About the company

About the Company

High product quality is a priority

The Hlinsko Dairy was founded in 1939, and production began in 1943. In its first year, the dairy processed 2 million liters of raw milk, mainly into products such as powdered milk, condensed milk, butter, and dried buttermilk.

Currently, Hlinsko Dairy processes over 200 million liters of milk annually, and the product range has expanded to include long-life milk and creams, ice creams, and crushed ice. Since 2014, Hlinsko Dairy has included a production line for curds, which were introduced to the market in 2015 under the Tatra brand.

In 1947, the company made its first exports, and today it exports to over 25 countries worldwide.

1939

The Establishment of Hlinsko Dairy

The Hlinsko Dairy was founded by Nestlé, a company whose name had been associated with the sale of dairy products for infant nutrition on the Czech market since the late 19th century. When selecting the location, Nestlé decided based on the purity of nature and the quality of the milk. Hlinsko is located in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, an area particularly known for its pristine nature, which resembles alpine pastures. An additional advantage of the location was the direct railway connection.

1940

Kouty – The Right Place

In January 1940, representatives from the Prague headquarters of Nestlé met with their Swiss colleagues at the site of the future dairy to begin negotiations with the company of the Hlinsko architect and builder F. Klein, based on an architectural study and preliminary budget. On April 28, 1940, the municipal office in Vítanov issued a building permit for the start of the work. The construction of the dairy, which employed approximately eighty workers, was officially started on July 4, 1940.

1. april 1943

We Are Starting, and It’s Not April Fools!

On April 1, 1943, the dairy started operations. In addition to powdered milk, nearly 30 tons of sweetened condensed milk, 11 tons of dried buttermilk, known as Eledon, and 47 tons of butter were produced on the Schuller line that year. The dairy processed a total of over 2 million liters of milk in that year. The dairy, locally known as “Nestlovka,” provided jobs for more than two hundred employees, eighteen office workers, three laboratory technicians, and eight department heads.

1940 - 1945

From Springs to the Great Flow of Milk

The rural milk collection points were scattered across the entire region. Their operation was managed by the dairy in a provisional manner through local residents, whether they were local merchants, innkeepers, craftsmen, factory workers, or housewives. The dairy’s capacity was designed for a daily intake of 40 to 60 thousand liters. The purchase price was calculated based on quality and fat content, with 30 hellers being paid for each percentage of fat, so on average, around one crown was paid for one liter.

1940 - 1945

Occupation and the End of the War. Your Milk Yield, Our Satisfaction

Similar to other industries, the German occupation authorities in the Ministry of Agriculture introduced mandatory milk quotas. Failure to meet delivery quotas threatened individual farmers with confiscation of cows, which put the very existence of the dairy at risk. The war-torn economy brought numerous restrictions for the company. In any case, the establishment of the dairy led to a significant improvement in the quality of cattle breeding and an increase in milk yield throughout the entire collection area.

1947

The Dairy’s First Exports

The year 1947 brought an expansion in the production of powdered milk under various brand names such as Eledon, Lakton, Nido, Sunar, and powdered buttermilk Pelargon. With the growing post-war demand for powdered milk and infant nutrition products, the dairy’s production also increased. The most popular product was full-fat powdered milk with a fat content of 28%. Production started at 50 tons and by 1949, it reached nearly 700 tons. In the spring of 1947, the dairy exported its products for the first time, to Poland, Hungary, and the Middle East.

1948

The Takeover of Hlinsko Dairy by the National Enterprise of Dairy Nutrition Industry

In post-war Czechoslovakia, Hlinsko Dairy was the only producer of powdered milk, dried buttermilk, butter, and condensed milk. On March 1, 1948, the dairy was placed under national administration and incorporated into the National Enterprise of Dairy Nutrition Industry. In the summer of 1948, the dairy employed 198 workers and 32 office staff.

