SMOKIN' HOT COLLECTIVE - the ultimate spiciness

A lawyer, an archaeologist, and an artist walk into a greenhouse... Yes, this really sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it's not at all.

In fact, on the southern outskirts of Belgrade, in Barajevo, three good friends - Todor, Vedran, and Dušan - decided a few years ago to engage in the production of hot peppers and turn it into something really cool.

Here's their story...

What is the Smokin' Hot Collective?

Todor: We know that throughout history, all important deals were made in steam baths, and since those are a thing of the past, the next cult institution for such matters is, of course, a tavern. Smokin' Hot Collective was born in January 2018, completely spontaneously and very quickly. Vedran, who has been involved in cultivating various plants, had the idea of growing chili peppers for many years. By coincidence, I had a piece of land near Belgrade that I inherited from my father, and I didn't want it to be overrun by weeds, so at that moment, the combination of these two desires seemed logical because when Vedran mentioned his idea about chilies, I decided to use that land for something good and realize some ideas that my father also had.

Vedran: I think that Smokin' hot was born primarily from the strong desire of each of us to find a release from everyday life, stress, and work. We all wanted to have our own oasis of peace and slowly create something of our own, pure and untainted, according to our taste. We recognized this common thread in each other and embarked on this journey.

Personally, I have always cultivated plants and found satisfaction in it, always striving to have a piece of land to cultivate. When the opportunity arose to fulfill this dream with friends whom I've known my whole life, I didn't hesitate much. Since Dušan, Todor, and I grew up in the same neighborhood, our lives have always been intertwined. Dušan even officiated my wedding, tattooed me, and did my dreads, almost everything. I used to work with Todor in the same company. We have attended many of the same concerts and social gatherings. So, we know each other well, and we even each have an adopted dog.

However, I believe that our greatest strength lies in our differences. For example, Dušan excels in design, Todor is excellent in communication and digital work, while I mostly focus on cultivation. With our respective roles, Smokin' hot wouldn't be possible without complementing each other. The idea behind this venture is to produce organically grown high-quality hot peppers, with a focus on end products such as sauces, ljutenica, condiments, and pinđure. Our approach is centered around small-scale, family production with a lot of socializing, which is reflected in our products. Since we started, people have recognized and appreciated it, and it warms our hearts to be part of dining tables across Serbia and even in the former Yugoslav republics.

Dušan: I think everything started in this format primarily because of our love for cultivation and the desire to socialize in times when there is less and less time for it. So why not make something out of it?! It certainly helps that the three of us have that "tribe" moment, a sense of togetherness, but I think it originated from our neighborhood and upbringing. 

The idea is to escape from mere product selling, which is the norm today, unfortunately, and bring back the soul to the product, create a tradition rather than a trend, and show people what it is and what we go through, how we grow, fall, and rise. From cooking sauces and pulling weeds to barbecuing with friends. Blood, sweat, class! It's like a graphic when it's printed, everyone sees the imprint, but reaching it is a thorny path where there is no room for mistakes. An artist is dirty from head to toe, and from creative chaos, a clean imprint is born. By the way, our differences, hobbies, and professions are what give a special charm to this story. A lawyer, an archaeologist, and an artist, all free and romantic souls, but it actually brings true versatility to our venture. The holy trinity of differences, or as Todor likes to call us - the triumvirate.

Sauces as a brand!

Todor: Sauces were present in the first year, but in modest quantities and only for our closest ones. The first three sauces you saw on our Instagram profile, in those cheerful yellow, red, and brown colors, now have their shape. Of course, there was also the question of packaging and all those technical details that need to be followed to reach the final product. But since we were all in the same "sauce" in 2020, this year we decided to focus exclusively on it. There are many reasons for that, considering how difficult the past year was, we spent it quite industriously on the hacienda and were grateful to have the luxury of being isolated and achieving so much. As the world stood still during the pandemic, time somehow stood still as well. So every visit there and work we started to perceive as a ritual and pilgrimage, and the feeling of peace is priceless. Therefore, I expect that this year we will officially launch three sauces, along with the standardization and systematization of everything we have done so far, so that we can introduce a product we will be proud of. We have set annual goals, and we'll see how much we will be able to achieve. Unfortunately, many things are beyond our control, so we cannot expect, but we can hope and adapt. One thing is for sure, this project has only just begun to gain momentum, and chili lovers are starting to recognize us. I am already very satisfied with what has been accomplished.

Vedran: We definitely plan to perfect the recipes of the sauces and expand the product range, and one day have a serious production facility for them, to make this a permanent job. The possibilities are endless, it just takes time and effort. Because of all that, we decided that this year the focus should be on sauces, so there won't be fresh peppers available for sale this year, as everything will go into the sauces. The pursuit of perfection is something that characterizes each of us, and I think it's time to do that this year with finished products. 

Dušan: There are many goals, and we must not lose ourselves in them. Just focus and work. That's why it's a good thing that we have a division around that, which makes things much easier for everyone. Each of us has taken a part that suits us best. Our main goal is to create a brand that will be easily recognizable and stand out from similar ones, which is slowly happening. We listen to people's impressions, critiques, and comments, and that is the best indicator whether our goals are heading in the right direction.

Future plans...

All three: Based on everything mentioned above, our plans include expanding production capacities and infrastructure, along with expanding the product range and incorporating a socially responsible dimension locally. But, as Dušan said, we're taking it step by step in order to build a solid foundation first. Our goal is to endure and, above all, be uncompromising in terms of the quality of what we deliver to people. We still have a lot to learn and implement because our main focus so far has been on producing top-quality fresh raw materials, and we believe that we have at least reached a level where we feel satisfied with what we have.