Drk, born on 25 September 1937 in Varaždin, in 1961 started working at the town dairy which later changed its name to Vindija. In 1965, he became the executive manager of the company and led it until his death. The name Vindija was taken in 1970 and it derives from the nearby cave in Donja Voća in the vicinity of Varaždin, one of the oldest sites of the Early Man in the world, the company said on its website.
In the early 1990s, during ownership transformation, Drk became a majority owner of this food group. “Since 1993, the company’s strategic aim has been its expansion and development, and the most significant expansion happened in 1993 when Koka meat industry and Latica bakery joined the business system. Since then, Vindija has become a business system that encompasses multiple companies from the broad spectrum of the food industry,” according to information provided on the group’s website.
Drk was at the helm of Vidnija for more than 50 years.
He was engaged in local politics and was a councillor of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) from 1993 to 1996 and Varaždin Deputy Mayor from 1997 to 2000.
The Croatian Employers Association (HUP) said in a message of condolence that Drk was one of the most prominent businessmen in the country.
Letters of condolence were also sent by Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković, who praised Drk for being a visionary and determined leader who left his mark on the Croatian economy.
