“Kole Pack”: A Woman’s Vision, A Family’s Strength, A Thriving Business

The biggest challenge for the company came during the lockdowns of the pandemic. “It was a tough battle, but we managed to stay afloat and keep moving forward,” they recall at “Kole Pack”.

A turning point in their business came with the support of the European Union through the EU PRO Plus programme, which provided a grant of 25,800 Euros. “This funding allowed us to acquire a new production line for stretch film, significantly improving our capacity and reducing production costs,” says Vesna. This advancement also created two new jobs, strengthening the team further.

Beyond business success, “Kole Pack d.o.o.” remains committed to its community. By donating computer equipment, furniture, and hygiene supplies to a home for children without parental care in Kruševac, the company continues to demonstrate its dedication to social responsibility.

Vesna’s message to future entrepreneurs is simple yet powerful: “Do business with love and belief in yourself. That is the key to success.”

This initiative was part of a broader effort of the EU PRO Plus programme to strengthen local economic development through backing of micro and small enterprises local self-governments across Šumadija and Western Serbia, and Southern and Eastern Serbia. The Public Call for Proposals for Procurement of Equipment and Introduction of Services for Entrepreneurs, Micro, and Small Enterprises resulted in 113 projects (out of 610 applications received) with a total value of 3,564,397 Euros. The EU provided 2,731,787 Euros to support enterprises focused on production and services, including information technology, architectural and engineering activities, health and social care, tourism, and maintenance and repair services. The initiative emphasised job creation proportional to grant size and corporate social responsibility benefiting local communities.