Čvarci goes from humble snack to expensive and hard-to-find treat

Čvarci

Once considered a humble dish, čvarci – Croatia’s traditional pork scratching delicacy – has become a pricey luxury, with supply dwindling and prices soaring across markets.

Čvarci are becoming a rare and costly indulgence and this year is no exception, with prices soaring once again – if you can even find them at all.

To investigate the rising cost of this traditional favourite snack, Dobra hrana visited Trešnjevka market in Zagreb.

Their first stop was “Mesne Delicije Mraz” but despite a price tag of €26 per kilo, there wasn’t a čvarak in sight.

“We’ve sold out,” the butcher said, explaining that the shortage is partly due to pigs having less fat these days, which limits production.

Next, they headed to the “Kudelić” butcher shop, where customers were busy selecting their cuts for lunch. When asked about čvarci, the response was clear – they sold out days ago.

When asked when they might be back, the staff couldn’t say. They revealed that when available, čvarci were priced at €23 per kilo.

Čvarci (Photo: Quahadi Añtó/CC BY-SA 3.0)

The final stop was “Agrozeline” butcher shop, where butcher Josip Babok said the high prices were because of government policies.

“Čvarci are expensive, and people simply can’t afford them. If you want to know who’s responsible, it’s the government,” he said. Babok, the founder of the Croatian Civil Resistance Party (HSGO), had sold his last batch for €20.57 per kilo, but now only scraps remained in the display case.

As Babok shared his political views, pensioners nodded in agreement, waiting in line for their meat.

Finding no luck at the market, Dobra hrana headed to a nearby supermarket, where pre-packaged čvarci from local producers ranged from €4 to €5.20 for 200 grams.

Though the winter season has only just begun, it seems the supply of čvarci will be particularly limited this year, and despite the steep prices, every last piece will likely be snapped up – at least by those who can afford it.