Zigante - The World’s 1st Truffle Exporter to USA

Italian traders have damaged Croatian white truffles, because they bought them and sold them as Italian, said Zigante.

The Zigante family from Plovanija, Istria and Croatia are now richer with a new modern factory for the production of derivates of white and black truffles. Therefore, along with a famous Zigante's restaurant in Livade, many stores in Croatia and abroad will be stronger producers and traders of these wanted and expensive products. They are also preparing a representation in Moscow. 

A kilogram of white truffle (Tuber Magnatum Pico) in Croatia last year cost between 15,500 and 34,000 kuna, and the year before from 6,000 to 22,000 kuna. Last autumn in Italy, the price has reached 7,000 euros a kilogram!

The head of the five-member family is Giancarlo Zigante, and he is helped by his two sons and daughter, while his wife works in the house. He became famous around the world when on November 2, 1999, he found a white truffle that weighed 1.31 kilograms which entered the Guinness World Record’s book. Since then, every year in November, the restaurant Zigante in Livade, has organised a ceremony during which cooks prepare specialties of truffle, and the restaurant works all year long. It is attended by people from almost all around the world.

You are the largest exporter of Istrian truffles in Croatia, especially of white truffle which is known all around the world. 

- My company, Zigante Tartufi, exports about 90% of truffles from the overall Croatian export which amounts about 700 Kilograms. We mainly export to the United States, then Italy, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden, Belgium, Hungary, Japan and other countries. I am the world’s number one exporter of truffles to the USA.

It is known that the Istrian white truffle is sold abroad, and Italian traders sell them as an Italian product, and as Italian they have been placed in prestigious restaurants in the world, especially in the USA, for decades. In the past years you have been fighting for the Istrian white truffles, which have been taken from the Motovunska forest for eighty years, to receive the place where they belong. Has the situation changed?

- Italian traders have damaged our white truffles, because they bought them and sold them as Italian. Although the situation has changed and it is no longer like in the past years. In many restaurants in Europe and the USA, the Istrian truffles are more and more wanted and sold in the famous American restaurants owned by our gastronomist Lidija Bastijanich and her son Joseph. Their restaurants are attended by Placido Domingo, Quentin Tarantino, former mayor of New York and US presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani, and former UN Secretary Chief Annan, and many other VIPs. Many other famous restaurants serve our products, like the Harward Club in New York. I met Mrs Bastijanich, who is Istrian, born in the surroundings of Pula, who is really did a lot to highlight the Istrian truffles and their value. However, many famous and less famous gusts of our restaurant talk about the quality of our truffles, and owners and cooks of American and other restaurants have spoken to the media about it.

Many famous guests have attended your restaurant in Livade, Istria, which has received many national and foreign awards. Can you name us some

- There has been many of them: politicians, sportsmen, artists… the most famous are President Sthepan Mesic, world’s Formula 1 stars – former world champion Mario Andretti, born in Motovun, who now lives in the USA, Ralph Schumacher, and others.

Considering that the truffle dishes are too expensive for an average Croatian customer. What products to you suggest to customers with lower salaries and pensions?

- Croatian customers usually look for products of truffle and mushrooms because they are the cheapest-

Are truffles really aphrodisiac and help sexual activity? 

- They say they are – Mr Zigante said laughing – personally I can not give confirmation to that, but when I should need it, and I will call you and telly you.

Two years ago in Zigante’s restaurant, the author of this interview was surprised with the special taste of the truffle ice-cream. Even women enjoyed in the delicious sweet and admitted that it is a unique dessert.

Our last question is how come you decided to produce extra virgin olive oil and quickly became famous in Croatia and in the world?

- Istria is famous for its olive oil, prosciutto ham, rakija and biska. These and other products are available in my specialised shops. As many Istrians, I decided to produce extra virgin olive oil for which I received national and international awards, which I am proud of. Many of my friends and colleagues from the Istria County received many awards and recognition for their quality from Croatian olive growers and producers. My extra virgin olive oil “Carlo – Frantoio” is of high quality and it is taken directly from olives through a mechanic process, and has entered the world tutorial “L’extravergine”.