A tough career in meat processing! There are battles to be fought for upgrading, good prices, markets, and being there day in and day out to keep things running smoothly. Well, it's no wonder that a meat processing company is called a vizier...
Commander-in-chief or general
This is what we think of most when we read the words Vezir Hús Kft. on the label of a delicious smoked dry sausage. But reality, as usual, takes us to other waters, as this company was named after the initials of the two founders, Veszprém Áfész and Zirci Áfész.
It was founded after the change of regime in 1994 with the involvement of German owners, with a centre in Zirc, next to the arboretum.
The name remains, but the company has seen many changes since its initial launch
Over time, it became clear that German intensive production and domestic artisanal meat processing did not really go together, so the company underwent gradual changes. István Horváth took over 27 years ago. From the very beginning, he believed that the only way to stay afloat was not to take the profit out of the company, but to reinvest it. He believes that technological development is very important and, as he explained, this is one of the reasons why he is now running the company, because previous managers and owners did not develop it properly. The secret is that in the food industry you can't stand still, you can always stay afloat with new products, new flavours and continuous development. At the same time, tradition must be preserved, and some of their products have been made with almost the same recipe for twenty-seven years and are still in great demand.
It is thanks to this approach that he has gradually been able to buy out the company, and today he and his son run the meat processing company, which employs 17 people.
A bumpy road to success
It was not easy to stay afloat, to keep developing technology and to reach the market, says István Horváth, who also says that the road to success was similar to the one leading to the Mountain of Hungarians in Transylvania. It's bumpy, covered with stones, but still, when you get to the top you think it's worth the view. They started from scratch. Zirc had no history of food production, and he had to learn the trades of butcher, meat processor and machinist. Over the years he had many sleepless nights and his health suffered before he succeeded in meat processing.
Traditional and new products
Currently Vezir Meat has 75-76 products. They make everything that can be made from half-pigs. They even add processing of grey cattle. One of their specialities is mangalica processing. In this field, they were among the first in Hungary to start processing mangalica 20 years ago, because this ancient pig species almost disappeared from our country a few decades ago, because industrial pigs had driven it out of the market. The only way to save the Hungarian mangalica herd was to bring in animals from Spain. The Spanish have not given up on mangalica breeding.
They were taught how to process mangalica meat by an old butcher, Sándor Dér. The meat-fat ratio of this species is different, as is the flavour, which can only be obtained by using the right production techniques and smoking. For example, the melting point of mangalica fat is 10 to 20 degrees lower than that of industrial pig fat. But the meat yield is also different: only 35-40%, compared to 50-60% for large-scale pigs. However, despite this loss, it is still worth working with mangalica because its taste compensates for the loss of meat, which has made it a sought-after product.
Several cups from the mangalica festival in the host's office show that they have indeed found the secret to making mangalica goods.
The Bakony pig
The mangalica has a special link with the Bakony. Once there was a large population in the vast forest, which the locals called the acorn pig, because it fed mainly on the acorns the forest offered. For centuries, it was from this region that the hogs were driven to Austria for the market. István Horváth is proud to say that Bakony pork was the original raw material for bacon.
Traditional and new products
Traditional smoked sausages, Hungarian and Bavarian sausages for the grill, salamis and huge whole hams are also on offer at Vezír Hús' plant in Zirc. Modern machinery is used to process the goods in a traditional way, using traditional beechwood chips. It's delicious to look at, but the host insists that the goods are good to taste! As he says, he has to sell himself, talking is not enough for the market. Their range is enriched by the processing of grey cattle. Because of the way it is ribbed, it has a denser, fuller flesh that is not as marbled as Angus or Wagy, so it is softened with mangalica.
They are also always experimenting with new things. Every year, 1 or 2 out of 10 new experimental products become marketable. Right now they have a new product that they are looking forward to, the Porvai turista, a product made from a variety of colours, which is matured for 3-4 days, then filled and smoked. The recipe is secret. It has just been launched and has been well received, and they are confident it will be a hit.
Plans for the future
The small size of the company also means flexibility, says István Horváth. If an order is placed with them, the product is delivered quickly, something that cannot be done in a large factory.
They also have a national reputation and are among the top five most reliable companies in Veszprém County for transport and production. In fact, through a wholesaler, they even deliver to England.
In the future, they do not want to further develop the structure of the company, as it is marketable and, with 17 employees and a transparent and manageable volume of products. At the same time, they are constantly looking for new markets and new methods (which can be incorporated into the technology) and IT development opportunities. All in all, the owners of Vezír Hús Ltd. are optimistic about the future.#
