Krk Gets a New Series of Souvenirs Bearing the “Gift from Krk” Label: Island Gastronomy at the Center of the Jubilee Competition
The Tourist Board of the City of Krk has selected a new, 15th series of original Krk souvenirs, continuing a long-standing initiative that connects local heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary design into a recognizable tourist and cultural offer. This year’s competition was announced at the end of February 2026 and was dedicated to the theme
Krk Gastronomic Souvenir, in line with the fact that Kvarner in 2026 holds the international title of European Region of Gastronomy. The competition received 16 proposals from nine producers and authors, and after review and professional evaluation, nine solutions received confirmation of originality. Thus, the collection of certified Krk memorabilia has been expanded with items and products that rely on island flavors, scents, materials, symbols and traditions, but present them in a form adapted to the modern market and tourist presentation.
The “Gift from Krk” label is not conceived as an ordinary decorative sticker, but as confirmation that the souvenir convincingly represents the identity of the town and island. At the center of the project are originality, authenticity, quality of workmanship, aesthetic completeness and connection with cultural, natural or intangible heritage. Such an approach is particularly important in destinations that want to avoid a generic offer of mass souvenirs and instead encourage products that have a clear local story. For visitors planning a longer stay,
accommodation in Krk is often the starting point for discovering the old town core, local workshops, winemakers, cheesemakers, gastronomic offer and small producers who form an important part of the island’s identity.
A Competition Marked by Kvarner as the European Region of Gastronomy
This year’s edition of the competition is especially connected with a broader regional context: in 2026 Kvarner holds the title of European Region of Gastronomy, awarded by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism. That title puts regions in the foreground that do not view gastronomy merely as part of the hospitality offer, but as a system that connects local food production, preservation of traditional knowledge, sustainable development, cultural identity and destination promotion. In the case of Kvarner, the diversity of the area plays an important role: the coastal belt, islands and mountainous hinterland create different dietary and cultural patterns, from fish and scampi to olive growing, sheep farming, viticulture, aromatic herbs and seasonal ingredients.
This very logic is also recognizable in the Krk competition. The theme of the gastronomic souvenir is not limited only to food products that can be tasted, but also includes objects that evoke the flavors, scents, materials and rituals of the island. That is why the selected solutions include wine, liqueur, cheese and spice blends, but also soaps with scents and ingredients reminiscent of the Mediterranean atmosphere, wax shaped in Glagolitic letters and a ceramic platter that can be viewed both as a useful object and as a decorative interpretation of island table culture. Such a range shows that gastronomic identity does not live only on the plate, but also in packaging, scent, handicraft, sign, material and the way in which the local story is passed on.
Nine Selected Souvenirs: From Wine and Cheese to Glagolitic Script, Spices and Natural Cosmetics
The expert committee selected nine souvenirs that met the competition criteria. The list shows that this year’s theme was understood broadly by the authors and producers, but also clearly connected with Krk: through wine, sheep’s milk, olive wood, Mediterranean herbs, sea salt, Glagolitic heritage and serving objects. In the selected products, one recognizes the effort for a souvenir to be more than a reminder of a journey. It becomes a small story about the place from which it comes, about the people who produce it and about traditions that can be adapted to contemporary design without losing local meaning.
- Imbrijagoni – a set of natural soaps with coconut oil, sea salt and anise essential oil, by Krušija, the service craft of Andrijana Fiorentin Rušin.
- Sv. Nedija and Julija – a set of natural exfoliating soaps with olive, coconut and palm oil, turmeric and beetroot powder, organic grape seeds and essential oils of lemongrass, lavandin and rosemary, also from the Krušija craft.
- KvarNero – a premium red wine from the family farm Kuća vina Ivan Katunar.
- TeraNina – a red wine liqueur with the addition of cherry brandy, aromatic herbs and carefully selected spices, also from Kuća vina Ivan Katunar.
- Krk cheese – cheese produced in the traditional way from unpasteurized sheep’s milk, from the Magriž family farm.
- Melting wax in the shape of Glagolitic letters – a product by Petra Kraljić intended for use in aroma lamps.
