Mlekarna Planika

What Mlekarna Planika does

Mlekarna Planika d.o.o. Kobarid is a Slovenian dairy producer founded in 1994 and headquartered in Kobarid in the Upper Posočje (Soča Valley) region. The company processes milk exclusively from local Posočje farms and from its own certified organic estate, Posestvo Bogata, in Bovec, producing a portfolio of fresh milk (pasteurized at 74°C, non-homogenized), traditional hard cheeses (including Sir Tolminc with European Protected Designation of Origin), organic dairy, kefir, yogurt, butter, cottage cheese (Tolminska skuta), whey, spreads, and the award-winning Soški namaz fish spread. Production combines traditional methods (wooden-shelf aging, traditional pinja butter churning, hand-packed cottage cheese) with on-farm automation (GEA EuroClass 2×6 milking parlor, CowScout monitoring, robotic barn cleaners) and ~475 kW of combined solar capacity that provides roughly half of its electricity.

The company operates a multi-channel distribution model: wholesale into all major Slovenian retail chains, two own retail touchpoints (Market Planika Kobarid supermarket and the Cheese Museum shop), a self-serve milk dispenser, B2B contracts with schools, kindergartens, and care homes, and supply to hotels and restaurants. Complementary revenue streams include the Cheese Museum "Od planine do Planike" (guided tours, tastings), the paid "From Planika to Frike" culinary workshop, and visitor viewing at the Bogata estate. The company is closely integrated with the local agricultural ecosystem, sourcing from Kmetijska zadruga Tolmin and KGZ Idrija, and participates in multiple EU rural development and EIP (European Innovation Partnership) projects, including cross-border work with the Italian Nature Park of the Julian Prealps toward a joint UNESCO Man and the Biosphere area. It is privately held, employs 51-100 people, and is led by director Miran Božič.

Name

Mlekarna Planika

Legal name

Mlekarna Planika d.o.o. Kobarid

Website

https://mlekarna-planika.si

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Mlekarna Planika is a Slovenian dairy producer based in Kobarid that processes locally sourced milk from Soča Valley farms and its own organic Bogata estate into traditional cheeses, milk, yogurts, butter, kefir, and spreads, distributing through retail chains, its own Market Planika store, a cheese museum, and institutional and hospitality channels across Slovenia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisanal Dairy Products

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512), Fluid Milk Manufacturing (311511)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Yogurt & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Kefir, Sour Cream, Cottage Cheese) (CRADACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultured/European-Style Butter Manufacturing (AFAHACAB), Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL), Milk Kefir & Cultured Dairy Drink Production (AFAFAHAC)

Keywords

• Artisan dairy products
• Traditional cheese production
• Organic dairy manufacturing
• Milk processing dairy
• Alpine dairy farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Kobarid

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dairy product sales: Sale of milk, cheese, butter, cream, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt, spreads, whey, buttermilk, and other dairy products through retail chains, own retail stores, and direct institutional sales. Revenue from standard product pricing at retail and wholesale.
2. Organic farm products: The Bogata organic estate in Bovec produces organic milk used for organic dairy products (organic milk, organic yogurt, organic cheese), sold at premium prices.
3. Museum and tasting experiences: Revenue from the Cheese Museum 'Od planine do Planike' in Kobarid (guided tours, tastings) and the 'From Planika to Frika' culinary experience (paid guided cooking workshop).
4. EU rural development programme co-financing: The dairy participates in multiple EU-funded rural development projects (PRP 2014-2020, SN SKP 2023-2027) providing co-financing for technology upgrades, quality schemes, and farm modernization.
5. Retail store and supermarket operations: Market Planika Kobarid operates as a modern supermarket selling Mlekarna Planika products alongside local supplier products, agricultural/construction materials, hardware, souvenirs, and crafts.
6. Milk dispenser (self-serve): Dispensing machine for pasteurized non-homogenized milk and organic yogurt at the Market Planika Kobarid, allowing consumers to fill their own containers, generating revenue from bulk liquid dairy sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mlekarna Planika is a traditional Slovenian dairy processing milk sourced from farms across the Posočje region (Upper Soča Valley) into a broad range of dairy products, including pasteurized non-homogenized fresh milk, traditional hard cheeses such as Sir Tolminc (PDO-certified), Sir Planika, organic milk/cheese/yogurt from its own Bogata estate in Bovec, butter, cottage cheese, kefir, yogurts (including spruce-tip and cornelian-cherry variants), whey, cream, buttermilk, and award-winning fish spreads. The company also operates the Cheese Museum, the 'Od Planike do Frike' culinary experience, the Market Planika Kobarid retail store and a self-serve milk dispenser.

Product overview

Mlekarna Planika Kobarid is a traditional dairy company producing a broad portfolio of dairy products rooted in the millennial cheese-making heritage of the Upper Soča Valley. The product portfolio spans multiple categories: fresh milk (pasteurized, non-homogenized in 3.5% and 1.5% fat variants), organic milk from the Bogata estate in Bovec, traditional hard cheeses including Sir Tolminc (PDO), Sir Planika, Gregorčičev sir, organic cheese, and specialty flavored cheeses (with herbs, green pepper, hemp, smoked trout); fermented dairy products including kefir, organic yogurt, yogurt with spruce tip syrup, organic yogurt with Cornelian cherries, and fiber-enriched kefir; cottage cheese products (Tolmin cottage cheese and sweet albumin cottage cheese); spreads such as the award-winning Soški namaz; butter; whey; sour milk; and fresh cream. The company also operates visitor-facing brands including the Cheese Museum (Muzej Sirarstva), the Bogata organic estate, the Market Kobarid retail outlet, and the culinary experience 'Od Planike do Frike'. All dairy products are made from pasteurized milk (74°C) except Sir Tolminc which uses thermized milk (63°C) per its PDO specification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Posestvo Bogata (Bogata Estate): Organic farm estate in Bovec used for organic milk production and educational visits, showcasing traditional cheese-making heritage and alpine pasturing practices.

