Mundial Inc. of Porto Alegre, Brazil, offers quality comparable to the best European brands, but with a price advantage that makes Mundial the favorite of many restaurants and institutions. Brazil produces some of the world’s best steel, and Mundial puts that to good use, manufacturing 95 percent of the products it sells in its own Brazilian facilities.
Paul Zivi, a German metallurgist, developed the Mundial brand in Germany in 1931. Working with a team of German designers and engineers, Zivi established the sophisticated manufacturing process that today maintains the quality of Mundial knives from start to finish. Zivi and his team emigrated to Brazil in the 1930’s in order to take advantage of abundant and less expensive resources in South America. Mundial created its own alloy of high carbon stainless steel to be competitive with the well known Solingen steel favored by European cutlers, successfully combining the wealth of the New World with the technology and craftsmanship of Germany.
Mundial divides its knives into two main groups, Premium and Professional. In the Premium category you’ll find knives designed for the homeowner, created with grips of natural wood, polymers, or stainless steel. The synthetic handles of the 5100 series come in four bright colors to add some spark to your kitchen. The most elegant and most traditional style, Mundial’s Olivier, features forged blades and a beautiful one-piece wood handle. The Olivier knives are based on the concepts of Brazilian Chef Olivier Anquier. Mundial’s Professional products combine stamped steel blades and molded synthetic handles. Made for restaurant and other food service workers, the knives are built to reduce fatigue and increase food safety. Although not as artistic as the Premium lines, the Professional series gives homeowners efficient knives at low cost.
See all of our Mundial knife reviews below
