The industrial production of edible oil in the Balkans dates back to the small town of Vrbas in Vojvodina. Enterprising merchant Jakob Lenji built the first oil refining workshop in this town on the shore of the Old Channel in 1855. No one could have imagined that the commissioning of this small plant would lay the foundation for a future powerful industrial giant – the VITAL plant. Lenny’s factory began production of pressed unrefined oil with manual and livestock power. The predominant raw materials were hemp, pumpkin seeds and rapeseed. Until 1929, the crude oil was refined not in Vrbas but in Budapest where the Lenji family owned a refinery. The third and fourth decades of the twentieth century, when the factory was headed by the grandson of the founder, Joseph Lenji, are very significant for the development of the first oil mill in the Balkans.

Year 1923. is one of the most significant in the history of this oil giant – in that year, the production of sunflower oil began, modestly, and sunflowers flooded Backa, so the plain was gilded …

Lenji registered the workshop as a factory “Vojvodina” on August 4, 1928. In fact, its name was officially: “Steric and Lenji – the first Serbian oil factory in Vojvodina” Novi Vrbas. In the summer of 1930, an oil factory ” Vojvodina “, as the property of Lenji and his comrades, is registered as” a company engaged in the production and sale of edible oils, for technical purposes, fat and whale, as well as the sale of mineral oils. ” Lenin and the Reich & Friedman Company of Novi Bečej also shows a trademark that had three six-pointed stars, evenly spaced.

A refining plant was purchased in 1929. and production of edible oil began … Lenji was able to bring in from the Czech Republic an educated craftsman who was versed in the secrets of oil refining.

In 1957. the first margarine factory in Serbia was completed and put into operation. Vrbas oilseeds produced the first 90 tons of this food that year. VITAL experienced the fastest development in the period from 1969. to 1977 . During this period, several production facilities were built in new locations for which the most up-to-date world oil and margarine production equipment was imported.

1982/1983. a silo for a 1,200 tonne sunflower barrel was built in the year, as well as a line for the insulting and bulk dispensing of a shotgun. Vital is one of the largest and most modern edible oil factories in Europe.

Establishment of the Rastimo Handball Camp.

Since 1997, Vital has traditionally awarded the Golden Sunflower literary prize, at the beginning of each year, for the best literary achievement of the previous year.