Eco-social agriculture was a major topic at the Next Organic 2014 trade show. As part of the Neo Ecology megatrend this type of community farming is booming at the moment. It is especially popular with city dwellers: you receive fresh organic food that is locally (i.e. sustainably) grown and you can also choose to get involved in the planting/harvesting process, reconnecting with nature etc., all without having to move to the countryside. In Berlin and Brandenburg (the county that surrounds Berlin) there are several interesting social farming enterprises. Continue reading
Next Organic 2014: [Show Report]
This Sunday I visited organic food fair Next Organic Berlin which took place in the buildings of old Tempelhof airport. Next Organic is very trend-driven show so if you want to see food/organic megatrends in action, this is the place to visit. The fair presented the latest in Raw Food, Vegan, and organic/sustainable food manufacturing as well as some very interesting regional and glocal (think global, act local:“glocal”) culinary concepts. Add to this a wide range of niche labels and small manufactories and a strong focus on local producers, and you have a very happening trade show indeed. Continue reading
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Filed under Berlin, Retail, Show Reports, Trade Shows, Trends
GlobalCultureBlog – new edition!
The latest blog-round on GlobalCultureBlog has just been published – health and fitness trends across the world….check it out!
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Retail notes from Riga (2/2): Favourite organic beauty stores!
When I’m travelling I always spend a lot of time checking out the different retail chains and perfumeries and, incidentally, spending a lot of money on interesting looking beauty products. All in the name of journalistic research, of course….!
For Riga I had a very long list of retailers that I wanted to visit, including outlets of Drogas, Kristiana, Stockmann and Douglas (the big chains in Latvia). However, the city also has some wonderful independent beauty stores…..and here are three of my favourites! Continue reading
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Filed under Industry News, Retail, Travel
Retail notes from Riga (1/2): Organic beauty from the Baltics
I am currently writing an article on the Baltic cosmetics markets so I just spent three days in the capital of Latvia, Riga – for research, for holidays and to revel in organic cosmetics, baked goods, Art Nouveau, birch trees and wooden houses. All of which Riga has in abundance.
I arrived back in Berlin yesterday with a suitcase full of organic beauty products, including products from Madara (Latvia), Joik (Estonia), Natura Siberica (Russia), Planeta Organica (Russia), Graenn (Latvia), Anna Liepa (Latvia), Gusto (Latvia) and Uoga Uoga, a niche brand from Lithuania. Continue reading
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Filed under Industry News, Retail, Travel
Film festival: “Korean Cinema Today” at Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW)
Yesterday evening was the opening event of HKW’s latest film festival – Korean Cinema Today. From 24th April to 4th May 2014 Haus der Kulturen der Welt will show films from the Busan International Film Festival – we’re talking independent movies here, no Hollywood blockbusters!
This is the third Korean Cinema Today festival at HKW (the inaugural festival took place in 2012) and the organisers have lined up an interesting programme – shorts and feature films, classics and documentaries; on 26th April there is also a panel discussion about developments in the Korean film industry. Check out the programme here.
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Filed under Uncategorized
Store Profile: Show-rooming and curated shopping at Bikini Berlin
A few weeks ago Berlin’s latest shopping mall opened: the eagerly anticipated Bikini Berlin. It’s a very long building which stretches along Budapester Strasse, extending from Bahnhof Zoo to the Europa-Center. Bikini Berlin describes itself as “Berlin’s first Concept Mall” and it combines curated pop-up stores, brand boutiques and flagship stores on 17,000 sq m of retail space. Their pop-up store concept really is quite impressive. Continue reading
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Filed under Berlin, Industry News, Mintel, Retail, Store Profiles, Trends
Estonia’s organic beauty brands: Eesti looduslik kosmeetika
Have you ever come across Ingli Pai, Green Nature, Moshi, Jovely, Sohvy, PanicaOrganica, Luminordic, Vestige Verdant or Ontic Minerals? They are all organic beauty brands from the Northern European country of Estonia. These labels have a very selective distribution even in their own country. And none, at the time of writing, are available outside of Estonia. Unless you count online stores. Talk about niche retail! Continue reading
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Filed under cosmeticsbusiness.com, Industry News, Retail
Bio Ost 2014: [Show Report] Regional organics in Berlin
On Sunday, 6th April, I visited Bio Ost trade show which is part of a rather interesting trade fair concept: Bio Ost (East) is one of four regional German shows – the others are Bio West, Bio Süd (South) and Bio Nord (North). Continue reading
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Filed under Berlin, Industry News, Show Reports, Trade Shows, Trends
Exhibition: “Ai Weiwei – Evidence” at Gropius-Bau museum
Tomorrow, 3rd April 2014, a spectacular new exhibition opens at Gropius-Bau museum: “Ai Weiwei – Evidence”. Ai Weiwei is arguably the most famous Chinese contemporary artist of the last decade – or rather, he is famous in the US and Europe. In his home country Ai Weiwei’s work has never been officially exhibited and the dissident artist is under constant surveillance by the government. In 2011 he was placed under house arrest and incarcerated. Continue reading
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Filed under Berlin, Design, Exhibitions
TRENDS. TRAVELS. AND BERLIN 