In the heart of the Slovenian countryside, nestled in the small town of Borovnica, a quiet agricultural revolution is taking root—one tiny leaf at a time. At the centre of it stands Saša Kržič, a determined entrepreneur and innovator who has transformed a seed of curiosity into a thriving business and a national movement around health, sustainability, and community empowerment.
She didn’t grow up on a farm. In fact, her background was far from agronomic—Saša studied economics and was on a conventional career path when, during her maternity leave in 2014, she took a bold detour. Dissatisfied with the rhythm and meaning of her previous job, she began to search for something more aligned with her values and lifestyle. That’s when she stumbled across the idea of microgreens, inspired by a Slovenian couple she knew living in New Zealand. It was love at first sprout.
“I always wanted to have my own business,” Saša recalls. “When I found microgreens, I fell in love immediately. My partner, Boštjan, felt the same, and we inspired each other to start this journey together.”
From there, the couple dove headfirst into an intensive phase of research, experimentation, and learning-by-doing. Saša immersed herself in everything from soil types and lighting to temperature and nutrient cycles. There was no roadmap, no instruction manual, and—at the time—no real market in Slovenia for what they were offering.
“We were pioneers in microgreens here,” she says. “There was no real knowledge, no support, and certainly no demand back then. We started from scratch.”
Today, their efforts have blossomed into two successful and respected brands: Mikrozelenje Šibenik and Bloomy. From their rented facility in Borovnica, the team—now five locals strong—supplies gourmet microgreens to top restaurants and promotes home cultivation through an online shop. But their innovation didn’t stop at culinary trends. Saša is leading a movement toward sustainable, local food production, with a special emphasis on education and empowerment.
“We want people to see how easy it is to grow your own healthy food. Even children in schools and kindergartens are growing microgreens now. It helps them develop a relationship with what they eat.”
Her impact is far-reaching. Not only have microgreens gained visibility in Slovenia, but they’ve also become part of public health strategies and agricultural tenders, earning a spot in official documents from the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Institute of Public Health. Saša has also transferred her know-how abroad through English-language online courses reaching Croatia, Bulgaria, and Italy.
Despite the success, Saša’s path has been anything but smooth. She points to two recurring challenges: bureaucracy and capital.
“The paperwork—it’s endless. We want to build our own warehouse now, and everything is on hold because of permits. And in the beginning, all our funding was personal. No loans, no investors. It made the growth slower, but maybe that’s also why it’s so solid today.”
In navigating these obstacles, Saša found not only resilience but also a mission: to show others, especially women, that innovation in agriculture is not just possible—it’s powerful. Through mentoring, sharing her story, and participating in European initiatives like FLIARA, she’s using her experience to build networks and spark inspiration.
“Women need to see that leadership is within their reach. When they see real examples, like what we’ve built here in Borovnica, it becomes tangible. FLIARA is helping to create those connections and show what’s possible.”
Looking ahead, Saša is full of ideas. She hopes to expand their facilities, introduce new health-focused products to their online shop, and scale up their dried edible flower line, Bloomy, into a wholesale venture. And she sees FLIARA not just as a support system but as a springboard.
“The project brings visibility, knowledge, and access to funding opportunities. But most importantly, it encourages us to keep innovating.”
When asked what advice she would give to other aspiring rural women innovators, her answer is immediate:
“Have a clear focus and never give up. Persistence is everything. If you believe in your idea, go for it. You’ll be surprised how far it can take you.”
Saša Kržič didn’t just build a business. She cultivated a community, nurtured a vision, and seeded a movement. Her story is proof that even the smallest things—like a tender leaf of microgreen—can grow into something mighty when passion, purpose, and perseverance take root.