes a long time because we only collect the young tops, and they are not always plentiful. We sell fresh nettles, blanched nettles, and nettle soup, which is one of our most popular products. We cook the soup early in the morning, on the day of delivery, and it is always fresh. In addition to nettles, the soup includes carrots, potatoes, and some spices.
How challenging is it today for young people to engage in agriculture? Are there any specific subsidies that make your business easier? What are the costs, and what is the profit when you put everything on paper?
The world we live in is changing day by day, and young people have the ability and energy to keep pace with the times. Young people should re-establish a direct connection between rural and urban areas, between agricultural producers and consumers. Serbia has excellent potential for agriculture, and these potentials should be utilized. For that, organized government support is necessary; otherwise, young people are left to fend for themselves.
Some of us also have additional jobs and engagements to earn supplementary income while expanding our contacts. The investments required to start agricultural production are, without a doubt, quite substantial – especially for someone like us who did not have land, machinery, delivery vehicles, or even basic materials and tools for work. Practically everything we have earned so far has been invested in growth and the acquisition of new machinery, materials, and tools. We are also active in applying for subsidies and writing and implementing innovative projects, and we have won monetary awards several times from domestic and foreign institutions and funds.
In which product do your customers enjoy the most, and what are your plans for the near future regarding Organela?
We believe that our customers can provide the best answer to the first part of the question, and the fact is that people from our region know and remember the tastes of quality rural unprocessed food, fruits, and vegetables that our grandmothers and grandfathers have cultivated for centuries. Organically grown fruits and vegetables are not just something new; they represent a return to old values. More and more people recognize the importance of a healthy, organic diet, as well as the dangers and consequences of conventional, unhealthy, treated, and processed foods.
Organic production is undoubtedly far more challenging and uncertain than conventional and industrial production, but the quality of the products, customer satisfaction, and our satisfaction are immeasurably greater. It is a wonderful feeling to know that you have created the highest quality possible product in collaboration with nature, and that the people who order these products from you are fully aware and understand the significance and process of organic cultivation. It is also wonderful to be at the service of pregnant women, mothers, and babies, as well as individuals with poorer health who do not compromise when it comes to the quality of food.
The plan is to increase production capacities in the future, organize educational, tourist, and hospitality activities, and to open a sales-tasting space in Belgrade. We also plan to gradually introduce our products and services to foreign markets.
Social media has taken off; how important is internet marketing for a farmer today?
We would say that we actually do not engage in direct marketing – we do not find customers; they find us. In a sea of various producers, sellers, and resellers, we stand out with our quality and transparency in every aspect – from a completely transparent way of growing plants to completely transparent and open communication. Our plants are not just organic; all processes within Organel are organic as well. Our marketing and the growth of our popularity are organic too. We do not invest money in advertisements, but in knowledge and product development, and the power of recommendations and word-of-mouth advertising is our best and most significant promotion.
From the very beginning, we have had our website www.organela.rs and active profiles on Instagram and Facebook. Our products can be ordered through the online store on our website, as well as by phone, email, and social media. We deliver products from the village directly to our customers’ homes with our refrigerated vehicles, ensuring and guaranteeing that the food reaches our customers in the highest quality and freshest condition.
What is your message to young people and to anyone who wants to take risks and try their hand at entrepreneurship?
The message we want to send is one that we show every day through our personal example. We live this story, and we put our energy, emotions, and effort into our products. We are confident that this is what sets us apart from others, the factor that makes them trust us and support us. Our youth and energy, complete honesty and transparency, daily dedication, and quality are recognized. If we can do it, so can you!
The original note in Serbian:
Voleli bismo da se predstavite našoj publici - ko sve čini Organelu?
Organelu čini tim mladih ljudi spremnih da pokažu i dokažu da se sa prirodom može i mora sarađivati, a ne ratovati i pokoravati. Odlikuje nas širok spektar interesovanja i profesija, stalna želja za učenjem i napredovanjem, istraživanjem i pomeranjem granica.
Kada se tačno dogodio taj trenutak kada ste rekli jedni drugima "pokrećemo Organelu"? Koja je misija i vizija Organele?
Organela je zvanično nastala u julu 2018. godine kao rezultat poznanstva i prijateljstva dvojice drugara, Pavla Đorđevića (29) i Predraga Milovanovića (29). Pavle je još kao student Poljoprivrednog fakulteta želeo da jednog dana postane vlasnik poljoprivrednog gazdinstva, te mu je 2017. godine u tome pomogla njegova porodica. Sa druge strane, Predrag koga karakterišu brojni preduzetnički poduhvati, želeo je da stvori novi brend i biznis, te je odlučio da zajedno sa Pavlom ideju o poljoprivrednom gazdinstvu podigne na novi, još viši nivo. Tako je nastala Organela, u kojoj je od samog početka i Pavlov kolega sa fakulteta Miloš Jović (28), a nešto kasnije se pridružila i Predragova koleginica sa fakulteta Teodora Tasić (27). Ovih dana Organela tim postao je bogatiji za još jednog člana, profesionalnu kuvaricu Mariju Pavićević (27). Uz Organelu je takođe i veliki broj prijatelja, poznanika i saradnika koji nesebično pomažu u radu i realizaciji ideja.
