Hungarikums: the most well-known Hungarian family-owned businesses

From hand-made marzipan to immune system boosting drops, Hungary has quite a lot of so-called “hungarikums” that are specialities of the country and can not be found anywhere else. What is the secret behind emblematic, family businesses? 

Family-run businesses have kind of a mystery surrounding them because when we hear the word, we mostly think of small shops, cafes or bistros, but in reality, they can be very different. Nowadays in Hungary, it is tricky to fill up your basket in a supermarket without choosing at least one local Hungarian product. Through these three brands – collected by femina.hu – you can take a sneak peek into the history and secrets of Hungarian, family-owned business.

Béres family – Healing is more than a profession, it is a calling

Béres Csepp – Béres Drops is an immune-boosting medication Hungarians take from September to March to fight colds and viruses of winter. Can you imagine that the inventor was accused of quackery in 1975? After the invention of the drops in 1972, Béres József senior was declared a charlatan, doubting the healing power of the product. The authorities finally realised that Béres was right and in 1978 gave path to the commercialisation of the drops, and it was finally officially declared a medicine in 2000. Since then, it has become one of the most used drugs in the country.

After the death of Béres senior his son, Béres Jószef Jr. took over the company, and even today the third generation of the family is taking an active part in the life of the company. For the grandchildren of Béres senior, their grandfather’s philosophy is fundamental for which they put a huge emphasis on the promotion of their product so more people could learn about its benefits.

The Laposa family – Romance at lake Balaton

Anyone who loves the Balaton region together with its wines and visits the lake frequently surely knows the Laposa family and their winery, which is one of the most successful in the country. Currently, two generations of the family work in the business. Going down the hill of Badacsonytomaj, wine bodegas of Hableány, frissTerasz, Szőlőhegy Bisztró and Laposa Terasz all belong to the family. Today the Laposa name is not only known when it comes to wines but indeed can be linked to tourism and hospitality as well.