engleski

Organic Food Marketing Strategy in Croatia

The food market is one of the most dynamic and complex markets. As unplanned situations on this market cause disastrous consequences, every country tends to satisfy its needs with its own food production. However, mass production often uses many inputs such as chemicals, GMOs, etc. There is growing interest for organic food production in Croatia in past few years, and some of the reasons are: increasing level of care for customers, more educated customers, the linking between agriculture and tourism, increasing tourist offer, etc. Thus, the area of organic food needs strictly defined marketing strategy which needs to be broken down into strategies in specific areas such as product, pricing, distribution and marketing communications. This paper, using the results of a study conducted on the group of Croatian organic food producers examines the bases for the development of Croatian organic food market. The main goals of the paper are: 1. to analyze the Croatian organic food situation ; 2. to present advantages and disadvantages of organic food ; 3. to compare the Croatian organic food market characteristics with the EU market ; 4. to investigate the importance of certain elements of marketing strategy in the area of organic food and to set directions for the adequate organic food marketing strategy. The research was based on secondary (desk) and primary (field) research. Within the framework of secondary research, the relevant domestic and foreign literature with the topic of organic food was used. Within the framework of primary research, in depth interviews with the Croatian organic food producers were conducted. The findings of the paper suggest that all areas of interest (pricing, assortment, distribution and promotion) are not adequately treated (for example, prices of organic food are too high, assortment is very limited, etc.) and that Croatian producers should find the way to strongly affect those areas in order to develop Croatian market and to overcome foreign competition.

organic food market; marketing strategy; Croatia

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