Nowadays the company is managed by the ninth generation of the Gavrilović family. From its humble beginnings as a small family business, Gavrilović became the gold standard of the food industry, equipped with the most modern machines and production lines. Foundations of this success were laid in the seventeenth century…

Turks have built a fortress on the site of today’s Petrinja in the 16th century. After their expulsion, at the confluence of Petrinjčica and Kupa, a new Petrinja developed as an important military and commercial center within the Military Frontier. First members of the Gavrilović family came to Petrinja as early as middle of the 17th century. Having fled from the Turks, brothers Ivan and Petar began to engage in the butcher trade.

Once the Turks are expelled, new life flourishes in Petrinja. In 1773, Empress Maria Theresa designated Petrinja as the center of guild trade for the entire Frontier. The Gavrilović brothers are among the founders of the butcher’s guild in Petrinja.

Petrinja was part of Napoleon’s Illyria from 1809 to 1813. Napoleon’s Marshal Marmont turned Petrinja into his regimental headquarters, and the Gavrilović brothers were the main suppliers of Napoleon’s troops within the Military Frontier.

Together with a few selected butchers and merchants from Petrinja, Ivan Gavrilović establishes the first factory. The factory secures a concession for supplying meat to army barracks throughout the Military Frontier, and Ivan’s son Matija expands the production by adding a bakery and a number of mills. He also opened the first tannery within Frontier territories.

Butchers Josip and Ivan Gavrilović become main meat and meat product suppliers of Jelačić’s army during the annual military exercises.

Sons of the late Mate Gavrilović register the company Mate Gavrilović i drug. About fifty employees work in the factory and 50 pigs are slaughtered each day.

Near the end of 1889, the company was registered in court under the name of “First Croatian salami, sausage and dried meat factory M. Gavrilović & sons — Petrinja”. From the report of Zagreb Chamber of Commerce: “… young Gavrilović brothers remodeled and then founded a large factory of salami, bacon and dry meat in 1889 and established a farm for their own needs, which they intend to gradually increase as this industry progresses”.”

Press reports on how the First Croatian factory of salami, dried meat and lard suppresses foreign competition with its excellent products such as dried meat, bacon and lard. Croatian salami, the forerunner of today’s Winter salami, tied with Croatian tricolored string, receives an honorary diploma at the Jubilee Economic and Forestry Exhibition.

That year the winter was particularly harsh, which favored the quality of all cured meat products. This has further strengthened Gavrilović leading position on the market.

The factory which now has 120 employees and sells its products to Hungary, Germany, Bosnia, Switzerland, Asia Minor, Palestine and Egypt is completely modernized. A beautiful and modern Gavrilović butcher shop opens in Vienna.

Modernization is made enabled by the construction of an electrical power station. Thanks to this plant Petrinja has received electric lighting in 1907. With demand increasing by the day, a special salami production line is opened at the factory in 1912.

A newspaper advertisement of the time says:
“Well-known quality of its products gives a guarantee that I will serve our respected customers with only the best in every respect…and keep in stock every day, in addition to all kinds of dried meat, bacon and fat and 1-a salami, fresh frankfurter sausages, safaladas, Carniola sausages, Parisian sausages, Prague salami, blood sausage, etc, all immaculately fresh and delivered daily right from the factory…”

60 wagons of salami, 20 wagons of lard and 5 wagons of cans are produced annually in Petrinja. Andrija Maurović designed the character of Jelica in image of the owner’s niece. It’s been on all Gavrilović products ever since.

To commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary, journalists from several editorial offices of daily and weekly Zagreb newspapers visited the factory. Grandiose headlines follow the visit: From a small sausage factory to a large enterprise in central Europe, 50 years of intensive work, Domestic capital, National character of the factory, etc.

Gavrilović specialties include Gavrilović salami of the 1-a kind, Mountaineer’s salami, Milanese salami, Mortadela of the 1-a kind and the new Liver pâté.

World War II is over. The factory is confiscated and becomes public property. The Gavrilović family emigrates.

Gavrilović restarts export to Germany, Austria, Italy, Czechoslovakia and Great Britain. After World War II and the restoration period, Gavrilović was ready to expand its market and reestablish export ties with various European countries.

A new, modern factory opens. Increased production capacity enabled the opening of new workplaces for the local populace, contributing to economic growth of Petrinja.

Gjuro II. Gavrilović returns to Petrinja as a technical advisor. That same year Gavrilović salami, Buđola, Petrinja sausages, Frankfurter sausages, Gavrilović pâté and Beef goulash were all awarded gold medals at the Zagreb Fair.

Gjuro III. Gavrilović buys the bankrupted “Gavrilović”. This crucial moment marks a new beginning for Gavrilović, who retained its position as one of the most prominent producers of meat products in Croatia and beyond.

During 1995, production was re-established at the plant in Petrinja, which brought a new period of economic development to the Banija area.

Zimska salami and Kulen are awarded the Croatian chamber of commerce “Croatian original” mark. Liver pâté and Luncheon meat have been awarded the Croatian chamber of commerce “Croatian Quality” mark.

In the Brandpuls research conducted by the Puls agency, Gavrilović turns out to be the most recognizable and best-rated Croatian brand within the food industry: 98,796 consumers in Croatia know about Gavrilović.

From 2012 to 2019, the German DLG – umbrella European organization for independent testing and evaluation of quality of food products – awards gold medals to Winter salami, Di Gusto salamis Romani and Divina, Srijem sausage, Tea pâté, Panonica Croatica with chili pepper and Panonica Croatica with pepper. Silver medals were awarded to Tea sausage, Graničarska sausage, Gavrilović kulen and Liver pâté. Bronze goes to Sudžuk and Luncheon meat.

Within the first and second Croatian survey of consumer satisfaction with products and services, in which products on the Croatian market were evaluated by Croatian mothers, Gavrilović won the categories of cured salami, cured meats, pâté, ham in a casing, Tyrolean salami and hot dogs. The company was awarded the “Chosen by moms” label.

The large Coolest Brands survey that JoomBoos made in cooperation with Ipsos is related to the brands that Generation Z considers to be COOL. Gavrilović was the winner in the salami category!

The owner of Gavrilović meat industry, Georg Gavrilović Sr, signed the Agreement on the donation of the building and the associated land for the secondary school in Petrinja. In addition to the school building that boast an area of 2400 square meters, land that covers more than 800 square meters in area, as well as equipment for an IT workshop were donated.

German DLG is the umbrella European organization for independent testing and evaluation of the quality of food products. Since 2021 it has been awarding gold medals to Winter salami, Tea sausage, Srijem sausage, and the new pâté Art line Hen Classic, Chicken Roasty, Chicken Classic, and our first Tuna fish pâté.

According to an independent survey conducted by Ipsos and JoomBoos, the Gavrilović brand was recognized by the Generation Z as the Coolest Brand in 2022. This is because its attitude complements the spirit of this generation in its dedication to representing its original self.

Gavrilović continuously maintains its leadership position and permanently invests in quality, but also in new products and processes that are still based on the preservation of tradition, and remain what they always were – synonym for tradition, quality, for the best of what we serve on our tables every day.