Summary

Matic Vizjak is a young farmer who took over the family farm in 2016. Prior to this he travelled and worked in other countries. Support from the Slovenian Rural Development Programme (RDP) was used to acquire a honeycomb dispenser, increase the number of hives, purchase a machine for the processing of cream honey, set up the farm’s website, install a mulcher, construct a greenhouse and set up an irrigation system. 

RDP support has also been used to set up a new apiary with the ability to perform apitherapy.

Results

The farm started with 16 beehives and increased this number to 65. The honey produced was used to create a series of innovative cream honey-based products.

The brand recognition and sales of the farm’s chilli based products have been rising from year to year. The products are available in over 60 retail chains, restaurants and independent retailers around Slovenia.

The farm also developed the first spicy wine in the world (both rosé and white). Today, the price of this wine is EUR 49/litre. In 2017 - 4,000 bottles of white and 1,000 of rosé were sold – a total of 3,000 litres. In 2018, the farm produced 4,500 litres. Sales are expected to double in 2019.