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WARNING LETTER

Balkanica LLC MARCS-CMS 732478 —

Delivery Method:
Via Email
Product:
Food & Beverages
Recipient:
Recipient Name
Martin Karaivanov
Recipient Title
Managing Partner
Balkanica LLC

2 Ackerman Ave
Clifton, NJ 07011-1502
United States

MARTIN@BALKANICA.US
Issuing Office:
Office of Inspections and Investigations

United States

WARNING LETTER

RE: CMS# 732478

Dear Mr. Martin Karaivanov:

On May 20, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) inspection of Balkanica LLC., located at 2 Ackerman Ave, Clifton, NJ 07011-1502. We also conducted inspections on July 31, 2023, and October 24, 2024. These inspections were conducted to determine compliance with the requirements of section 805 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 384a) and the implementing FSVP regulation in 21 CFR part 1, subpart L.

The FSVP regulation requires that importers perform certain risk-based activities to verify that human and/or animal food they import into the United States has been produced in a manner that meets applicable U.S. food safety standards. You may find information relating to the FSVP regulation and your responsibilities to comply with the regulation through links in FDA’s FSVP web page at https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-foreign-supplier-verification-programs-fsvp-importers-food-humans-and-animals.

During the most recent inspection, we found that you are not in compliance with the requirements of 21 CFR part 1, subpart L for the foods from the foreign suppliers indicated in the attached list.

Because of these significant violations, you are not in compliance with section 805 of the FD&C Act.

At the conclusion of the inspection, our investigator provided you with a Form FDA 483a FSVP Observations.

We acknowledge receipt of your response, dated June 4, 2026, in which you provided a letter from (b)(4), which stated that they have been acting as your qualified individual beginning on (b)(4). The letter also stated that they were “in the initial stages of document collection and FSVP evaluations.” On the same letter, they provided a corrective action plan with a proposed schedule of completion of (b)(4) for one correction, and the remaining to be completed by (b)(4).

We are unable to evaluate the adequacy of your response because you have not provided any supporting documentation demonstrating your corrective actions. To date, no additional FSVP documents have been received by FDA.

Your significant violations of the FSVP regulation are as follows:

You did not develop, maintain, and follow an FSVP as required by section 805 of the FD&C Act and 21 CFR 1.502(a). Specifically, you did not develop an FSVP for the foods you import from the foreign suppliers indicated in the attached list, including each of the following foods:

  • Sunflower Seeds, imported from Iadki Detelina Ltd., located in Bulgaria
  • Sheep’s Milk Cheese PVC Balkan Dairy, imported from Makler Komers LTD., located in Bulgaria

The above violations are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations of the FSVP requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with section 805 of the FD&C Act and the implementing regulation in 21 CFR part 1, subpart L.

This letter notifies you of our concerns and provides you an opportunity to address them. If you do not adequately address this matter, we may take further action. For instance, we may take action under section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 381(a)(3)) to refuse admission of the food you import for which you appear to be in violation of section 805. We may place the food[s] from the identified foreign supplier[s] on detention without physical examination (DWPE) when you import the foods. You can find DWPE information relating to FSVP in Import Alert # 99-41 at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/ialist.html. In addition, the importation or offering for importation into the United States of an article of food without the importer having an FSVP that meets the requirements of section 805 of the FD&C Act or the FSVP regulation is prohibited under section 301(zz) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 331(zz)).

You should respond in writing within fifteen (15) working days from your receipt of this letter. Your response should address the specific things you are doing to correct any violations. You should include in your response documentation and information that would assist us in evaluating your corrections (e.g., documentation of changes you made, such as a copy of your FSVP, records to demonstrate implementation of your FSVP), and any additional information that you wish to supply relevant to your compliance with the FSVP regulation. If you believe that you are not in violation of the FD&C Act, include your reasoning and any supporting information for our consideration. If you cannot complete all corrections within 15 working days, you should explain the reason for your delay and state when you will correct any remaining violations.

Please send your reply to Food and Drug Administration, Attention: Marvin Marenco, Compliance Officer, Division of Northeast Imports: oiioiodneiwlresponses@fda.hhs.gov. Please also cc (carbon copy) marvin.marenco@fda.hhs.gov. If you have any questions regarding this letter, you may contact Compliance Officer Marenco via email at marvin.marenco@fda.hhs.gov. Please reference CMS # 732478 on any documents or records you provide to us and on the subject line of any email correspondence you send to us.

Sincerely,
/S/

Theresa Smedley
Acting Program Division Director
Division of Northeast Imports

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