MONTE NEVADO MANGALICA PIG

In 1991, Monte Nevado discovered a forgotten breed that was on the brink of extinction: the Mangalica pig. It is a native pig from Hungary and belongs to the same Mediterranean "branch" as the Iberian pig.

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The Mangalica pig is the result of a mix between the breed brought by the Romans and semi-wild pigs from the mountains, along with later crosses. It is very resilient and withstands the harsh winters and hot summers of the Hungarian steppe. Snow covers the fields for several months, and temperatures can drop to -25 degrees, which is why its hair is denser and curlier than that of the Iberian pig. Its foraging nature and natural diet of corn, wheat, and pasture, combined with its maturity, make it ideal for producing high-quality cured products.

The Mangalica breed experienced extraordinary development in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, protected by the emperors themselves. After World War II, part of the war reparations were paid with thousands of female Mangalica pigs. The breed could not recover. Additionally, the introduction of larger, faster-growing white pigs and changes in consumption nearly led to the species' total disappearance. By 1991, there were barely 200 Mangalica specimens left in all of Hungary.

Today, after more than 25 years, there are an average of 2,000 Mangalica sows and about 25,000 pigs in total in Hungary, raised and fed in natural pastures. The hams, shoulders, and loins selected for their suitability for long curing are sent to the Monte Nevado drying facilities, where they are treated with the same care as Iberian ham: cured in natural drying rooms and individually inspected by our master ham makers. In 2018, the distribution of fresh Mangalica meat began in Spain, a delicacy also highly appreciated in Japan and Korea.

Mangalica pig