Vegeta is a brand of savoury condiments of dehydrated vegetables, spices, and MSG, produced by Croatian food company Podravka. It is considered a staple of Eastern European cuisine. [1] [2]
The product was originally developed at Podravka's labs in Koprivnica, then part of Yugoslavia, in 1958. Zlata Bartl, a Bosnian Croat chemical technician who created a popular line of dehydrated soup packets, led the team that developed Vegeta. [3] It was first sold in 1959 under the name "Vegeta 40", and first exported in 1967 to Hungary and the Soviet Union. [4] Vegeta has been produced by Podravka in Koprivnica since its introduction, and is also manufactured in Poland, Austria, Hungary, [5] and Tanzania. [6]
Vegeta was a commercial success for Podravka and led to an economic boom in Koprivnica.[ citation needed] Bartl, who became known as "Auntie Vegeta" ( Croatian: Teta Vegeta), [3] was made an honorary citizen of the city before her death in 2008. [7] Nielsen named Vegeta the best-selling universal food seasoning in Europe in 2021, [8] and the products are sold in 40 countries worldwide. [4]
There is also a "no MSG added" version for those avoiding monosodium glutamate. [9]
The ingredients of Vegeta include (according to the 2008 product packaging):
Energetic value | 583 kJ (137 kcal) |
Protein | 9 g |
Carbohydrate | 24.5 g |
Fat | 0.6 g |
Sodium | 23 g |