- Island Empress – a decorative ceramic platter from the Piccola Stella craft, behind which stands Zvijezdana Depikolzvane.
- Scents of the Butterfly Island – a gift set with an olive-wood bowl and dried spices from the island of Krk: bay leaf, rosemary, sage and oregano, from the Otok leptira craft of Suzana Krljan.
- Flavors of the Butterfly Island – a gift set with an olive-wood platter and salt flavored with dried Krk spices: bay leaf, rosemary and oregano, also from the Otok leptira craft.
Among the selected souvenirs, it is particularly notable that several products do not convey heritage through a literal depiction of motifs, but through ingredients and use. Sea salt, olive wood, aromatic herbs and sheep’s milk are not only raw materials, but elements of the island way of life. Wine and liqueur connect agricultural tradition with tourist presentation, while Glagolitic wax points to the deep literacy and symbolic heritage of Krk. Such solutions fit well into the contemporary understanding of souvenirs, according to which an object or food product should have a clear story, high-quality execution and the ability to continue representing the place from which it comes after leaving the destination.
Gastronomy as Cultural Identity, Not Just a Tourist Offer
Krk’s gastronomic identity cannot be reduced to one product or one tradition. Throughout history, the island has developed eating habits connected with the sea, stone, pastures, olive groves, vineyards and herbs that grow in the dry Mediterranean landscape. In this sense, this year’s souvenirs follow a broader trend in tourism: growing interest in products that have local origin, limited series, recognizable packaging and a clear connection with the area. Instead of a souvenir being an object without context, “Gift from Krk” seeks to select solutions that can function as a cultural sign.
This approach is also important for small producers. Certification through the tourist board gives additional visibility to products that would otherwise be tied to local sales channels, fairs, tasting rooms or workshops. Inclusion in the digital catalogue and the system for presenting certified souvenirs makes information more accessible to visitors, but also raises the standards of the offer itself. When a souvenir is found in an organized catalogue with information about the author, a photograph and a clear description, it is no longer perceived as an incidental purchase, but as part of a carefully conceived destination story. For those who want to explore the offer on site,
accommodation near the old town core of Krk can make it easier to visit locations, shops and presentation spaces connected with local products.
“Gift from Krk” as a Long-Term Project for Shaping Destination Identity
The “Gift from Krk” project has been carried out for the fifteenth consecutive year, and its continuity is one of the key reasons why it has outgrown the framework of an individual competition. Over the years, the project has selected artworks, useful and decorative objects, publications, domestic food products and various interpretations of Krk heritage. This has created a diverse collection that can be read as a kind of chronicle of the creative and economic life of the island: each new series shows what local authors, craftspeople and producers recognize as worthy of being conveyed in the form of a souvenir.
According to the project rules, selected souvenirs receive a recognizable sticker with the bilingual motto “Gift from Krk” and a certificate of originality. Souvenirs that were already selected earlier and have continuous production and market presence do not have to be submitted again in order to retain the right to use the awarded label. Such a solution gives stability to producers and enables the catalogue of certified offer to be upgraded from year to year, instead of each series being viewed in isolation. For the destination, this is important because it creates long-term recognizability and preserves a standard by which the local offer differs from generic products without clear origin.
Digital Catalogue and Info Display Expand Access to the Certified Offer
One of the important elements of the project is the digital presentation of certified souvenirs. All selected products are included in a bilingual digital catalogue, which brings together photographs, contact details of producers and authors, and the complete offer of Krk souvenirs bearing the “Gift from Krk” label. In this way, the project adapts to the habits of contemporary visitors, who increasingly look for information about the destination, products and local experiences before arrival or during their stay via mobile devices. At the same time, the digital catalogue serves as a promotional tool and as an archive of the project’s development.
Certified Krk souvenirs are also available through an application integrated into the city info-display system installed at the entrance to the old town core of the city of Krk. Such a form of presentation has practical value because it places information about local products where a large number of visitors move. The old town core is the natural center of sightseeing, cultural interest and tourist movement, so connecting physical space with the digital catalogue increases the chance that visitors will discover products with a local story. In that sense,
accommodation for visitors to Krk is part of the broader tourist infrastructure that connects with cultural content, gastronomy and local shopping.
