Many Serbian products are well-known worldwide, and some people don’t even know they are from Serbia!

Have you heard of magareći sir (donkey cheese)? It comes from Serbia.

Lane biscuits? Also from Serbia.

Šljivovica? Same.

There are a lot more Serbian products.

A small country like Serbia, which simultaneously competes with much larger countries worldwide, has to stand out with the uniqueness and quality of its products.

Now it’s time to introduce you to the most popular Serbian products!

#1 Serbian Products: Magareći sir

Magareći sir or Pule cheese from Zasavica in Serbia is the most expensive cheese in the world.

And when we say that, we really mean it: It is more expensive than the most expensive cheeses from Switzerland and France.

A kilogram of donkey cheese costs 1000 euros!

serbian products magareci sir donkey cheese
Donkey cheese in an adequate luxurious packaging!
Source: Jutarnji.hr / Deutche Welle

As the name suggests, this cheese is made from donkey milk (60% Balkan donkey milk and 40% goat milk). However, very little donkey milk is available, making it very difficult to produce and, therefore, very expensive.

Donkey cheese also has health benefits, as it is the most similar to mother’s milk due to its small fat percentage. The healing possibilities of donkey milk are also known in cosmetics.

#2 Serbian Products: Peglana kobasica

This product already attracts attention with its specific name.

Peglana kobasica, in a literal English translation, would be ironed sausage.

serbian products peglana kobasica sausage plate
Peglana kobasica has an unique shape!
Source: Peglana

Its name comes from a specific shape because sausages are generally shaped like cylinders.

But the finished product’s appearance is not the only thing that sets this sausage apart from others.

This type of sausage is a premium specialty made from the highest quality meat mixed with spices.

It is often made from carefully selected pieces of goat, sheep and beef meat.

It originates from the Serbian town of Pirot, and it is made exclusively from raw materials from the Pirot region.

#3 Serbian Products: Šljivovica

Šljivovica is one of the most famous Serbian products.

We already mentioned it as one of the variants of rakija when we talked about Serbian souvenirs.

Šljivovica is rakija made from plums.

70% of Serbia’s annual plum production (about 420,000 tons) is used to produce this brandy. This strong alcoholic drink contains between 40 and 70% alcohol.

Although it’s often drunk as soon as it’s produced, plum rakija gets even better with time. That’s why the best Šljivovica is the one that has been in the barrel for at least five years or more.

Fun fact: Šljivovica, produced in the village of Kostojevići near Bajina Bašta, won first place at the Minnesota festival, in competition with 30 brandies from all over the world.

#4 Serbian Products: Ajvar

Ajvar is a product of the Balkans, and ajvar from Leskovac, a town in Serbia, is protected as a product internationally.

serbian products ajvar paprika dip
Ajvar is an excellent addition to many dishes.
Source: So i biber blog

It is a specific sauce made from roasted peppers. In some variations, it has eggplant as well. It goes well with meze and pečenje (= roasted meat).

Given that ajvar is an extremely tasty product, it is unsurprising that the Balkan countries cannot agree on where it comes from! Just another thing to fight over. 🙂

#5 Serbian Products: Homoljski med

Homoljski med is one of the first domestic products with an internationally protected geographical origin.

Almost 40% of the honey produced in Serbia comes from the Homolje Mountains. The untouched nature of Homolje additionally affects its quality.

Honey is a food recommended to everyone due to its numerous health benefits.

Today’s medicine agrees that honey is more than special, but only if it meets two conditions: that it is completely natural, without additives, and that it is cold-pressed, not melted.

Most Popular Serbian Brands

In addition to these Serbian products from manufacturers, there are some famous Serbian brands you can buy in different parts of the world.

Some of them are:

  • Plazma biscuits (in some countries known as Lane)
  • Jaffa cookies
  • Smoki peanut snack
  • Moja kravica milk
  • Knjaz Miloš sparkling water
  • Nektar juices
  • Eurocrem hazelnut-chocolate spread
  • Grand kafa coffee
  • Štark chocolate bananica
serbian products bananica red package candy
Bananica is a favorite sweet for many Serbs.
Source: Bananica

These products are also favorite among Serbs and have a long tradition.

Today, many Serbian products can be purchased through online stores, and they will be delivered to your doorstep! We found such stores in Australia and New Zealand, United States and Canada and Europe!

In some countries, where the Serbian diaspora is big, you can buy these products in supermarkets.

Serbia and UNESCO

Unesco recognized the quality and importance of Serbian heritage.

There are several Serbian products and sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The first Serbian element included on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in 2014 was Serbian slava. Unesco describes Slava as a holiday in honor of the family’s patron saint.

After Slava, the traditional Serbian dance called kolo was included around 2017.

Next was pevanje uz gusle (= singing with the fiddle), which is part of traditional oral creativity, and pottery from Zlakusa.

In 2022, UNESCO included Šljivovica as the fifth element from Serbia on this list of intangible cultural heritage.

In addition to products and customs, eight medieval Serbian churches and monasteries and several sites are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as cultural assets of outstanding importance to humanity.

Since 1979, the list includes the medieval town of Stari Ras and the Sopoćani Monastery.

And since 1986, the Gamzigrad-Romuliana site and the Studenica Monastery have also been on the list.

In 2006, UNESCO protected Serbian medieval monuments in Kosovo and Metohija:

  • Pećka Patrijaršija monastery
  • Monastery Dečani
  • Monastery Gračanica
  • Church Bogorodice Ljeviške

There is also an initiative to place the Serbian Cyrillic script under UNESCO protection as Georgia has done for its script. This initiative has recently been relaunched.

Let’s Sum Up!

The aforementioned Serbian products stand out for their quality and uniqueness, and today there are more and more small producers in Serbia who present their products to the world via social networks.

It remains to be seen which Serbian products, like donkey cheese or grilled sausage, will gain popularity next.

If you travel to Serbia, do not miss the opportunity to visit one of the bazaars and fairs where various producers regularly promote their products. This is also a great opportunity to get acquainted with the culture and traditions of Serbia.

Prepare for your visit to Serbia by starting to learn Serbian online!