June National

BREAKING INTO THE U.S.: VEGETA What’s being called the world’s most popular universal food seasoning is coming to America.

odravka, the maker of Vegeta, which was been called the world’s most popular universal food seasoning, started in 1934 in Koprivnica with a P fruit processing plant founded by the Wolf brothers. In 1958, a team at Podravka’s research laboratories led by Professor Zlata Bartl invented Vegeta, which was launched on the market a year later and quickly became a success. As Podravka notes, “Providing a completely innovative approach to the presentation of a food product at that time, through its application in cooking and advice from renowned chefs, Vegeta was brought closer to consumers and firmly established itself as a universally popular food seasoning. The famous tagline from Vegeta’s TV show, “…and a tablespoon of Vegeta,” still resonates today in the minds of Vegeta’s loyal consumers in more than 60 countries around the world.” Now, the Podravka Group is a multinational company and an innovative leader in Southeast, Central and Eastern Europe. The company exports to more than 60 countries across the world, has its own distribution network in 16 countries, and production facilities in four countries. Podravka’s production range has more than 1,800 different products with Podravka, Vegeta, Lino, Lino Lada, and Dolcela among its most well-known.

A Podravka spokesperson said, “In the area of healthy nutrition, Podravka will increase the number of products with lower content of salt, added sugars, and saturated fats per serving, as well as products that contain positive ingredients and/or promote a healthy, balanced, and sustainable diet.” The firm’s nutritional strategy through 2027 is: • Reduce the average salt and sugar content by 20% in 75% of new and innovative products compared to the current average content. • Incorporate at least one ingredient that supports healthy and balanced nutrition, such as fiber, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, in 75% of new and innovative products. • Base at least 40% of new and innovative products on ingredients associated with sustainable nutrition, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, plant protein sources, and the like. • Support sustainable nutrition with 100% of products. Vegeta is vegan, Halal and Kosher.

HOSPITALITY NEWS JUNE | Page 29