Croatian food manufacturer Podravka has started the production of its beef goulash in the American city of Richmond, Michigan.

The delicacy – already avaialbe in numerous European countries and Australia - will be produced according to the original company recipe.

Podravka has partnered up with Giovanni Appetizing Foods that is already producing the company’s pates for the American market. The company’s officials are very satisfied with the sales that have surpassed the expectations, the daily Vecernji List writes.

The Director of Podravka’s offices for America and Canada Domagoj Kero reminds that the US Food and Drug Administration had implemented a ban on imports of all chicken and beef meat products from European countries because of contangious diseases. This ban had also affected Podravka’s products.

The company then moved its production for American markets to Australia.

Croatian ambassador to the United States Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic was also present at the ceremony marking the start of the production in Richmond.

“Croatian exports are an important part of the recovery of the Croatian economy,” Grabar-Kitarovic said.

“Podravka’s products that are sold in the United States strongly contribute to that trend and promote Croatian food industry in this country, and thus merit support and praise,” she added.

Podravka is the largest Croatian exporter to the American and Canadian markets. Its exports grew 15 per cent this year.

Kero adds that Podravka’s ambitions do not stop at the beef goulash and that there plans to start the production of new products adapted to American market already next year. Podravka has been present on the American and Canadian markets for more than 15 years, and its most popular product is the spice mix Vegeta.