About us
Klara Marić pasta is a Croatian brand that produces traditional homemade Istrian pasta based in Kanfanar in Istria. It is a family business in which every member of the Marić family is involved, and the brand is proudly named after our Klara. As big fans of good cuisine and tradition, we noticed that our domestic market lacks pasta that is produced in a traditional way, which requires a lot of love and manual labor when making the dough. Therefore, with the desire that as many people as possible try homemade pasta produced in a traditional and authentic way, we decided to start manufacture. We are the first manufacturer in Croatia that dedicated itself to a special way of making pasta, and the diverse range of products is of exceptional quality and unique traditional value. All this makes us the best-selling Croatian pasta manufacturer on the domestic and foreign markets.
Establishment of the family business "Klara M" for the manufacture of pasta
At the time when we decided to start producing pasta, there was no traditional Istrian pasta on the market, nor was there an offer of better quality pasta. Given that we are food lovers and great gourmets and we respect tradition, this inspired us to go in that direction, and our guide was traditional Istrian pasta! We founded the family business "Klara M" for the production of pasta and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. In the era without internet, we got into the car and headed to Italy in search of machines. We started with a small production of 250 kg of pasta per day in the space within our family home.
Manufacture of 'matasse' tagliatelle
Until the 90s, we made fuži and tagliatelle by hand. That's when we bought a machine that Drago perfected and added some elements to maximize production of what we wanted, namely 'matasse' tagliatelle. Until then, the pasta came out of the mold, after which it was shaped by hand, and the result was 'polumatassa'. With the new equipment, which was our invention and patent, we got a higher-quality product that is most similar to hand-made and original production and achieved a unique quality on the market. We continued to refine and improve the machines to meet the needs of our pasta making.
Capacity increase
After a full 15 years, we are moving our production to a new space where we still work today! After moving to a larger manufacture hall, we increased all our capacities and started the machine manufacture of 'matasse tagliatelle. We like to say that the rebranding in production happened then because we finally had enough space for all the necessary machines and tools that enabled us to produce pasta in a different way. In accordance with the increased capacities, our team has also expanded.
Company rebranding
A big turning point and refreshment in the company's business was the final change of the brand name. Klara is a wife, mother, proud grandmother and the heart of our manufacture! Always inspired by her passion, palpable personality, always positive emotions and kind eyes full of love, today the brand name proudly bears her name — Tjestenina Klara Marić.
New line of 14 products & Frozen program
We have enriched our offer with a new product line. In the Standard line, some modernized products from the old line were found, which initially encouraged us to start automation, buy new molds and expand the entire range. This line is also special in that it offers five types of pasta for soup, which strengthened the soup assortment. That same year, the frozen pasta program experienced a long-awaited success. We refreshed the range with new products and started working at full steam.
Klara's story
Love in every step
of production
As long as my memories go, so does my love for pasta. A deeply etched image from my childhood is the image of my mother and grandmother kneading dough in the long winter evenings, our warm house filled with the crackling of the fire, the smell of flour and the joyful hum. I loved putting on an apron, taking a piece of dough, absorbing my nonna’s expert movements and trying to make shapes as similar as possible to hers. Even then, my love for tradition, but also my love for food, was deeply instilled in me.
Although I had a break during my education, my husband sealed the fateful connection with making traditional Istrian pasta. Drago is a chef and a passionate aficionado of fine food, and back in 1987, by founding a business, he boldly set out to implement our common ideas. We had a strong desire for as many people as possible to feel the magic of taste that only homemade pasta with a light sauce can evoke. The path was neither simple nor easy, but my husband’s determination and diligence were crucial, both in the beginning and throughout our entrepreneurial adventure, up until today.
We both grew up in Kanfanar, the most beautiful place in the very heart of Istria. It is a place with rich history, culture and tradition to which generations of our family are attached. The best feeling is doing what you love and being at home with your whole family and together creating the beauty of a brand that found its inspiration in that very place, in an old tradition.
We started with one small used machine and a huge will. Already in 2003, we built a modern production hall with a new production line for tagliatelle. We make our tagliatelle or lasagna as we call them ‘at home’ by rolling the dough, which is the highest quality, but also the most difficult way. Today, we are proud of our modern production facility, which is permanently updated according to the needs of the market, both in the segment of dry and frozen pasta.
The path of homemade Istrian pasta ‘Klara Marić’ started from local restaurants, hotels and small shops in the area. Today, we are present in all large and relevant retail chains in Croatia. We export to several European countries, the USA, etc. However, we are particularly proud that you can buy our pasta in Italy, the cradle of pasta. We passed on our love for tradition and pasta to our sons, who today, each in their own segment, contribute to the growth and development of the company.