Misija nam je da na potpuno transprentan način, po najvišim standardima i u dosluhu sa prirodom stvaramo organske proizvode i plasiramo ih krajnjim kupcima.
Naša vizija je da Organela postigne i održava vodeću poziciju u oblasti organske hrane, koja će omogućiti ljudima da se svakodnevno hrane kvalitetno, zajedno gradeći trajne vrednosti.
Često mladi nemaju strpljenja da izgrade neki svoj biznis, žele sve sada i odmah, kako je izgledao vaš razvojni proces, sa kojim izazovima i preprekama ste se susretali, ko vam je pomagao, kako ste se edukovali? Koje ste lekcije naučili na tom putu? Da li ste imali podršku okoline?
Od osnivanja Organele pa do sada smo prešli možda ne toliko veliki put kada bismo ga merili u godinama, ali ogroman i značajan ako ga merimo u broju projekata koje smo uspešno realizovali, nagrada koje smo osvojili, broju prijatelja i partnera koje smo stekli, kao i u značajnom broju stalnih kupaca koji nas podržavaju i veruju nam. Trudimo se i vredno radimo na tome da svakog dana budemo bolji nego što smo bili juče, da svakog dana nešto novo naučimo i primenimo u radu. To je ono što se vremenom prepoznaje i stvara razliku.
Naš tim je pored rada i prisustva na samom poljoprivrednom gazdinstvu gotovo svakodnevno u pokretu i potrazi za novim znanjima, iskustvima i kontaktima duž naše zemlje, ali i regiona i sveta.
Kako danas izgleda jedan vaš radni dan - da li imate neki raspored i plan zaduženja? Kada ustajete, šta prvo uradite, šta vam bude najlakše, a šta najteže da uradite?
Svaki dan je nova priča za sebe, nova avantura i izazov. Nekada se budimo i radimo na selu, nekada smo u gradu, a sve u zavisnosti od planiranih obaveza za taj dan. Ima nas već dovoljno u timu, tako da je neko uvek prisutan na poljoprivrednom gazdinstvu, dok su drugi “na terenu” i bave se ostalim aspektima poslovanja.
Trudimo se da svakodnevno razmišljamo dugoročno, te da time unapredimo i donošenje kratkoročnih odluka. Pravimo listu prioriteta i redosled obavljanja poslova imajući uvek na umu krajnji ishod, odnosno koje su potencijalne posledice obavljanja ili neobavljanja određenog posla. Nikad nema dovoljno vremena da se uradi sve, ali uvek ima vremena da se uradi ono najvažnije. Međusobno jedni druge motivišemo na akciju i tražimo dobro u svakoj situaciji. Usredsređujemo se na rešenja umesto na probleme, te se trudimo da budemo optimistični i konstruktivni.
U kom delu Srbije danas nastaju Organelini proizvodi? Šta sve gajite?
Sedište Organele je u jednom lepom sokaku kraj Valjevske Kamenice, uronjeno u netaknutoj prirodi. Našu ponudu čini sveže organsko voće, povrće i ostali gotovi proizvodi koji nastaju kao rezultat našeg rada. Tako su nam apsolutni hit postali potaž od koprive, namaz od organskih jagoda, i namaz koji smo nazvali Zen, a koji je nastao po jednom skoro zaboravljenom receptu iz sela. Trenutni fokus su nam potpuno neprskane organske jagode, koje imamo zasađene na površini od skoro 1 hektar. Takođe, upravo pripremamo i jedan novi proizvod – 100% sok od potpuno neprskanih organskih jagoda, bez dodatog šećera i drugih sastojaka.
Vrata Organele su uvek otvorena za sve one koji žele da nas posete i uvere se u transparentnost i kvalitet našeg rada i proizvoda. Takođe, svi zainteresovani mogu doći i sami ubrati, probati i odneti kući naše proizvode, a mogu nam i pomoći u radu ukoliko to žele.
Kupcima nudite i potaž od koprive, otkud baš od koprive i kako vam ide branje? Šta čini vaš potaž posebnim?
Kopriva je tradicionalno prisutna u srpskoj kuhinji zbog svojih brojnih lekovitih svojstava, međutim sve ju je teže pronaći u gradovima. Uvideli smo potencijal da je vratimo na tržište i učinimo je ponovo dostupnom ljudima. Čak i ukoliko je pronađu na pijaci, ljudi često nisu sigurni odakle je stigla. Razlog zbog kog se kopriva u poslednje vreme naručuje baš od nas je taj što se zna njeno poreklo, ljudi mogu da vide u kakvom okruženju raste – u čistoj prirodi, daleko od zagađenja. Branje koprive traje dugo, jer beremo samo mlade vrhove koprive, a nema ih uvek mnogo. Prodajemo svežu koprivu, blanširanu koprivu i potaž od koprive koji je ujedno jedan od naših najpopularnijih proizvoda. Potaže kuvamo rano ujutru, na dan isporuke i uvek su sveži. Pored koprive, u potaže idu i šargarepa, krompir i po neki začin.
