Saša Kržič
Ambassador
Mikrozelenje Šebenik
Slovenia
Economic
Farming
Rural area close to city
The innovation journey
Saša Kržič is a pioneer in the cultivation of microgreens in Slovenia. She has gradually built up two well-established brands. In 2014, Saša embarked on a completely new business path, as the work she was doing at the time was not satisfying and did not suit her lifestyle. So she developed a new business idea: growing micro vegetables. She got the idea from a Slovenian couple who were living in New Zealand at the time. What followed was a period of intensive research, reading and experimentation with the actual cultivation of microgreens.
After difficulties at the beginning, due to a lack of the right partners and financial support, the complexity of the new knowledge about the entire cultivation process (growing medium, cultivation, temperature, etc.) and unsuccessful attempts, the business gradually succeeded.
Today, they (Saša, her husband and employees) are an established company that is constantly developing and adding new products. In the future, they would like to own their premises (currently they are renting), expand their online shop with new innovative products and focus on developing a wholesale edible dried flowers business known as Bloomy.
The innovation impact
They founded the well-known and established brands Mikrozelenje Šebenik and Bloomy, where all four jobs are filled by locals (from Borovnica). The company survived the Covid-19 epidemic when it suffered a double loss of income and had to completely reorganise.
Microgreens have gained visibility and have been included in the strategies and tenders of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food and in the protocols of the National Institute of Public Health. Saša advises and helps with the introduction of this activity: even established (mixed) farms have started to grow microgreens.
Saša has promoted the transfer of the practice abroad (e.g. Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, etc.) through online courses (in English). Schools and kindergartens are increasing consumers of microgreens, while children grow and eat them themselves, thus developing an attitude towards their own food production.