Springwise - Food & Beverage

Recipe kits bring the world to your dinner table

2010-03-17T07:55:00Z

Global warming and the recession may have delivered a one-two punch to many consumers' travel plans, but that doesn't mean people can't still enjoy an exotic escape of a different kind. Enter Destination Dinners, a San Francisco company that offers a wide variety of dinner kits replicating dining experiences from around the world.

Bangladesh, Jamaica, Korea, Japan, Thailand, Israel, Lebanon and New Orleans are all regions that customers can 'visit' gastronomically by means of Destination Dinners' recipe kits, which come complete with everything necessary to create a local-style meal. Premeasured spices, sauces and dried items are part of every package, as are step-by-step instructions, a shopping list for fresh ingredients, and fun facts and trivia about the destination in question.

The Destination Dinner kits are designed to serve four adults and are priced at USD 25 or USD 30. A line of dinner party kits is also available—including serving pieces, placemats, bowls, trays and even music CDs—as is a "Destination Passport" plan that ships one dinner kit plus a corresponding cooking or serving tool each month.

Offering a healthy platter of dining insperiences along with a generous serving of status skills to boot, Destination Dinners currently focuses on shipping within the United States. One to help bring to home-bound culinary adventurers in your neck of the global woods...? (Related: Cuisine in a box — Ready-to-cook meals delivered to busy urbanites — Modern wine paired with ancient Roman cuisine.)

Website: www.destinationdinners.com
Contact: info@destinationdinners.com

Spotted by: Jim Chiang

Free English lessons at Spanish restaurant chain

2010-03-12T07:55:00Z

Similar to Hamburg's Language Lounge, which we covered back in 2008, Spanish restaurant chain Fresc Co now provides a way for customers to practice their English while they eat. But while Language Lounge charges a monthly fee for its lessons, Fresc Co's initiative is free.

Fresc Co operates some 40 restaurants in 11 Spanish cities, focusing on fresh ingredients and Mediterranean dishes. Starting last month, two of its Barcelona locations have teamed up with local instruction firm English Metas to help patrons improve their English skills while also doing a little networking. Targeting professional workers, English Metas' native speaking teachers focus primarily on everyday language and work situations in the relaxed, two-hour sessions.

Corporate generosity is always good, but when it can help your target customers through tough economic times—and drum up a little extra business along the way—it's a win-win for everyone. Other restaurants, bars and cafes around the globe: time to give out a little free love of your own? (Related: English lessons and eyelash extensions.)

Website: www.frescco.com

Spotted by: Leticia Pérez Prieto

Buy a bottle of wine and donate clean water

2010-03-02T12:55:00Z

Some 42,000 people die each week for lack of clean water, and the majority of them are children under 5 years old. Aiming to help alleviate this problem, online wine vendor CellarThief donates 100 days' worth of clean water for every bottle of wine it sells.

Launched earlier this year, California-based CellarThief sells only three wines on its site at any given time, and they're typically available for just 48 hours or until they sell out. All wines are hand-picked from world-class wineries by industry veterans, and CellarThief presents the story of each vintage as well as suggestions for food pairings. Prices are heavily discounted, CellarThief says, and shipping is USD 5 for any order of at least three bottles. Most interesting of all, however, is that the company has partnered with Charity: Water to provide clean water to those who need it. In addition to the donation made each time a bottle of wine is sold, further donations are made each time a wine sells out.

CellarThief's corporate generosity will surely please the discerning palates of the members of Generation G, who increasingly expect such benevolence in return for their business. Currently the company ships only within the continental United States. One to partner with or emulate for the ethically minded oenophiles near you? (Related: Pepsi asks crowds which community projects to fund — Buy a onesie, donate one to a baby in need — Buy one house, give one free.)

Website: www.cellarthief.com
Contact: info@cellarthief.com

Spotted by: Brent Samuels

Coffee mug for mums that won't scald tykes

2010-02-25T12:55:00Z

Toddlers and young children are notorious for their desire to grab whatever might be dangerous for them, and hot beverages are no exception. In fact, some 100,000 children each year are scalded by hot drinks and foods in the United States alone, according to the American Burn Association. Enter the MummyMug, a new innovation that uses a lip-activated lid to prevent drinks from spilling.

