Jim Turnbull, Pivnita Bunicii / Taste Transylvania: “Zacusca is very popular here in Romania but also outside of our country, as foreigners easily fall in love with its delicious taste.”

Nestled in the surroundings of Saschiz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Romania, Transylvania Food Company (TFC) has been a beacon of sustainable business since its registration in 2010. In fact, TFC’s brand name, ‘Pivniţa Bunicii,’ translates to ‘grandma’s cellar or pantry.’ As Jim Turnbull, the CEO of TFC, describes, “Our products draw inspiration from the traditions of Romanian home cooking, offering the same rich, flavorsome jams and juices that your grandmother used to make. Back in the days when electricity was scarce, these culinary treasures found refuge in the cool cellars, evoking fond memories for many. It is these cherished recollections that inspired our brand name.”

How many types of zacusca do you have in your offer? What are these and what is the one that sells most?

Our variety offers five types of zacusca: with beans, with mushroom, with aubergine, with aubergine but spicy, and aubergine with olives. The type that sells the best is, of course, the classic aubergine zacusca.

Why did you chose to make zacusca ?

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At Pivnița Bunicii (Grandma’s cellar) we produce all goodies that our proverbial grandmothers would make. Zacusca is an important part of the winter preserves menu, so of course we included it in our offer. Zacusca is very popular here in Romania but also outside of our country, as foreigners easily fall in love with its delicious taste. We chose to make zacusca because making it is a tradition that we believe should be kept alive and passed down many generations to come. It is 100% vegan, sugar, gluten and preservative free, and it is very rich in fibre, making it a healthy alternative and a good source of nutrients during the cold months. Last but not least, slow food is a concept we adhere to, and zacusca falls into this category.

Read also: Zacusca: A culinary treasure of Romania

What volume are we speaking about this year?

We produce only small batches at a time, with a limited number of jars. We only use traditional equipment and methods to make the zacusca, and we do not use any artificial preservatives. This way we can have a better control over the overall quality of the product and most importantly over its taste. The zacusca is being cooked in line with customer demand, so that we do not make any waste. Every batch numbers around 180 jars, resulting from approximately 45 kg of vegetables. Currently we are approaching 12 000 jars, each jar weighing 190 gr. So for this quantity we have used 2.250 kg of vegetables.

Where is your largest selling point?

We sell zacusca as well as all our products online on our website, in other online shops, in our physical shop in Saschiz, in smaller shops around the country but also in some supermarkets such as Mega Image or Auchan. Occasionally you will find us participating to events and fairs around the country. Most of our sales come from online and supermarkets.

What types of vegetables have you used in making zacusca this year?

The types of vegetables depend on the type of zacusca, but we mainly use a mix of aubergine (eggplant), pepper, tomato juice, onion, and carrot. We get most of our vegetables from local farmers. We have sustainability at our core here, so we believe having short supply chains is the best approach. This has a positive impact on the local economy, helps protect the environment and last but not least, keeps the authentic taste of the food we produce.

What was the zacusca production size in this season, compairing with previous years?

We make the zacusca throughout the year, depending on stock variation. Last year we produced a little over 9 000 jars of 190 gr. This year we are producing around 12.000 jars.

Have you had challenges related to the availability of raw materials or the availability of work force for production?

When it comes to workforce, this has not been an issue, as Pivnița Bunicii is the largest private sector employer in the village of Saschiz, with 12 permanent employees. Luckily, sourcing vegetables has not been a challenge either, however we are facing increasing prices.

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to making zacusca?

When it comes to making zacusca, we are not facing any challenges. Our staff and our production facility are up to date with food safety standards, that we rigorously respect. However, we are facing a challenge when it comes to selling, which is the reaction we get from the public regarding the price (not only for our zacusca, but for all our products) as being too expensive. We are committed to producing quality products, and this comes with a cost that is of course reflected in the price. We choose to source our vegetables, fruits, and flowers only from top quality local suppliers. To this is added the general costs of running the business legally and paying our employees fair wages.