Hungarian Pig Brings Luck – Even Internationally

On New Year's Eve, it is customary to eat pork in Hungary, but based on international success, a particular Hungarian breed, Mangalica can bring luck to everyone. In 2020, Mangalica preparations earned several stars at the British Great Taste Awards, often called the Oscars for best food.

Mangalica is the only native type of Hungarian pig. Its history dates back to the 1800s, when South Slavic sumadia pig breeds driven from the Balkans to Hungary were mixed with Hungarian pigs and presumably wild boars for major fairs. In the following decades, the highly resistant and well-greased variety became popular and widespread. However, consumer trends in the second half of the 20th century did not favor it, so the breed was almost extinct. Around the turn of the millennium, Hungarian gastronomy was rediscovered, and Mangalica’s modern international success began.

"Mangalica is one of Hungary's prides! It is a popular meat not only in Hungary, but also in export markets, including the most remote countries of the world, such as Japan. The price of its meat is definitely higher than that of white pork. Moreover, thanks to the hard and persistent work of recent years, the Hungarian mangalica is in a very serious position as a supplier to world-famous products such as the Spanish Iberico ham," Gergely Giczi, Deputy Managing Director of Agrármarketing Centrum told the business news site Napi.hu.

Mangalica is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and natural antioxidants, making it healthier than the fat of white pigs reared in intensive farming. Its ham has many nutritional values. It is a high quality protein rich food that is easily digested by our body. It contains large amounts of vitamin B, iron and zinc, which are essential for our body, and is recommended as part of a highly digestible diet, a healthy and balanced diet. The monounsaturated fatty acids and oleic acid in it help to restore and regulate cholesterol levels.

Products made from mangalica also won prestigious awards at the British Great Taste Awards in September 2020. For example, the Harangod-Mag group of companies in Borsod County entered ten products for the competition, eight of which were awarded after blind tests by 144 experts. Two of their products also received two stars (of the maximum 3), and six other of their products brought home one star.