When Verbier decided to find a new partner, the Valais ski resort thought long and hard about it. And when they heard that a certain HUGO was looking for a holiday destination, they didn’t hesitate proposing Verbier and the Val de Bagnes as the perfect destination. HUGO? It is the real Swiss pickle marriage made in heaven.
But why did Hugo, the Swiss emblem of pickle, agree to partner with an international ski resort? Despite all that may seem to separate them, he is a gherin and Verbier is a ski resort, HUGO and Verbier have one thing in common: raclette! That’s right! If Bagnes raclette has an international reputation, it would not be complete without local and crunchy gherkins. With a little hindsight, we can say to ourselves that it is logical that these two products of the Swiss nation should be combined, because tasting a 100% Swiss raclette is a la mode.

“With HUGO, the true Swiss pickle, the spotlight is MADE IN SWITZERLAND. Because a successful raclette is Bagnes cheese, Valais wine and now Swiss gherkins and onions. ‘We are very proud to associate our HUGO pickle with a destination such as Verbier, which represents so well the Swiss culture, being both known for gastronomy and sporty’;  according to Olivier Camille, CEO of Reitzel, HUGO’s parent company located in Aigle in the canton of Vaud.

A new ambassador : To emphasise the importance of gherkins in any good raclette, Verbier asked Hugo if the gherkin wanted to become its first ambassador for gastronomy; a position immediatley accepted, of course. Simon Wiget, director of Verbier Tourism, is excited for this holiday destination: “Are you seriously asking me if a gherkin can become an official ambassador for Verbier-Val de Bagnes-La Tzoumaz? Listen, here, raclette is sacred. So everything that touches her in any way is also touching. Obviously, HUGO will be an excellent ambassador: it has everything it takes to become an exceptional accompaniment ‘.

Local and raclette ambassador Eddy Baillifard has already adopted HUGO: “You see, at first, I thought it wasn’t going to be easy to learn how to live with a pickle. But the contact was easy and it must be said that it tastes good, when it comes to raclette too. That’s why I decided to take him under my wing, until he could fly alone’.

Plenty of opportunities to see him again in Verbier

To launch this partnership between the “Capital of Raclette” and the “King of the Swiss Pickle”, it will be possible to follow HUGO on Verbier’s Inatagram, on the slopes of the ski area.  And what will he do about it? Hugo will accompany of course.

As an ambassador, HUGO will be present regularly in Verbier and the Val de Bagnes for all kinds of activities in the coming months. He has already left a small gift on the Verbier site: a raclette calculator to know the quantities of each product to be taken according to the number of guests and their appetite. HUGO is already making a name for itself on Verbier’s communication networks and on less orthodox channels… Who says a pickle can’t love?

HUGO: HUGO, the real Swiss pickle! Since 1909, the Reitzel company, named after its founder, has preciously preserved its know-how in Aigle. The HUGO brand has helped revive the gherkin industry in Switzerland and works closely with its producers to ensure local and sustainable agriculture. And finally put in a locally made jar! HUGO products include a wide range of condiments made with ingredients of Swiss origin; pickles, mayonnaise, mustards, chilli sauces and salad dressings.

Verbier: The Verbier-Val de Bagnes-La Tzoumaz destination offers more than 300 km² of pistes to its visitors with six diverse and varied villages. Verbier the cosmopolitan, Le Châble the accessible, Haut Val de Bagnes the wild, Bruson the authentic, Vollèges the discreet or La Tzoumaz the family, everyone has their own base camp to then enjoy a total immersion in Bagnard land! Here, skiing in all its forms has found its footing with the 4 Valleys, the largest ski area in Switzerland and a plethora of mythical slopes and peaks to climb and descend. The art of living, whether it is tinged with authenticity or on trend eateries, is gaining notority with fabulous gastronomy.