Cracovia, the main delicacy of Prudentopolis, has been a sales success and has become the main product of Macurek Produtos Colonias.
Cracovia, a sausage made from the best parts of pigs produced in a meat factory in the Paraná city colonized by Ukrainians in the 1960s, has established itself as one of Prudentopolis’ most iconic products. Sausage, the main delicacy of this city of just over 50,000 people, has been a sales success and is the main product of Macurek Produtos Colonia.
The family-run company, founded in 1970 by businessman Nestor Maculek, currently produces around 100 tons of meat per month, employs around 60 people, has an average annual turnover of R$25 million, and maintains as its symbol the Kraków sausage “business card” that combines tradition, taste and regional pride.
In an interview with earthduring the Gramado International Tourism Fair (Festuris), Mauro Maculek, one of Nestor’s four sons and one of the company’s partners, spoke about how Krakow was born and how the new generation of the Maculek family expanded production, bringing its products to local supermarkets and then to the capital Curitiba. The businessman also explained how the sausage came to be named Krakow.
“This sausage first appeared in the city’s butcher shops and butcher shops more or less in the 1960s. The owner, who was Ukrainian, took the best parts of the pork, such as shanks and loins, and placed them in thicker-caliber casings and added fat The name of this sausage was inspired by the city of Krakow in Poland, the hometown of one of our first employees, “butcher,” says 39-year-old Mauro Machurek.
Made from pork and larger in diameter than typical salami, the sausages are produced using smoking techniques in wood-fired ovens. Made with carefully selected meats, Cracobia is a hand-produced salami. ” Seasoned with garlic, salt and pepper, after processing, it is packaged in plastic in the shape of a natural bladder and undergoes a moderate smoking process.
According to the producers, Krakow is mainly used as a ham substitute because the product does not contain water added to the dough. Machulek Produtos Coloniais processes three tons of meat a month from Krakow and has invested in diversification to reach potential customers who do not consume pork. One of these products is Chicken Krakow.
“In addition to Krakow, we produce another huge line of sausages, including mixed and pure sausages, Blumenau sausages, smoked ribs, bacon, jerky, white-black pudding, pork cheese, crackling patties, purlka cracklings, smoked loin and smoked pork mignon. Krakow is our best product and the icing on the cake,” added Mauro Machurek.
Earlier this year, Krakow was officially recognized as a Brazilian Geographical Indication (GI), certifying its place of origin and traditional cooking methods. The registration was recognized by the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) on January 21 as an indication of origin (IP). This certification certifies that the product has characteristics and production methods related to the geographical origin of the city of Prudentopolis.
In total, Maculek is led by Nestor’s four sons. In addition to Mauro, brothers José Marcos (47 years old), Carlos Mateus (46 years old) and Néstor Ruiz (52 years old) opened the doors of the company, which still operates in the same location where it was founded in the 1970s in the Patos Velhos district of Prudentópolis.
*The reporter visited Gramado at the invitation of Mr. Festuris.
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