KZ Metlika over time
KZ Metlika was founded on 4th April 1945 as a supply sales cooperative by decision of the then authorities of the liberated area of Bela Krajina. Upon its foundation, the company has taken over the area of the former Agricultural society in Metlika. In the following years, all smaller cooperatives joined into the cooperative Metlika.
With the subsequent reorganization changes and joining, the cooperative reached the current organization and on 31st December 2007, it brings together 152 members - farmer-cooperators and 223 employees.
Some important milestones in the development of KZ Metlika:
- 1966 the wine cellar joins the cooperative
- 1968 the upgrading of the processing room and reception room in the cellar
- 1970 the meat company joins the cooperative
- 1970-1974 renovated retail stores
- 1971 the upgrading of the slaughterhouse, cold store, tripery, stable, toilets and additional premises
- 1975 the construction of the filling line on the 30th anniversary of KZ
- 1978 the association with SOZD KIT
- 1979 slaughterhouse organized in TZO Cooperation adaptation of the slaughterhouse: organized laundry, central heating and common facilities
- 1980 modern grape collection center started to operate
- 1980-1981 investment in the slaughterhouse, cold store, pig slaughtering
- 1981 the agricultural shop starts to operate
- 1983 completed hydromelioration in Mestni log
- 1.1.1985 joining the PS Mercator
- 1985-1986 planning the slaughterhouse interior, floor and wall coverings, asphalt paving of yards, new scales acquired
- 1988 grain drier built
- 1989 warehouse built in Podzemlje
- 1989 completed agromelioration and reparcelling of Rosalnice - Drasici
- 1. 1.1990 transformation of the cooperative from fundamental organizations to a uniform M- KZ Metlika
- 1991 the purchase of the warehouse in Ljubljana, Savlje 89
- 1994 upgraded processing in the slaughterhouse
- 1997 the opening of Discount store in Ljubljana
- 4. 1.1999 withdrawal from Mercator and registration in KZ Metlika z.o.o.
- 1999 the opening of Agrocenter in Log
- 2003 the purchase and expansion of storage premises in SC Savlje
- 2004 the expansion of the wholesale of beverages with the purchase of a controlling interest in I.M.C. d.o.o. and Velesum d.o.o.
- 2004 the reconstruction of the slaughterhouse, the abolition of warm processing and the acquisition of the veterinary approval number, which allows unlimited slaughter and export.
- 2005 the purchase of the company Velesum d.o.o.
- 2005 the establishment of business units in Izola and Murska Sobota
- 2005 the establishment of the system for a controlled fermentation in the wine cellar
- 2005 the construction of a tasting room in the Wine cellar
- 2005 the establishment of a new information system
- 2006 the opening of a business unit in Nova Gorica
- 2006 the purchase of storage premises in Murska Sobota
- 2006 the purchase of storage premises in Izola
- 2007 the construction of the meat cutting premise in SC Ljubljana
Wine Program over time
The first records of the wine cooperative organization in Bela Krajina go far into 1909, when the first wine cooperative was established in Metlika. Since the cooperative did not have its own wine cellar, it dealt mainly with advising winegrowers at work in the vineyard as well as in wine cellars. The need for a common wine cellar soon appeared and thus in 1929, the first cooperative wine cellar was built. Unfortunately, the original wine cellar war destroyed to foundations during the Second World War. After the Second World War, the cooperative association of Slovenia started the construction of the today's wine cellar in Metlika. The construction of the wine cellar lasted from 1952 to 1958. The wine cellar was built for the needs of the common onset of smaller wine growers. Therefore, it did not have its own plant for collecting and processing of grapes. The wine cellar was practically buying only wine and also continued to sell it open to further customers. It was not until the year 1965, when the Agricultural Cooperative Metlika bought the Wine Cellar, when the rapid development began of both viticulture and wine making in the area of Bela Krajina. The cooperative wine cellar was still processing the wine-growing year 1967 in its own rooms and also filled wine which was produced at the end of the technological process into a bottle. It is not necessary to specifically highlight that the first bottled wine from the cooperative wine cellars was Metliska crnina.
In the history of the wine-growing and wine-making development in Bela Krajina, the following years and wine-growing years are very significant:
- 1979 the first wine of superior quality produced,
- 1981 the first Slovene Rose wine produced,
- 1983 the first wine of a particular vintage produced in the viniferous land of Posavje,
- 1986 the first Slovene ice wine produced,
- 1987 the expansion of cane selection for the viniferous district of Bela Krajina,
- 1989 to 1993 the introduction of new varieties of white wines,
- 1993 the beginning of the accelerated restoration of the vineyards,
- 1995 Zdravica wine produced,
- 1997 the first oak barrel Blue Franconian wine produced,
- 1999 the first production of the wine of dry grape selection; the appointment of the initiative committee and the working group for the drawing up of a report on the protection of wine in Bela Krajina,
- 2000 the first classical sparkling wine produced in Bela Krajina,
- 2007 the completion of the drawing up of a report on the protection of Metliska crnina and Belokranjec wines
- 2008 published Rules on wine with the label of recognized traditional denomination - Metliska crnina and Belokranjec.
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