Parents simply fill the MummyMug with their favourite hot drink, secure the screw-on lid, and start sipping. The pressure of the drinker's top lip against the top of the lid causes the valve to open. It automatically closes up after every sip, ensuring that the MummyMug remains safe if accidentally knocked over.

Made from a material that gives the look and feel of ceramics but with shatterproof durability, the patent-pending mug is recyclable and guaranteed BPA-free.

The Swedish-made MummyMug, sold by the Dutch company of the same name, will hit European stores this autumn. There's no word yet on pricing. Parenting and baby retailers around the world: better sign up now ...

Website: www.mummymug.com
Contact: info@mummymug.com

No secret recipes at open source restaurant

2010-02-22T14:55:00Z

Back in 2008 we wrote about Arne Hendriks's plan to create a crowdsourced restaurant in Amsterdam. As of December, the resulting eatery—called by its founders "the world's first open source restaurant"—has now opened.

At the Instructables Restaurant, which launched as a pop-up event at the historic Theatrum Anatomicum of the Waag in Amsterdam, patrons receive not only creatively-cooked food but also instructions for preparing everything they see, eat and use—including the furniture. For example, someone seeking the recipe for the Tom Kha Gai soup they just enjoyed can either claim it at the restaurant or download it online; and anyone interested in making their own versions of the restaurant's recycled 50-gallon barrel chairs can do likewise.

Everything in the restaurant derives from Instructables, a web-based documentation platform where people share their expertise with others, whether it's cooking, pottery or woodworking. Even the instructions for creating the restaurant itself are now available on Instructables.com.

Is this a model to emulate for MIY (make-it-yourself) fans in your part of the world? (Related: Crowdsourced restaurant taps local community — Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes — Open source eco-car, designed by wiki.)

Website: www.instructablesrestaurant.com
Contact: arnehendriks@yahoo.com

Chocolate with a conservation commitment

2010-02-12T13:51:49Z

We've written about several food brands that provide consumers with detailed information on the sources and background of their jam, bananas, coffee and other foods. Now, a premium chocolate company has taken product life stories to the next level by incorporating a transparent commitment to rainforest conservation. Launched in 2008 and now expanding worldwide, San Francisco-based Original Beans offers a direct link between its customers and the conservation work it supports.

For each bar sold, Original Beans plants a tree in the rainforest where the bar's ingredients originated. Each bar carries a certificate inside the wrapper with a lot number that designates the location of a new tree. By entering the tracking code on the company's website, customers can not only trace where the cacao beans in their individual bar were grown, but also what their contribution is to the chocolatier's rainforest replenishment efforts. Hence the company's mantra: "One bar, one tree, go see."

Original Beans offers three varieties of single-origin chocolate, from Ecuador, Bolivia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The company is allied with farmers' co-ops in these areas, who plant rare cacao trees plus a mix of trees necessary for lively biodiversity. Incorporating ecological and social costs into its pricing model means each 3.5oz (100g) bar of Original Beans chocolate is steeply priced at USD 12. Even for an indulgence that helps the environment, it remains to be seen whether customers will be willing to regularly pay double digits for chocolate bars.

But there's no doubt that it's smart to empower consumers to see a direct, measurable positive effect on the environment with their purchase, especially when brands find engaging ways to share those benefits. How else will companies experiment with, and up the ante on, "life story labels"?

Website: www.originalbeans.com
Contact: info@originalbeans.com

Spotted by: Roelof le Roux

Cookbook-only store with test kitchen and café

2010-02-10T09:00:06Z

'Try before you buy' is an ages-old maxim that's at the heart of the tryvertising trend we write about so often. It's a tough one to apply to books, though—beyond enabling browsing—and even tougher when it comes to cookbooks. That's where 25° Celsius comes in. First, it's a bookstore that sells only cookbooks. Second, it features an on-site test kitchen and café that lets patrons sample from the recipes served up on the shelves.

