Nedjelko and Anka Sokol left the small village of Rašc´ ane in the mountains of Croatia to come to New Zealand in 1967.
For over three decades, Nedjelko and Anka worked extremely hard on the land in Henderson, Auckland growing and selling produce while bringing their family out from Croatia and buying their own land. Nedjelko and Anka Sokol began growing strawberries on a large scale in 1968.
In 1972 they started their own store called Sokol’s Glasshouses and Gardens Ltd where they grew and sold all their own produce. This was the beginning of a successful family business, which has now involved the third generation of the family.
Goran and Katica Katich (daughter of Nedjelko and Anka Sokol) joined the family business and increased the scale of strawberries, shop and business and changed the family business name to Sokol’s Fruit and Veg Ltd, which continued to be known best for their strawberries. This company was then sold in 2011, leaving the family to just focus on growing strawberries and expanding into the fresh fruit ice cream trade.
Each generation has brought changes and different expertise to the family business and has expanded the business in a different direction.
Anija’s Fresh Fruit Ice Cream New Zealand Ltd, was established in 2006. Anija’s Fresh Fruit Ice Cream is made with 100% New Zealand ice cream and berries along with Sokol’s strawberries. Their ice cream is renowned for its rich creamy flavor that is packed with fruity goodness. The ice cream was voted in the top three places to have a fresh fruit ice cream in New Zealand.
Now proving successful, within the New Zealand market, Goran and Katica Katich, along with their daughter, Anija and son-in-law Stefan, continue to grow and expand the business, and are now seeking opportunities to expand while staying true to the core values and skills that have created success in the past.
There are two locations to try their ice cream:
19 Park Road, Grafton and 59-63 Swanson Road, Henderson, www.anijas.co.nz