The two companies say they have joined forces to create a unique collection that embodies their shared commitment to tradition and quality. It aims to blend the unique, Mediterranean atmosphere of Tuscany with the distinctive essence of Unicum to enhance intimate family gatherings. Moreover, the collaborative products emphasize the significance of family customs and their dedication to sustainable practices.
The partnership has resulted in a textile collection that incorporates the distinctive elements of the Unicum brand and aspires to be as diverse as the Zwack portfolio, its creators say. The collection includes table runners, placemats, and napkin sets for the tables, while the decorative cushions provide added comfort for seating.
“We believe that it is not only centuries of history and family traditions that bind these two brands together but also a commitment to impeccable quality,” said Sándor Zwack, chairman of the board of directors and the sixth generation of his family to lead the company. “Accordingly, from the moment the idea was conceived, we knew that value would be created from the collaboration. Every glass of Unicum has a little bit of home in it, which we are now filling together with Busatti,” he added.
Sándor Zwack of Zwack Unicum Nyrt.
Zwack spent a significant portion of his early life in Italy, where his father, Péter, led the company manufacturing genuine Unicum (the family had left a fake recipe behind when the communists forcibly took over the business in Hungary during the Rákosi era).
The family relocated to Hungary in the late 1980s to begin working on getting back the liquor manufactory they once owned from the state. Zwack told guests at the partnership presentation that Tuscany still holds a place in his heart, and his family owns what used to be his late father’s favorite café in a small town near Firenze.
He also joked that he “should have put out a black flag in mourning” after his favorite soccer club ACF Fiorentina, the hometown team of Florence, the regional capital of Tuscany, had been defeated by London’s West Ham United in the UEFA Europe Conference League Final the night before the event.
The results of the Unicum-Busatti collaboration.
“Busatti has previously created textiles for world-renowned luxury clothing brands such as Armani and Prada but has never before created a styled piece,” said Mária Péntek, managing director of Toscaneria Kft. “In this unique collaboration, the respect and love of Tuscany meet Zwack, representing centuries of Hungarian tradition and culture, thus creating something new, yet lasting, as they do in everyday life,” she added.
She noted that when Toscaneria started to think about possible collaborations, they were looking for companies in Hungary with an Italian connection, making Zwack a prime candidate.
Busatti has been in the hands of the same family since 1842. Now led by the eighth generation, the company’s store, factory and laboratory are in the same historical palace in Anghiari, Palazzo Morgalanti, which dates back to the 15th century.
After the presentation, guests were invited on a tour of the distillery’s basement, where they could sample some of the Unicum varieties from the barrel while also learning about the maturation process.
The highlight of the tour was a barrel from the 1930s, which survived the Siege of Budapest during the Second World War, when the Red Army pillaged the Zwack compound, looking for raw material to build pontoon bridges in place of the spans blown up by the retreating German army. The barrel is now used for maturing Riserva, which represents the highest end of the Unicum portfolio.
The products of the Zwack-Busatti cooperation will be available in limited quantities from mid-June 2023 at the Unicum House Boutique and the Zwack webshop.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of June 16, 2023.
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