1950

Milk for a Better Tomorrow

In 1954, Hlinsko Dairy exported 20 tons of sweetened condensed milk abroad for the first time, packed in new 397-gram cans. Four years later, over 3,000 tons were being shipped. Sweetened condensed milk from Hlinsko Dairy was also transported in tankers to domestic chocolate factories. Since 1954, sweetened and condensed milk has been the main export product of Hlinsko Dairy.

1954

The Sweet Legend

The production of sweetened condensed milk has the longest tradition at Hlinsko Dairy, but it was only in the early 1970s that the cans were given the first commercial name, Salko. Since 1954, sweetened condensed milk and powdered milk have been the main focus of exports. Due to its long shelf life, traditional buyers included Ivory Coast, Senegal, Cameroon, Mauritania, as well as Greece, West Germany, Cyprus, and the Middle East.

1964

The Origin of the Tatra Brand

The story of the Tatra brand dates back to November 3, 1964, when it was registered by representatives of the Dairy Nutrition Industry. From that moment on, dairy products were accompanied by motifs of traditional mountain pastures, which at that time symbolized Czechoslovak mutuality. And thus, the legendary product of the dairy was born – unsweetened condensed milk Tatra. When the question “Would you like Tatra with your coffee?” was asked, everyone immediately knew what was meant. Production started at around a thousand tons annually, and within fifteen years, Tatra’s production in two shifts doubled.

1966

The Legends Piknik and Jesenka

In 1966, the first production line for filling condensed milk products into aluminum tubes was installed. The tradition of this new packaging method was initiated in 1967 with sweetened condensed milk Piknik, and the following year marks the beginning of the production of sweetened condensed cream Jesenka.

1967

The Story of Actor Oldřich Nový

Actor Oldřich Nový sent a letter to Hlinsko Dairy, in which he described his story with the then-new Jesenka. In the letter, Oldřich Nový explained how he would participate in long meetings and regularly open a tube of Jesenka with his coffee. The neck of the tube would sometimes become clogged with hardened fat, preventing access to the sweetened cream. As the actor applied increasing pressure with his hand, the back seal of the tube would give way, and the contents of Jesenka would shoot out. To the great amusement of the meeting participants, he ended up spraying several of his fellow attendees.

1970

Pikao

In 1972, Hlinsko Dairy shipped the first tons of Pikao in cans and tube packaging. Sweetened condensed milk with cocoa content had been produced in Hlinsko since 1952, but it didn’t have its own name. It wasn’t until the registration of Pikao as a trademark in 1970 that it was given a name. In 1976, the product range was expanded with a new tube product, Karmil, sweetened condensed milk with a caramel flavor.

1978

Cans 1kg and 410g

In 1978, a line for packaging sweetened condensed milk in 1-kilogram cans was installed at the dairy. This packaging became a strong export item to various parts of Africa, as well as Lebanon. Many foreign customers had their own labels printed for the cans. The year 1984 marked another milestone in the history of the dairy when a filling line for 410g cans was launched. The new can size came from the demands of foreign markets and featured a new label design with the name Tatra Grand.

1990

Hlinsko Dairy, Ltd.

At the end of 1990, the plants in Hradec Králové, Bydžov, Pardubice, Trutnov, and Žamberk became independent, and the remaining part of the conglomerate was transformed into a state enterprise. Hlinsko Dairy became independent on March 18, 1993, when it was registered in the commercial register as Hlinsko Dairy, Ltd.

1990 - 2000

In the New Dairy World

Milan Domáček, the then Production Manager, bought the majority share in the company Hlinsko Dairy, Ltd. The first major investment was the purchase of a new Alfa-Laval milk separator, followed by the acquisition of the first filling line for carton packaging, in which the dairy began selling long-life milk. The reason for this decision was the revolutionary transformation of the domestic market brought about by the introduction of long-life milk production using UHT technology – a method of heat treatment of milk at high temperatures. The annual production of long-life milk in the initial year of 1995 was only 190,000 liters, but after 2000, the dairy’s production capacity reached more than 100 million liters.

