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Local sourcing is a trend. And that’s hardly surprising, given its positive impact on the environment. At the same time, many consumers are seeking adventure in their food: they long for exotic tastes and textures. This combination has been leading to the emergence of glocal, where global goods are prepared using global techniques, but exclusively local ingredients. How can this trend support your business?
The trend: glocal kitchen
Think global, act local: that’s what defines the glocal kitchen. Glocal kitchens prepare international recipes and cater to palates from all over the world, while using only local ingredients. Glocal is a hybrid word: a contraction of the words ‘globalization’ and ‘localization’. It’s used for products that are developed and distributed globally, but are prepared from local ingredients. Many glocal kitchens adapt their products to the taste preferences and cultures of the consumers who buy their products at local markets.
Effects produced by the glocal kitchen trend
Most trends produce both positive effects and negative consequences. For glocal kitchens, the pros outnumber the cons by far. Some of the positive effects:
- International recipes meet tastes from all over the world.
- Local sourcing is more environmentally friendly: products do not need to travel as far.
- Local sourcing has a healthy image: no preservatives are needed to keep products fresh during storage or transportation.
- Greater fairness in the supply chain.
- Regional processing and sourcing make it possible to adapt the taste of your product to the demands of your local consumers.
On the downside of sourcing locally is the availability of seasonal products - or lack thereof. But that’s only good for your creativity and provides an excellent impetus to try new ingredients each season.
Concepts with a glocal approach
The menu of Hotel Milano Scala is directed at international guests, but this restaurant creates and presents its dishes according to local customs, with local products. On the sixth floor of the hotel you will find an organic kitchen garden that supplies the restaurant with herbs and seasonal fruits and vegetables.
The world-famous cocktails of cocktail bar Dandelyan are prepared with local and seasonal ingredients only. This is how founder Ryan Chetlywardana aims to minimize his ecological footprint and be completely open and transparent to his customers, while serving the best cocktails.
Hot Bread Kitchen makes more than 75 multi-ethnic breads. All breads are made from local and natural ingredients only and are prepared using traditional baking techniques from all around the world: the perfect example of glocal bakery!
Did you know that Puratos is also a glocal company? As an international company, we are present in many countries so we can be in close contact with our local customers and consumers. Take the Puratos Fruit Fillings as an example of adapting products to local preferences: one of our apple fillings is based on a French traditional recipe: ‘tarte tatin’. And our black cherry filling is inspired by ‘gateau Basque’, an authentic Basque recipe.
Five tips on how to benefit from the trend
Do you want to benefit from this trend? Perhaps these recommendations will be of help.
- Think global, but act local.
- Use products that have travelled the shortest possible distance from their production site to your kitchen or bakery.
- Use products that are in season.
- Use ingredients that are typical to your region.
- If possible, set up your own kitchen garden, where you harvest your own organic “0-kilometre” ingredients.
Do you run a glocal kitchen yourself? Let us know! We’d love to feature your story in this article.
Interested in how the glocal Puratos’ products can support your business? Contact your local Puratos representative.
