At the international WORLD FOOD GIFT CHALLENGE 2026, held as part of the 32nd WORLD REGION OF GASTRONOMY Platform Meeting on Crete, the Kvarner souvenir Kvarner Žlahtina Wine Gift Set was named the world’s best corporate food gift.
This recognition is not merely an award for a single product; it is recognition of the entire Kvarner region, of its winemakers and of žlahtina (the region’s signature indigenous white variety). The project was jointly developed by Kvarner Wines and the Kvarner Tourist Board, a powerful example of how eno-gastronomy, design, heritage and destination marketing can come together into an internationally recognisable premium product.
What lends this success a special emotion is the fact that more than 150 families take part in cultivating and preserving Žlahtina in Kvarner: grape growers, winemakers and their generations who have lived for centuries alongside the vine, the bura wind, stone and sea. This award belongs to every one of them.
The project came about through the collaboration of numerous partners, creatives, wine professionals, sommeliers and Kvarner Wines ambassadors who together build Kvarner’s identity as one of Europe’s most authentic wine regions.
Those who took part in the project:
- Italesse – exclusive glassware designed specifically for Žlahtina
- Špenko – crafting of the premium wooden souvenir box from Gorski Kotar timber
- Tramontana Wood Craft – crafting of the corkscrew body from Cres olive wood
- Patrick – crafting of the exclusive corkscrew
- Marijan Mavrić – artistic identity of the label
- OZF Design – label design
- Printeo – printing of labels and promotional materials
This project also carries a strong professional message: at a time when global tourism seeks authentic premium experiences, Kvarner shows how wine can become a tool of cultural diplomacy, destination branding and sustainable development.
This recognition is proof that togetherness, knowledge and love for one’s own homeland produce world-class results.
