March 9, 2022 - The European Commission announced that the 'Zagorski štrukli' was now registered as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), and 'Zagorski bagremov med' as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

In the nineties, the European Union has established a unique system for protecting and promoting traditional agricultural products and foodstuff. Such products are marked with the symbols of the European Union for the protected designation of origin, protected geographical indication, or a traditional guaranteed specialty, which provides the consumer with information on the purchase of an original product of known origin.

Croatia already has 33 protected products. Adding these other two, whose proposal was submitted in 2018, takes our Country to 7th place in the ranking list of EU countries with the most significant number of protected designations of agricultural products and foodstuffs.  

List of the 33 products whose names are registered in the EU before March 7th. (Image: Ministry of Agriculture of Republic of Croatia)

The application to register the traditional Zagorije dish, made of dough with cottage cheese filling, more precisely known as Zagorski štrukli/Zagorski štruklji, was submitted by the association for the protection, preservation, and promotion of traditional Zagorje products “Tradicija Zagorja” (The Tradition of Zagorje).

On the other hand, the process of protecting the name Zagorski bagremov med was submitted by the Krapina-Zagorje County beekeepers’ association. Zagorski bagremov med (Zagorje black locust honey, sometimes called acacia honey) is produced in Hrvatsko Zagorje from the nectar of Robinia Pseudoacacia.

These important awards confirm that Croatia has a rich legacy of agricultural products and foodstuffs, characterized by a remarkable quality and traditional production. 

Croatia’s cuisine has several influences ranging from Hungarian and Venetian to Austrian and Turkish. These varying traditions come together to create a fresh and seasonal eating style, splitting in a range of eight loosely defined regional styles of food: Zagorje, Slavonia, Medimurje, Lika, Gorski Kotar, Istria, and Dalmatia.

Spreading the knowledge on the meaning of protected designation of origin, protected geographical indication, and traditional guaranteed specialty, as well as informing people with labels on products whose names are protected and registered as one of the previous designations, helps the producers promote their products and teach the consumers how to identify an authentic traditional product. 

If you needed another reason to visit Croatia and discover its culinary tradition, here are two more, or rather…35 to discover!

For more on Croatian products, producers, companies, and exports, make sure to check out Made in Croatia.