Presentation at Klas: School snacks and food to be procured from certified producers

A presentation of the product range and capacities of the food industry „KLAS“, with an emphasis on products suitable for school snacks, was organized today at the company's headquarters, and was hosted by its representatives for the ministers of education, science and youth, and economy Elvira Kazazović and Muharem Šabić, as well as for the principals of primary and secondary schools from the Sarajevo Canton area, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

- After the unfortunate incident related to the poisoning of our children in some kindergartens of the Public Institution „Djeca Sarajeva“, and by order of the Government of Sarajevo Canton, an analysis of school snacks and meals in our educational institutions was carried out, and on that occasion it was determined that their procurement, preparation, storage and quality mostly do not meet the necessary standards.

For this reason, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton has launched an initiative to organize presentations of their product ranges for the principals of our schools with all major, primarily domestic, companies and firms from the food industry, in order to jointly find the best solution to raise the nutrition of our children to the required level by procuring safe and standardized products that confirm this with their certificates - stated Minister Kazazović on this occasion. 

He added that the commitment of the Government of Sarajevo Canton is that all our educational institutions should turn to certified food producers and procure precisely that, all with the aim of immediate preventive action and preventing situations similar to those that unfortunately occurred this spring in some Sarajevo kindergartens.

Minister Kazazović announced that the relevant ministry, prompted by the experience of colleagues from Slovenia with whom they were in contact, will also adopt a Rulebook on nutrition for primary and secondary school students and systematically regulate this area with this bylaw, with the condition that its adoption must be preceded by determining amendments and supplements to the current laws on primary and secondary education in Sarajevo Canton.

Misad Žujo, production manager of the company „KLAS“ d.o.o., presented to those present four menus with 20 student snacks, which the principals could also taste after the presentation.

Adis Hasaković, director of corporate communications of the company „AS GROUP“, within which the company „KLAS“ operates, emphasized that the AS Group is the largest domestic group in the food industry of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which draws inspiration and ideas for its products from traditional Bosnian food – somuns, pitas, lokums, coffee, tahini halva, whose recipes only Bosnians and Herzegovinians have and jealously guard them.

- We currently employ about 3,000 workers who earn their salaries working in our food and textile production plants and stores, while our last year's revenues were about 240 million KM, of which the most, 150 million KM, was achieved through the production and sale of finished products in the food industry, 15 million KM through the production of textile products, and 75 million through the placement of Bosnian brands in our stores - Hasaković briefly presented the business.

Incidentally, the composition of this Bosnian-Herzegovinian group includes „KLAS“, "Sprind“, „Vispak“, „Oaza“, „Fortitudo“, „Napredak“, and „Kent“ – a Turkish company that this group managed to buy, „Master“, „AS“ and the Mill and Bakery „Ljubače“, which have a significant role in the development of the food and textile industry in BiH.

After the presentation, all those present also toured the production facilities of the Mill and the Large Bakery.