“Demetra”, Branka Radičevića 2, Knjaževac, Serbia

https://demetra.co.rs/

Demetra is a company owned by Mr. Milovan Đurić, specializing in the processing of fruits, vegetables, and meat. Established in 2018, Demetra was founded in response to the owner’s need to provide high-quality nutrition for residents and staff in his two retirement homes. 

Mr. Milovan Đurić owns two retirement homes—one in Knjaževac (operating since 2010) and another in Bor (since 2018). These facilities accommodate around 180 residents and over 60 employees daily, meaning meals must be provided three times a day for more than 240 people, year-round. 

In the early years of running the retirement homes, the owner faced challenges with product quality and price fluctuations due to market seasonality. To address these issues, he founded Demetra, a company dedicated to processing fruits, vegetables, and meat. Over the past few years, he has acquired additional land for self-sustained farming. Agricultural products from Demetra’s own 7-hectare farm are partially used to feed residents in the retirement homes, while the rest is sold commercially. 

Annual Production Capacity is around 15,000 liters of juice, 5 tons of savory products (pickles, preserves), 2 tons of sweet products (jams, compotes)  and 10 tons of dried meat products.

Circular Economy Principles Applied by Demetra:

• • Processes and preserves fruits and vegetables primarily from its own farm —over 60% of raw materials are self-produced. 

• • Produces 100% natural juices — no added sugar, preservatives, artificial colors, or flavors. 

• • Traditional production methods for jams, fruit spreads, compotes, brandy, ajvar (roasted pepper spread), and winter preserves. For example, ajvar is made using wood-fired stoves (“Smederevac”) for authentic flavor. 

• • Produces dried meats from pigs raised on the farm, fed with food scraps from the retirement homes. 

• • Uses short supply chains — most products are sold through two company-owned stores (in Knjaževac and Bor) or directly to bulk buyers, avoiding middlemen. 

• • Encourages resident engagement — retirement home residents can participate in light gardening activities (e.g., tending to their own trees or tomatoes) if they wish. 

• • Utilizes renewable energy — biomass for heating and solar panels for hot water. 

Demetra combines traditional food processing, self-sufficiency, and sustainable practices to ensure high-quality nutrition while minimizing waste and environmental impact.