Vénusz, goddess of the kitchen

1952 – Stalinism is still raging in Hungary when the first bottle of Vénusz cooking oil comes off the production line. How such a name could be chosen in those times is still a mystery. In any case, this brand is present even in the smallest stores today. Both the name and the label have undergone some changes during the past fifty years, though the style has remained unchanged. Sunflower oil has been the basic ingredient since the 70's. Before that, rape-oil was added in some quantities, as a result of unpredictable agricultural production. At first, Vénusz was sold in glass bottles with corks, later PVC bottles were introduced and even a 3 litre, refillable version was also available. Environmentally less hazardous PET bottles have been in use since 1994. Bottle sizes at the moment are: 1, 2, 5, 10 litres.
Before accession to the EU, Vénusz was protected by import duties. Since then many competitors have appeared, but Vénusz is a strong, well developed brand with a long tradition. Vénusz is a versatile product, which can be used for making any kind of dish. Venusz versions with various flavours are popular among creative housewifes.
Rational and emotional ties are equally important to the brand. Certain properties, like the lack of smell, the bottle sizes and the latest innovation: reduced splatter, represent rational advantages, while various flavours allow emotional ties to develop and also distinguish Vénusz from other cooking oils in the market. It has not been easy to distance Venusz sufficiently from the other product of the manufacturer, Floriol, which is positioned higher and dedicated to the idea of health. To put it simply: Vénusz is praised by cooks, while Floriol is appreciated by dietecians.
In-store marketing of Vénusz is not an easy task. According to András Köves, sales and marketing director of Bunge Zrt., future promotions will be made even more colourful and bottles will be fitted with a „collar” label.