Singapore-based 25°C aims to offer a wide variety of cooking-related titles, browsable by region or ingredients as well as special interest topics like travel. Even more interesting, however, is that 25°C has created what appears to be the first bookstore-owned test kitchen in Singapore. On a regular basis, the 25°C staff will pick a book off the shelves and test out a few of the recipes it contains, making a point to closely follow the prescribed steps. Those recipes are then included on the menu of the month at the 25°C Café.

The lesson to be learned? All those who think the tryvertising trend doesn't apply to you, think again! With a little ingenuity, you may just hit upon a way to make it happen—and to build a loyal community while you're at it. One to emulate as soon as possible! (Related: More meal prep and cooking instruction, this time by Jamie Oliver — Tasting bar for babies serves up tryvertising for tykes.)

P.S. Many thanks to Malika for pointing out a similar concept in London: Books for Cooks.

Website: www.25degreec.com
Contact: ask@25degreec.com

Spotted by: Sharon Sng

Plastic bottles for carbon-saving wines

2010-02-09T12:36:03Z

The key to wine may lie in the soil, but it's the container that carries a heavy carbon footprint. That's why Yealands—a sustainable winemaker from New Zealand—is producing wine in plastic bottles. Shattering the shining, purist image of glass, the recyclable PET plastic used in Yealands' newly launched Full Circle range generates 54% less greenhouse gas emissions and uses 19% less energy. The plastic bottles boast a weight saving of 89% over glass, earning them kudos as carbon-saving cargo.

The first full circle wine is a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. To ensure that the wine quality is unaffected, Full Circle bottles use new DiamondClear technology, which keeps oxygen out of the wine, and feature best-before labels advising customers to drink the wine within 18 months. Yealands' owner, Peter Yealands, believes that plastic-bottled wine is here to stay: "Tim Atkin, one of the UK’s leading wine critics from the Observer, has declared war on overweight packaging by vowing to boycott wines sold in heavyweight wine bottles," he says.

Yealands' efforts at sustainability are far-reaching, from a solar- and wind-powered winery, to replacing lawnmowers with sheep in the vineyards. The company has already earned a CarboNZero certification from New Zealand's Landcare Research organisation; the Full Circle range will bring Yealands yet more eco-bounty. Not only will it appeal to green-conscious consumers, the smaller size and lighter weight of the plastic bottles also makes them more convenient for picnics, and a new option for pubs and outdoor events where glass is banned.

There are definite echoes of the screw-top vs. cork debate—will plastic bottles be the next vinous trend? (Related: Local bottling makes for greener wine at Waitrose.)

Website: www.yealands.com
Contact: michael@yealands.co.nz

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

Eco-friendlier charcoal bag uses paper chimney instead of lighter fluid

2010-01-29T13:18:09Z

Charcoal lighter fluid is responsible for the release of some 14,500 tons of volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere in the US each year, according to the EPA, which is one of the reasons there's growing interest in charcoal alternatives like Sologear's uGO FlameDisk. For those too attached to that authentic charcoal flavour, however, there's now a chemical-free, eco-minded option.

One Light Charcoal is a single-use charcoal bag featuring an internal chimney that uses air rather than harmful accelerants to ignite and roast the charcoal. No lighter fluid is added; rather, the consumer simply opens the bag, lights the long-stem match provided and places it in the chimney. The bag then burns from the inside out, allowing the charcoal to roast before the bag itself burns off, leaving only a pyramid of red-hot coals.

The brain child of Texas-based Innovative Barbecue Solutions, One Light Charcoal is priced at about USD 3.50 per three-pound bag and sold through stores including HEB, Wal-Mart and Whole Foods. Retailers in other parts of the world: one to add to your outdoor grilling section?

Website: www.onelightcharcoal.com
Contact: www.onelightcharcoal.com/contact.php

Spotted by: Shelly Wares

Gourmet wines designed for cooking

2010-01-28T19:34:29Z

Opportunity awaits those who can make consumers' lives easier, as countless innovations prove every day. Take choosing a wine. We've already seen several efforts to simplify the process of finding a good one for drinking—including, among many other approaches, a classification system that uses colours and numbers—and now California-based Académie Culinary Wines aims to do the same for wines that will be used in cooking.