2002 - 2004

Kravík, Tatra Butter, and First Private Labels

The dairy joined the new nationwide “School Milk” program and introduced long-life semi-skimmed milk Kravík in five different flavors. As part of its cooperation with various retail chains, the dairy started supplying its products under many private labels. In April 2004, the dairy began butter production in a newly built facility and launched another production line, enabling the filling of carton packaging with screw caps. Hlinsko Dairy was the first milk producer in the Czech Republic to introduce this type of packaging to the market.

2004

Butter Factory

In April, the dairy began butter production in a newly built facility…

2006

Lascato and Other New Products

A new organizational structure has been established at the dairy, and as a result of the work of the innovation team, new products have been created: flavored milk Espresso, Caffé Latté, and especially Lascato – milk for preparing cappuccino. A new product, sweetened condensed milk in plastic tubes under the Karmílek brand, has also been introduced to the market. Production is gradually expanding to include products for the HORECA segment, such as 1L cream and Créme Šodo.

2010

Farmer’s Butter

Mlékárna Hlinsko was the first to introduce butter with 84% fat content to the Czech market, emphasizing the authenticity and traditional quality of all its products.

2011

New Owner: Agrofert

After the death of Mr. Domáček, the new 100% owner became the Agrofert company, marking the beginning of a new era of development for the dairy.

2012

Have a Soft Serve

The dairy enters the soft ice cream segment under the TatraZmrzka and Tatra Ice Slush brands and quickly becomes a significant player in the Czech market.

2013

Installation of the Quark Production Line

A new production hall has been built, and ultrafiltration technology has been installed for the production of quark in 250g, 5kg, and 10kg packaging.

2021

Mlsni.si

Introduction of a New Line of Flavored Dairy Desserts – Mlsni.si and Mlsni.si Vla with Full Cream Milk and Creamy Smooth Consistency.

2024

Lactose-Free Salko

A new product on the market! In 2024, lactose-free Salko was introduced. This product offers the traditional taste while catering to the needs of customers with lactose intolerance.

Change of Owner and Legal Form to a Joint-Stock Company

On October 5, 2011, AGROFERT, a.s. became the owner of Mlékárna Hlinsko.

In May 2012, Mlékárna Hlinsko changed its legal form from a limited liability company to a joint-stock company.

Disclosure of Decision under § 529(1) of the Civil Code

The company Mlékárna Hlinsko, a.s., with its registered office at Kouty 53, 539 01 Hlinsko, ID No. 48169188, registered in the Commercial Register under file number B 3061/KSHK, has decided (by the decision of the sole shareholder acting in the capacity of the general meeting) on August 15, 2016, among other things, as follows:

a) In accordance with § 417(4) of the Business Corporations Act, the company decides on the merger of all shares and, in accordance with § 529 of the Civil Code, on their transformation, so that the current 2 shares of common stock in paper form with a nominal value of 10,000,000 CZK each, 2 shares of common stock in paper form with a nominal value of 50,000 CZK each, 4 shares of common stock in paper form with a nominal value of 10,000 CZK each, and 12 shares of common stock in paper form with a nominal value of 1,000 CZK each, will be merged and transformed into a single book-entry common stock with a nominal value of 20,152,000 CZK.

b) The company sets a deadline of two months from the publication of this decision for the sole shareholder to deliver the existing shares issued by the company to the company.

Ethical Code of the AGROFERT Group

The company Mlékárna Hlinsko, a.s. has adopted the Compliance Program, which includes the Ethical Code. The Compliance Officer at Mlékárna Hlinsko is Ing. Lada Hájková. All necessary documents can be obtained on the website www.agrofert.cz/compliance.

To report violations of the Ethical Code, an ethical hotline “Tell Us” has been established.

Reports submitted through the Ethical Hotline, the trust box, or to the Compliance Officer follow the rules of the AGROFERT Group’s Compliance Program. These are not notifications under Act No. 171/2023 Coll. on the protection of whistleblowers, as amended. If you wish to file a report under this law, please follow the procedure outlined on the company’s website.