True taste of success OSM Olecko

OSM Olecko (District Milk Cooperative) from Olecko, Poland is a company well known for its traditional products. It is a member of the European Network of Regional Culinary Heritage and is certified by the “Quality Tradition” national system of food quality.

TRUE TASTE OF SUCCESS

OSM Olecko is one of the Polish milk cooperatives with the longest tradition of operation. It was established in 1927 in Olecko, a small town located in the heart of the Mazurian Lake District, in north eastern Poland. The District is one of the least polluted regions of the country and is covered by the Green Lungs of Poland programme (the district had also been elected as one of the finalists of the New7Wonders of Nature).

A group of local landowners was behind the formation of the cooperative. After World War II, the Milk and Egg Cooperative was established in January 1949 to purchase and process milk from the nearby counties. In 1954, it was nationalised and forced to operate in this form until 1957, when, after another reorganisation managed by the state authorities, the dairy cooperatives were re-created.

In 1968 the Cooperative received the “Q-like quality” mark for the butter it produced. After the modernisation of the plant conducted in 1973, its production capacity was increased. Five years later a continuous line for the production of butter was launched.

The eighties were marked by further increase in milk procurement and production of dairy products. In 1996, the modernisation

of production launched a new line for production of ripening cheeses. The facilities for cheese salting and aging were modernised.

Busy years

“In recent years we have implemented a number of investments in order to comply with the European Union regulations. In October 2003, we introduced the HACCP system to ensure the health safety of our products. In March 2004, the District Veterinary Officer issued a positive decision on selling our butter and cheese in the European Union and their production for other markets”, says Anna Staszkow, the president of OSM Olecko.

In late 2004 a new unit for thickening the whey was put into use; in 2005, the whole refrigeration system was changed; in 2006 a fleet of Scania vehicles for the transport of milk was bought; and in 2011 the salting department was built and fully equipped. The latter project was realised with the aid of EU funds obtained under the SAPARD SOP and RDP funds.

“Now, there are 600 milk producers who supply milk to the Cooperative and are the members and co-owners of the company. They are mainly young farmers but big producers, who provide us with 50-60,000 litres of milk monthly each,” says Ms. Staszkow.

OSM Olecko employs 111 people. Its annual processing of milk reaches 50 million litres. “There is a place for many different cooperatives in Poland, for big ones and for small ones. We are the medium size co-op with only one production facility,” adds Ms. Staszkow. “However our future looks bright, as far as I can see it, despite the fact that this year doesn’t seem to be favourable for milk and cheese producers. The whole milk market suffers from overproduction and, in consequence, a price drop. But we have survived the 2008 crisis and since then our annual milk production has grown by 12 per cent each year.”

Focus on tradition

According to Ms. Staszkow, what makes OSM Olecko the unique cooperative on the market is the high quality of its raw milk and the way it makes its dairy products. “We do not use any extra fat. Everything we make is based just on cow’s milk. Furthermore we use special equipment for traditional production. Thanks to this our consumers get products of true taste. And they appreciate it”, emphasises Ms. Staszkow. Dutch-style cheeses such as: Gouda, Gouda Mini, Podlaski, Edamski and Morski are the company’s flagship products. OSM Olecko is also known for its butter, cream,

cottage cheese and buttermilk. Moreover, it makes famous fudge candies, which, upon special request, can be labelled with the client’s logo.

OSM Olecko products are popular throughout Poland. They are also successfully sold abroad, mainly to neighbouring countries: Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic, but also to distant markets, such as the UK, Spain and Portugal. “Distance” is a key word in the case of offering the cooperative products, since they are made in the traditional, natural way, with no preservatives, so their shelf life is short.

The company is a member of the European Network of Regional Culinary Heritage. This is the European Network with member regions all across Europe, with a common goal to develop these regions through the promotion of local and regional food.

Two products made in OSM Olecko (natural butter and cottage cheese) are in a group of 39 exclusive products certified by the “Quality Tradition” national system of food quality. The “Quality Tradition” system distinguishes high-quality traditional food products.

As to the future development of the Cooperative, Ms. Staszkow remains optimistic. “We see our market opportunity in continuing the production of fine tasting food,” is her simple recipe for success. n

www.osmolecko.pl