Académie wines are sourced directly from California's premier wine regions. With the help of gourmet chefs, the company has developed a line including four blends that are designed to make culinary creations the best they can possibly be. Blend #1, for example, is designed for use in red sauces and meat dishes. Blend #2, meanwhile, targets seafood, poultry and pork. Blend #3 aims to complement beef and poultry marinades, while Blend #4 is for game bird, fish and lamb. All Académie wines are highly suitable for drinking as well, the company says, and are packaged in a convenient, waste-proof 375mL size that's still ample for tasting while the cooking proceeds. To facilitate the culinary magic, the Académie site includes a variety of recipes geared toward each of the wines in its line.

Available online and from select California retailers, Académie wines come in single 375mL bottles for USD 7.99 each or sampler packs of four for USD 28.76. Shipping is currently available only within California; one to partner with and bring to the rest of the cooking world? (Related: Wine tasting packs feature four mini samples — Wine search engine uses animation to visualize aromas — Modern wine paired with ancient Roman cuisine — Sommelier, go away: food pairing made easy.)

Website: www.academiewines.com
Contact: support@academiewines.com

Edible decals turn cakes into works of art

2010-01-27T19:00:07Z

Professionally made desserts are all very well, but for true bake-it-yourself types, there's nothing like a homemade confection. Much the way Sprinkles Cupcakes mixes aim to give baking enthusiasts a way to emulate professional results in their own kitchens, so Ticings allow them to add a dash of photographic-quality art.

Ticings are edible images that can be applied to cakes, cookies, brownies and cupcakes. Users need only peel them from their paper backing and then press them onto a baked confection. Whereas some baking embellishments drag when cut, Ticings merge with soft frosting to create edible art that creates no resistance for the knife. Launched last month, the US-made decorations—which are FDA approved, kosher certified and gluten free—are available from LA-based Ticings in sheets of 12 2.25-inch images for USD 15.95 or 35 1.25-inch images for USD 22.95. Themes include birthdays, weddings and seasonal motifs; shipping is available only within the continental US. Coming soon from the company are gourmet artisan sprinkles.

Giving crafty consumers yet another way to make it themselves—upgraded to help them compete with the professionals—Ticings will soon also be available through a bakery in northern California. Other gourmet retailers around the world: time to add yourself to that list? (Related: Upscale takeaway meets onsite cooking school — Shirt sold out? Make it yourself — DIY wedding rings.)

Website: www.ticings.com
Contact: hello@ticings.com

Spotted by: Lara McCulloch

Butter brand facilitates bake clubs

2010-01-25T15:39:11Z

Back in 2008 we wrote about MakeTheTea.com, a online tool created by dairy brand Cravendale to facilitate the tea-making process among groups. Now, Danish butter brand Lurpak is similarly encouraging online conversation about their brand via a new website called Bake Club.

Targetting consumers in the UK, Bake Club is an interactive baking club that allows amateur bakers to connect and have bake-offs. Bakers create a group, invite people to join and set up a baking schedule. Members are called to task via an e-mail alert with a date for baking. Members then share, rate and comment on each other’s bakes. Pictures of people's cakes, cookies and pies are displayed both on the website and on Flickr.

Blending one part viral marketing, one part life hack, one part social network and a generous dollop of the most vital ingredient — consumers — Lurpak obviously hopes to build name recognition and sell more butter. With tea-making and baking covered, will we see other brands join the club?

Website: www.bakeclub.co.uk
Contact: www.bakeclub.co.uk/contact

Spotted by: Ant Cauchi

Sympvertising & samples help launch new Maxwell House brand in Dubai

2009-12-30T11:18:12Z

If warm soup and a heated bus stop are the way to Chicago-area commuters' hearts, then coffee, cupcakes and fun are probably a good choice for catching the attention of recession-beleaguered office workers. Such, indeed, proved to be the case earlier this year, when Kraft Foods' Maxwell House launched its new Trio coffee brand in Dubai.

