Balgarianovinite.com An exhibition of dairy products from the Rhodopes and other parts of Bulgaria, arts and crafts, food and farm products was held on Saturday in Momchilovtsi during the traditional Yogurt Festival. The event is organized jointly with Chinese company Bright Dairy, which produces dairy products under the Momchilovtsi brand in China.
The festival runs until Sunday and includes concerts, the Miss Rhodopes 2026: Queen of Yogurt beauty contest and a discussion titled “The Secret of Longevity: From Yogurt Traditions to a Healthy Lifestyle”.
The Rhodope village became well known in China as a place associated with longevity and healthy living after Momchilovtsi-branded dairy products gained popularity on the Chinese market. BTA has previously reported that Momchilovtsi is known in China as a “village of longevity” and that Bright Dairy has marketed products bearing the village’s name for years.
Momchilovtsi Mayor Siyka Surkova told BTA that Momchilovtsi yogurt is very popular in China and is among the best-selling brands in Shanghai, the surrounding region and across the country. She added that the brand has been on the market since 2009 and has grown increasingly popular among Chinese consumers as a healthy drink.
According to Surkova, the millions of consumers who buy Momchilovtsi yogurt know that the name comes from a Rhodope village where longevity and health are highly valued. The popularity of the brand has also helped turn the village in Smolyan Region and the Rhodopes into a tourist destination. Chinese tourist groups have begun visiting Momchilovtsi again after travel was interrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The exhibition includes a Chinese pavilion displaying Momchilovtsi-branded yogurt, where visitors can also see their names written in Chinese characters. Both Chinese and Bulgarian traditions are presented. The flavours of the Rhodopes are represented by stalls offering Mursal tea, Smilyan beans, homemade yogurt and freshly baked Rhodope-style banitsa.
Dairy producer Violeta Krushkova said farm-produced foods are in high demand because consumers cannot find them in large retail chains.
Many festival visitors signed a petition titled “Let Us Give Bulgarian Homemade and Artisan Foods a Legal Path”. Local producer and exhibitor Gergana Nikolova said that the initiative supports small-scale home producers, as there is currently no specific framework allowing products such as cheese, yogurt and other foods to be produced at home under simplified rules.
She stressed that the initiative was not seeking an absence of controls but clear regulations. “I want homemade food to be offered in Momchilovtsi because this is the taste of our tradition, and our children have the right to eat genuine Bulgarian food,” Nikolova said.
Bright Dairy presented Momchilovtsi with a EUR 36,000 donation voucher during the festival. The funds will be used to renovate the village sports ground. BTA reported at the festival opening that the Chinese company presented the donation to Mayor Surkova.
Momchilovtsi Yogurt Festival Showcases Rhodope Dairy Products, Bulgarian-Chinese Traditions 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-29 15:11:00
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