Expert Committee and Selection Criteria
The selection process involved a Committee that considered proposals received during February, March and April. The original announcements state that the work of the Committee included president Dinko Jakovljević and members Ema Makarun, Lucija Morić, Bruna Kocijan and Igor Gržetić. Their task was to assess how well individual proposals corresponded to the competition propositions, the theme of this year’s edition and the general criteria of the project. Of the 16 submitted solutions, seven did not meet the criteria, showing that the “Gift from Krk” label remains selective and is not awarded automatically to all applications.
Selection criteria in such projects have a broader meaning than quality control alone. They guide producers toward clearer thinking about the product, from the idea and execution to packaging, materials, story and market sustainability. A good souvenir must be practical or aesthetically convincing, but also understandable in the context of the destination. If it is a gastronomic souvenir, it is additionally important that the product does not use local motifs only declaratively, but that it truly relies on recognizable ingredients, habits, symbols or production processes connected with the island. This is precisely why this year’s selection combines edible products, scented objects, useful ceramics and an interpretation of the Glagolitic script.
Why Local Souvenirs Are Important for Tourism and Small Producers
In tourist destinations, souvenirs often remain on the margins of serious discussions about development, although they can have a significant economic and cultural effect. A well-designed souvenir extends the visitor’s contact with the destination after the journey ends, and at the same time can directly support local crafts, family farms, artists and small-scale production. When the offer includes wine, cheese, herbs, salt, natural cosmetics, ceramics or wooden objects made in a local context, tourist spending remains closer to the community from which the product comes.
For Krk, such a model is especially important because the island identity does not rest only on natural attractions and the summer season. The town and island have layers of history, literacy, maritime tradition, agriculture and gastronomy that can be presented throughout the year. Souvenirs bearing the “Gift from Krk” label in this sense act as small ambassadors of the destination. They can be a reason for a visitor to seek out a local producer, visit a tasting room, buy an additional product or explore the story of the Glagolitic script, sheep farming, viticulture and Mediterranean herbs. In this way, the tourist offer expands beyond classic sightseeing and swimming, toward experiences that include taste, scent, touch and personal encounter with local production.
The New Series Confirms the Direction: Fewer Generic Objects, More Local Stories
The fifteenth series of Krk souvenirs shows that the “Gift from Krk” project is developing in a direction that corresponds to contemporary trends of sustainable and culturally sensitive tourism. Instead of reducing local identity to a recognizable visual motif, the new solutions use materials, ingredients and symbols that have a real connection with the island. Thus, products that can be tasted, smelled, used, gifted or displayed entered the same series, confirming that a souvenir can have multiple functions and several levels of meaning. For producers, this is an incentive to continue developing quality products, and for the destination an opportunity to position itself as a place where gastronomy, heritage and creativity complement one another.
The Tourist Board of the City of Krk, as the project holder, thanked everyone who has contributed to the success of the initiative for 15 years, as well as participants who did not pass this year. With the inclusion of new souvenirs in the catalogue and the awarding of the “Gift from Krk” sticker, one competition cycle ends, but the broader story continues about how local heritage can be transformed into a quality, recognizable and market-sustainable product. In a year in which Kvarner gastronomy received a European stage, the Krk series of souvenirs further confirms that small local productions can play an important role in presenting the identity of the entire destination.
Sources:- Tourist Board of the City of Krk – announcement about the 15th “Gift from Krk” competition and competition propositions (link)- Explore Krk / Tourist Board of the City of Krk – results of the 15th competition, list of selected souvenirs and description of the “Gift from Krk” project (link)- City of Krk – official description of the “Gift from Krk” label and its role in presenting material, intangible and natural heritage (link)- International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism – Kvarner as European Region of Gastronomy 2026 (link)- Export Portal of the Government of the Republic of Croatia – information about the start of the “Kvarner – European Region of Gastronomy 2026” program and the aims of the title (link)- Kvarner Tourist Board – overview of Kvarner’s gastronomic identity and the connection of coastal, island and mountain cuisines (link)
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