Products and services

• Sir Tolminc (PDO Tolminc cheese)

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 50% of dairy's electricity produced from own solar installations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Planika Kobarid d.o.o. – Posestvo Bogata (as part of ODEON consortium)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2025Listed as a partner farm in the ODEON programme (IRP38) consortium focused on environmentally, economically, and socially responsible livestock farming, coordinated by the University of Ljubljana.
• Ente parco naturale delle Prealpi Giulie (Nature Park of the Julian Prealps, Italy)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2022Cross-border partner from Italy in the 'Vzpostavitev pogojev za EKO regijo BO JA' project, contributing to the establishment of a joint UNESCO MAB (Man and the Biosphere) cross-border area of the Julian Alps.
• Univerza v Ljubljani, Biotehniška fakulteta (University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Coordinator and lead partner in multiple EIP (European Innovation Partnership) projects involving Mlekarna Planika. Projects include innovative climate-friendly cattle farm management, nutrient cycling, forage and biodiversity, and digital/sustainable livestock farming. The dairy (Posestvo Bogata) participates as a partner farm.
• KGZS – Kmetijsko gozdarska zbornica Slovenije (Chamber of Agriculture of Slovenia)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Agricultural advisory service participating as a partner in multiple EIP projects with Mlekarna Planika, providing expertise in cattle farming, feed management, and farm modernization.
• Faronika d.o.o.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Fish farming company (ribogojnica) owned by Ribiška družina Tolmin, located at the confluence of the Soča and Tolminka rivers. Provides smoked rainbow trout for the Soški namaz (Soča spread) product. Partner in the RIB'CA project for developing the fish spread product.
• Ribiška družina Tolmin (Tolmin Fishing Association)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Owns Faronika fish farm, which supplies smoked trout for Soški namaz product. The partnership connects local aquaculture with dairy production in the Soča Valley.
• LAS Dolina Soče (Local Action Group Soča Valley)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2019Local development partnership managing EU rural development funds. Mlekarna Planika participates in multiple projects under LAS Dolina Soče including Podeželje izziva razvoj (LEADER), RIB'CA, and other initiatives promoting local food, heritage, and sustainable tourism.
• Kmetijska zadruga Tolmin (Agricultural Cooperative Tolmin)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary milk supplier cooperative. Milk is sourced from farms in the Tolmin area as part of the local supply network. The agricultural cooperative and Mlekarna Planika are highlighted as successful models of cooperation in the Soča Valley, working together on rural development initiatives.
• Kmetijsko gozdarska zadruga Idrija (Agricultural and Forestry Cooperative Idrija)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMilk supplier cooperative from the Idrija area, part of the local milk sourcing network. Together with Kmetijska zadruga Tolmin, provides the primary milk supply for the dairy's production.
• Tolminski muzej (Tolmin Museum)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated to establish the historical-ethnological collection 'Od planine do Planike' (From the mountain pasture to Planika) at the Cheese Museum in Kobarid, presenting the heritage of alpine pastoralism and cheese-making tradition.
• Občina Kobarid (Municipality of Kobarid)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerJointly established an electric vehicle charging station (Plan-net solar 2×22 kW) next to the dairy building in Kobarid in 2016. Collaborate on local events and promotions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Zott: German family-owned dairy producing yogurts, desserts, and cheeses sold across European retail. Comparable as a mid-sized European dairy peer with overlapping categories (yogurt, fermented dairy) and similar retail-channel focus.
• Emmi Group: Swiss dairy processor with broad European presence in milk, yogurt, cheese, and specialty dairy. Comparable as a broad incumbent in premium European dairy that competes for similar consumer occasions and channels.
• Müller Dairy: German dairy and ice cream manufacturer with a wide range of yogurts, dairy desserts, and fresh dairy products. Comparable as a broad European dairy incumbent competing for similar dairy snacking and breakfast occasions.
• Ljubljanske mlekarne: Largest Slovenian dairy processor with a broad portfolio of milk, cheeses, yogurts, and fermented dairy sold across all major retail chains. Directly comparable as a domestic dairy peer competing for the same Slovenian shelf space as Planika, but at materially greater scale and product breadth.
• Meggle: Bavarian / regional dairy group producing butter, cheese, and dairy ingredients across European retail and B2B channels. Comparable as a European dairy peer with overlapping butter and cheese categories and traditional-method positioning.
• Arla Foods: Large European dairy cooperative producing milk, cheeses, butter, yogurt, and other dairy across multiple markets. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the European dairy category that competes for retail listings and household dairy spend adjacent to Planika's niche.

Emerging players

• Hofmeister: Bavarian dairy producing milk, yogurts, and fermented dairy products, often marketed on regional origin and traditional methods. Comparable as a regional European dairy that competes in the 'regional/traditional premium dairy' positioning adjacent to Planika's heritage-led brand.
• Bauer: German producer of organic and natural dairy products including yogurts and quark-style fresh dairy. Comparable as a smaller European peer emphasizing organic certification and traditional processing, similar to Planika's Bogata organic line.

Direct peers

• Mlekarna Celeia: Slovenian dairy producing fresh milk, cheeses, yogurts, and fermented dairy for the domestic retail and HoReCa channels. Directly comparable as a same-country dairy peer with overlapping product categories and channels.
• Pomurske mlekarne: Slovenian dairy manufacturer producing milk, cheeses, yogurts, and other dairy products for retail and foodservice. Comparable as a domestic dairy peer with similar product mix and channel coverage in the Slovenian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/mlekarnaplanika
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mlekarna-planika

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mlekarna Planika