Organic Yoghurt in Bulgaria

There are only a handful of organic producers in Bulgaria and there is still a general unawareness of the virtues of organic farming. But three producers are about to make it possible for the first Bulgarian organic yoghurt to find its way onto the shelves of most major supermarkets in Sofia. The launch of “Bio Kiselo Mlyako” – organic yoghurt – is a small revolution. It is certified organic, re-branded, of great taste and well-marketed.

A farm near Troyan is the largest certified organic dairy farm in Bulgaria. 52 milking cows and an additional 32 calves are kept for the production of the yoghurt. The farm gets a lot of attention from abroad – e. g. from France and the Czech Republic. It received its certification in 2002. It has been difficult to sell the milk, but now the farmer is able to plan ahead. An application for EU funds will be sent soon. 

The milk from two farms finds its way to Vrabevo, another village on the organic milk route. It is close to Troyan, where a small, but modern dairy facility turns the milk into yoghurt and gets it ready for sale. The facility has been working ever since organic milk was available in Bulgaria and major investments have been made. Distributors stated that they are able to sell 30 per cent of the yoghurt and the market is growing fast.

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