Koliko je izazovno danas za mlade da se bave poljoprivredom? Da li postoje određene subvencije koje vam olakšavaju poslovanje? Koliki su troškovi, a kolika zarada, kada sve stavite na papir?
Svet u kome živimo se iz dana u dan menja, a upravo su mladi ti koji imaju mogućnost i energiju da idu u korak sa vremenom. Mladi bi trebalo da ponovo uspostave direktnu vezu između sela i grada, poljoprivrednih proizvođača i kupaca. Srbija ima izvanredne potencijale za bavljenje poljoprivredom, i te potencijale bi trebalo iskoristiti. Za to je neophodna i organizovana podrška države jer su u suprotnom mladi prepušteni sami sebi.
Neki od nas imaju i dodatne poslove i angažmane kako bismo stekli dopunska sredstva, a ujedno proširili i kontakte. Ulaganja u početak poljoprivredne proizvodnje su, bez sumnje, poprilično velika – naročito za nekog poput nas koji nismo imali ni zemljište, ni mašine, ni dostavna vozila, čak ni osnovni materijal i alate za rad. Praktično sve što smo do sada prihodovali smo investirali u rast i nabavku novih mašina, materijala, alata. Takođe, aktivni smo i po pitanju konkurisanja za subvencije kao i u pisanju i realizaciji inovativnih projekata, te smo nekoliko puta osvajali i novčane nagrade od domaćih i stranih institucija i fondova.
U kom proizvodu vaši kupci najviše uživaju i koji su vam planovi u nekoj bližoj budućnosti po pitanju Organele?
Smatramo da najbolji odgovor na prvi deo pitanja mogu dati sami naši kupci, a činjenica je da ljudi sa naših prostora vrlo dobro znaju i pamte ukuse kvalitetne seoske neprskane hrane, voća i povrća koje su naše bake i deke vekovima uzgajali. Organski uzgajano voće i povrće ne predstavlja samo po sebi nešto novo, već upravo povratak starim vrednostima. Sve je više ljudi koji prepoznaju značaj zdrave, organske ishrane kao i opasnosti i posledice koje sa sobom nosi konvencionalna i nezdravim preparatima tretirana i procesirana hrana.
Organska proizvodnja je svakako daleko izazovnija i neizvesnija od konvencionalne i industrijske proizvodnje, ali isto tako su i kvalitet proizvoda, zadovoljstvo kupaca i naše zadovoljstvo nemerljivo veći. Prelep je osećaj kada znate da ste u saradnji sa prirodom stvorili apsolutno najkvalitetniji mogući proizvod, i da su pritom osobe koje te proizvode od vas naručuju u potpunosti osvešćene, i razumeju značaj i proces organskog uzgajanja biljaka. Takođe, divno je kada ste na usluzi trudnicama, mamama i bebama, kao i osobama koje su lošijeg zdravstvenog stanja i ne prave kompromis kada je kvalitet hrane u pitanju.
Plan je da u budućnosti povećavamo proizvodne kapacitete, organizujemo edukativne, turističke i ugostiteljske sadržaje, kao i da otvorimo prodajno-degustacioni prostor u Beogradu. Takođe, planiramo polako plasman naših proizvoda i usluga i na inostrana tržišta.
Društvene mreže su uzele maha, koliko je bitan danas marketing na internetu jednom poljoprivredniku?
Rekli bismo da se mi zapravo ne bavimo direktnim marketingom – ne pronalazimo kupce, već oni pronalaze nas. U moru raznoraznih proizvođača, prodavaca i preprodavaca, izdvojili smo se svojim kvalitetom i transparentnošću u svakom pogledu – počev od potpuno transparentnog načina uzgajanja biljaka, do potpuno transparentne i otvorene komunikacije. Nisu nam samo biljke organske, već su nam organski i svi procesi unutar Organele. Organski nam je i marketing i rast popularnosti. Ne ulažemo novac u reklame, već u znanje i razvoj proizvoda, a moć preporuke i reklama od usta do usta su naša najbolja i najznačajnija reklama.
Od samog početka imamo svoj web sajt www.organela.rs i aktivne profile na Instagram i Facebook društvenim mrežama. Naše proizvode je moguće poručiti putem online prodavnice na našem web sajtu, ali takođe i putem telefona, elektronske pošte i društvenih mreža. Dostavu proizvoda vršimo sa sela direktno na kućnu adresu našim vozilima hladnjačama, tako da i na taj način osiguravamo i garantujemo da će hrana našim kupcima doći u najkvalitetnijem i najsvežijem stanju.
Koja je vaša poruka mladima, kao i svakome ko želi da rizikuje i oproba se u preduzetničkim vodama?
Poruka koju želimo da pošaljemo je ona koju svakodnevno pokazujemo ličnim primerom. Mi živimo ovu priču, i našu energiju, emocije i trud ugrađujemo u naše proizvode. Sigurni smo da je upravo to ono što nas izdvaja od drugih, faktor zbog kog nam veruju i zbog kog nas podržavaju. Prepoznati su naša mladost i energija, potpuna iskrenost i transparentnost, svakodnevna posvećenost i kvalitet. Ako možemo mi, možete i vi!