Cydonia – a leader in the production of halal dietary supplements, herbal medicines and cosmetics

In the segment of halal economy, Bosnia and Herzegovina is also developing the halal pharmaceutical industry within which four manufacturers operate: TIM MED Bosanska Krupa, Sunnah Product doo Cazin, Zlatni Med doo Sanski Most and the company Cydonia phytopharmaceuticals, which we present to Edin Škaljić, sales manager for readers of the Halal Magazine portal.

Cydonia has 17 products in the Halal quality system.

When was the company Cydonia created, what is its development so far, what are the products, how many workers do you employ?

Cydonia phytopharmaceuticals was established in 1996. The company has developed gradually with exceptional effort and commitment, from home-made to today a respectable manufacturer of food supplements, special purpose cosmetics, plant extracts, and soon medical products.

It currently employs 18 workers with 5 external associates.

Products that can be defined as market leaders are certainly vagitoria with St. John’s wort oil, Epiprostol capsules with willow extract, vagitoria with propolis, aloe vera and echinacea, comfrey ointment, vrkuta capsules, cream against blemishes and freckles, etc. We produce about 60 different preparations, but the biggest focus is on dietary supplements.

Your products are based on the rich Bosnian tradition of crossing medicinal plants and as a dietary supplement. How does the production process go from the field to the final product?

Cydonia is a combination of technology, traditional recipes and knowledge in the field of Pharmacognosy – one of the oldest pharmaceutical disciplines that studies medicinal substances of natural origin and their effects on the human body.
The unique fact that distinguishes Cydonia phytopharmaceuticals from other manufacturers is the use of whole plants and raw materials from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The raw materials are harvested plants in untouched meadows across the country and as such are processed technologically technologically. We make them available for both the BiH and foreign markets.

What is the ratio of sales in domestic and foreign markets and what is the motive and goal of introducing Halal standards?

Sales of Cydonia phytopharmaceuticals are mainly realized on the BiH market. Approximately 70% is in favor of the domestic market. This year we signed a supply contract with a Ukrainian wholesaler, we have been exporting to Ireland and the Netherlands for the past 10 years. We have associates from Azerbaijan and Kuwait, and soon we will be on online shops in Italy.
The motive for the introduction of the Halal standard was primarily as a condition for export to Kuwait, but our long-term goal is to make our products recognizable as products of top quality and safety for consumers.

Where can your products be found in retail?

Our excellent preparations can be found in all pharmacies in BiH, cosmetic chains, drugstores and herbal pharmacies, will soon be available online.

What are the challenges in your business?

The biggest challenge is the fact that in the current convocation of forces on the shelves of pharmacies, drugstores and cosmetic stores, it is difficult to reach the end user with quality as the only attribute. Large funds are allocated for lobbying foreign manufacturers, at the same time there is a large representation of foreign manufacturers in the food supplement industry.
We can hardly get the support of domestic consumers because in general everyone is skeptical about the quality and safety of preparations produced in BiH. We are trying to change that attitude and if consumers give us their trust they will surely be satisfied with the quality of our products.

What is Cydonia phytopharmaceuticals ’long-term development plan?

The long-term goal is to affirm the company Cydonia as a competent production of food supplements and to rank it among the leaders of phytopharmaceutical companies in B&H.

We are of the opinion that phytopharmacy (treatment based on the use of herbal medicines) is the future in human health, and we are aware of the richness of the plant world in our country, we have a unique formula for success.