Throughout the months of May and June, the brand targeted Dubai office workers with free "Trio Time" office parties, available for the asking thanks to a campaign developed by OgilvyOne Middle East. Once securing their employer's permission, office workers needed only register online and pick a date for the party at their office. A team of brand reps would then arrive at the appointed time with cupcakes, music, games, balloons, prizes and of course plenty of Trio samples. More than 150 parties were held in offices throughout Dubai during the 5-week campaign, bringing the taste of Trio to more than 3,000 consumers. Additional impressions were made, too, through coverage of the events on Facebook and Twitter.

Particularly during tough times, a little sympvertising can go a long way toward showing consumers that your brand cares. Add to that a dose of tryvertising—an increasingly popular strategy in its own right—and you'll soon be savouring the sweet aroma of success! ;-) (Related: Nationwide tryvertising parties.)

Website: www.trio-time.com
Contact: trio-time@krafteurope.com

Restaurant lets patrons make their own pancakes

2009-12-23T22:48:08Z

When it comes to breakfast, consumers can already customize their own muesli and tea. For those in the mood for pancakes, however, there's now a restaurant in Portland, Oregon, that lets patrons create and cook their own pancakes, right at the table.

Slappy Cakes is a full-service breakfast and lunch restaurant that features a variety of dishes made from fresh and organic ingredients. It chooses local and regional vendors whenever possible, as well as operating its own courtyard garden for herbs, vegetables and berries. Most interesting of all, however, is that each table at Slappy Cakes features a built-in griddle. Patrons can choose from a variety of batter options—including buttermilk, pumpkin, vegan and gluten-free—and do the cooking themselves, right at their table. Accompaniments such as nuts, berries and chocolate along with organic maple syrup can then be added to create the customized pancake concoction of one's dreams. Batter costs USD 5 for an 8-oz. bottle; toppings are USD 1 each. For those more interested in the "rest" part of the restaurant experience, meanwhile, pancakes can also be ordered from the kitchen.

There's no doubt Burger King was onto something early when it came up with its famous "Have it Your Way" campaign more than 30 years ago. With the addition of a heaping helping of customer-made experience, however, there are no limits to the fresh and modern possibilities! (Related: More self-service at bars: a tap at every table — Where food & tech meet for dinner.)

Website: www.slappycakes.com
Contact: info@slappycakes.com

Spotted by: Sarah Anne Jackson

Wine tasting packs feature four mini samples

2009-12-18T10:33:48Z

Between the knowledge required and the not-unsubstantial investment, choosing a new bottle of wine can feel like a risky endeavour. That's why it's an ideal area for tryvertising, as we noted in our story last year about WineSide's trial-sized tubes, and it's also presumably why San Francisco-based Brixr recently launched a set of tasting packs designed specifically for sampling.

Now in beta, Brixr offers two different tasting packs, each featuring four 50ml bottles of boutique wines along with an online video tasting guide. The 2008 Pinot Noir Holiday Tasting Pack, priced at USD 69, includes samples of three wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands and one from the Sonoma Coast appellation. In addition to the four samples, recipients of the pack get a coupon for two full-sized bottles of their favourite sampled wines, shipped directly to their door at no charge. Also available is a Napa Cabernet Holiday Tasting Pack, whose USD 79 price includes a coupon for one free full-sized bottle. The sample packs themselves, meanwhile—sans coupons—are each available for USD 19 and USD 29, respectively.

Tryvertising may make extra sense for wines, but it's a strategy that can overcome purchase hesitation in just about every product area. Particularly during tough economic times, it pays to let customers try before they buy! While Brixr was developed by the wine innovators at Crushpad for their own customers, the company has also had considerable interest from other winemakers. (Related: Tryvertising store expands in Spain — A box of samples, delivered by UPS — Vending machine dispenses free samples — Heated bus stop offers sympvertising and samples.)

Website: www.brixr.com
Contact: www.brixr.com/contact